Document:

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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.38

The Company has the following Form of Severance Agreement with the individuals
listed below:

           Mark D. Pyke
           Robert Robins

                               SEVERANCE AGREEMENT
                               -------------------

         THIS SEVERANCE AGREEMENT (this "Agreement"), dated as of ______, 19___,
by and between National Processing, Inc., an Ohio corporation (the "Company"),
and ___________________ (the "Executive"). This Agreement supersedes any other
Severance Agreement between the Company and the Executive.

                                   WITNESSETH:
                                   ----------

         WHEREAS, the Executive is a senior executive of the Company and/or a
Subsidiary (as defined below) and has made and is expected to continue to make
major contributions to the profitability, growth and financial strength of the
Company;

         WHEREAS, the Company recognizes that, as is the case of most
companies, the possibility of a Change in Control exists;

         WHEREAS, the Company desires to assure itself of both present and
future continuity of management and desires to establish certain minimum
severance benefits for certain of its senior executive officers and other key
employees, including the Executive, applicable in the event of a Change in
Control;

         WHEREAS, the Company wishes to ensure that its senior executives and
other key employees are not practically disabled from discharging their duties
in respect of a proposed or actual transaction involving a Change in Control;
and

         WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide additional inducement for the
Executive to continue to remain in the ongoing employ of the Company.

         NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and the Executive agree as follows:

         1. CERTAIN DEFINED TERMS: In addition to terms defined elsewhere
herein, the following terms have the following meanings when used in this
Agreement with initial capital letters:

                  (a) "Base Pay" means the Executive's annual base salary at a
         rate not less than the Executive's annual fixed or base compensation as
         in effect for Executive immediately prior to the occurrence of a Change
         in Control or such higher rate as may be in effect from time to time.

                  (b) "Cause" means that, prior to any termination pursuant to
         Section 3(a) hereof, the Executive shall have committed:

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             (i) an intentional act of fraud, embezzlement or theft in
         connection with his/her duties or in the course of his/her employment
         with the Company or any Subsidiary;

             (ii) intentional wrongful damage to property of the Company or
         any Subsidiary;

             (iii) intentional wrongful disclosure of secret processes or
         confidential information of the Company or any Subsidiary; or

             (iv) intentional wrongful engagement in any Competitive
         Activity;

         and any such act shall have been harmful to the Company. For purposes
         of this Agreement, no act or failure to act on the part of the
         Executive shall be deemed "intentional" if it was due primarily to an
         error in judgment or negligence, but shall be deemed "intentional" only
         if done or omitted to be done by the Executive not in good faith and
         without reasonable belief that his/her action or omission was in the
         best interest of the Company. Nothing herein will limit the right of
         the Executive or his/her beneficiaries to contest the validity or
         propriety of any such determination.

               (c) "Change in Control" means the occurrence during the Term of
         either of the following events:

                           (i) The Company is merged, consolidated or
         reorganized into or with another corporation or other legal person
         other than NCC, a successor of NCC (direct or indirect, by purchase,
         merger, consolidation, reorganization or otherwise) ("Successor"), or
         an affiliate of NCC or of a Successor and as a result of such merger,
         consolidation or reorganization less than fifty percent of the combined
         voting power of the then outstanding securities of such resulting
         corporation or person immediately after such transaction are held by
         NCC, a Successor or an affiliate of NCC or of a Successor; or

                           (ii) The Company sells or otherwise transfers all or
         substantially all of its assets or the Company causes or permits the
         sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of any
         Subsidiary that has assets equal to or greater than eighty percent of
         the total assets of the Company, as reported on a consolidated basis,
         to another corporation or other legal person, and as a result of such
         sale or transfer less than fifty percent of the combined voting power
         of the then outstanding Voting Stock of such corporation or person
         immediately after such sale or transfer is held by NCC, a Successor or
         an affiliate of NCC or of a Successor, provided, however, that a Change
         in Control of NCC determined by the standards set forth herein or
         otherwise shall not constitute a Change in Control of the Company.

                  (d) "Competitive Activity" means the Executive's
         participation, without the written consent of an officer of the
         Company, in the management of any business enterprise if such
         enterprise engages in competition with the Company. "Competitive
         Activity" will not include (i) the mere ownership of securities in any
         such enterprise and the exercise of rights appurtenant thereto, (ii)
         participation in the management of any

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         such enterprise other than in connection with the competitive
         operations of such enterprise or (iii) participation in the management
         of any such enterprise which has been authorized by the Board of
         Directors of the Company.

                  (e) "Employee Benefits" means the perquisites, benefits and
         service credit for benefits as provided under any and all employee
         retirement income and welfare benefit policies, plans, programs or
         arrangements in which Executive is entitled to participate, including
         without limitation any stock option, stock purchase, stock appreciation
         savings, pension, supplemental executive retirement, or other
         retirement income or welfare benefit, deferred compensation, incentive
         compensation, group or other life, health medical/hospital or other
         insurance (whether funded by actual insurance or self-insured by the
         Company), disability, salary continuation, expense reimbursement and
         other employee benefit policies, plans, programs or arrangements that
         may now exist or any equivalent successor policies, plans, programs or
         arrangements that may be adopted hereafter, providing perquisites,
         benefits and service credit for benefits at least as great in the
         aggregate as are payable thereunder prior to a Change in Control.

                  (f) "Incentive Pay" means an annual amount equal to not less
         than the highest aggregate annual bonus, incentive or other payments of
         cash compensation (including, without limitation, payments made
         pursuant to Company's long-term incentive plan and short-term incentive
         plan, if any), in addition to Base Pay, made or to be made in regard to
         services rendered in any calendar year during the three calendar years
         immediately preceding the year in which the Change in Control occurred
         pursuant to any bonus, incentive, profit-sharing, performance,
         discretionary pay or similar agreement, policy, plan, program or
         arrangement (whether or not funded), or any successor thereto providing
         benefits at least as great as the benefits payable thereunder prior to
         a Change in Control.

                  (g) "NCC" means National City Corporation, a Delaware
         corporation that as of the date of this Agreement owns ____% of the
         Voting Stock.

                  (h) "Severance Period" means the period of time commencing on
         the date of an occurrence of a Change in Control and continuing until
         the earliest of (i) the third anniversary of the occurrence of the
         Change in Control (ii) the Executive's death, or (iii) the Executive's
         attainment of age 65;

                  (i) "Subsidiary" means an entity in which Company directly or
         indirectly beneficially owns 50% or more of the outstanding Voting
         Stock.

                  (j) "Term" means the period commencing as of the date hereof
         and expiring as of the later of (i) the close of business on ______,
         19__, or (ii) the expiration of the Severance Period; PROVIDED,
         HOWEVER, that (A) commencing on _________, 19__ and each _________
         thereafter, the Term of this Agreement will automatically be extended
         for an additional year unless, not later than ____________ of the
         immediately preceding year, the Company or the Executive shall have
         given notice that it or the Executive, as the case

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         may be, does not wish to have the Term extended and (B) except as
         otherwise provided in the last sentence of Section 7, if, prior to a
         Change in Control, the Executive ceases for any reason to be an
         employee of the Company or any Subsidiary, thereupon without further
         action the Term shall be deemed to have expired and this Agreement will
         immediately terminate and be of no further effect. For purposes of this
         Section 1(j), the Executive shall not be deemed to have ceased to be an
         employee of the Company or any Subsidiary by reason of the transfer of
         Executive's employment between the Company and any Subsidiary, or among
         any Subsidiaries.

                  (k)      "Voting Stock" means the then outstanding securities
         entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the
         Company.

         2. OPERATION OF AGREEMENT: This Agreement will be effective and binding
immediately upon its execution, but, anything in this Agreement to the contrary
notwithstanding, this Agreement will not be operative unless and until a Change
in Control occurs, whereupon without further action this Agreement shall become
immediately operative.

         3. TERMINATION FOLLOWING A CHANGE IN CONTROL: (a) In the event the
Company, a Subsidiary or a successor of the Company (direct or indirect, by
purchase, merger, consolidation, reorganization or otherwise) terminates the
Executive's employment during the Severance Period, the Executive will be
entitled to the severance compensation provided by Section 4; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that the Executive shall not be entitled to the severance compensation provided
by Section 4 hereof only upon the occurrence of one or more of the following
events:

                           (i)   The Executive's death occurring prior to
         termination of his/her employment;

                           (ii) Prior to the termination of his/her employment,
         the Executive becomes permanently disabled within the meaning of, and
         begins actually to receive disability benefits pursuant to, the
         long-term disability plan in effect for, or applicable to, Executive
         immediately prior to the Change in Control; or

                           (iii) Cause.

                  (b) In the event of the occurrence of a Change in Control, the
         Executive may terminate employment with the Company and any Subsidiary
         during the Severance Period with the right to severance compensation as
         provided in Section 4 upon the occurrence of one or more of the
         following events (regardless of whether any other reason for such
         termination exists or has occurred, including without limitation other
         employment):

                           (i) Failure to elect or reelect or otherwise to
         maintain the Executive in the office or the position, or a
         substantially equivalent or higher level office or position, of or with
         the Company and/or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, which the
         Executive

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         held immediately prior to a Change in Control, or the removal of the
         Executive as a Director of the Company (or any successor thereto) if
         the Executive shall have been a Director of the Company immediately
         prior to the Change in Control;

                           (ii) (I) A significant adverse change in the nature
         or scope of the authorities, powers, functions, responsibilities or
         duties attached to the position with the Company and any Subsidiary
         which the Executive held immediately prior to the Change in Control;
         (II) a reduction in the aggregate of the Executive's Base Pay and the
         formula for determining Incentive Pay received from the Company and any
         Subsidiary; or (III) the termination or denial of the Executive's
         rights to Employee Benefits or a reduction in the scope or value
         thereof, which situation is not remedied within 10 calendar days after
         written notice to the Company from the Executive;

                           (iii) A determination by the Executive (which
         determination will be conclusive and binding upon the parties hereto
         provided it has been made in good faith and in all events will be
         presumed to have been made in good faith unless otherwise shown by the
         Company by clear and convincing evidence) that a change in
         circumstances has occurred following a Change in Control, including,
         without limitation, a change in the scope of the business or other
         activities for which the Executive was responsible immediately prior to
         the Change in Control, which has rendered the Executive substantially
         unable to carry out, has substantially hindered Executive's performance
         of, or has caused Executive to suffer a substantial reduction in, any
         of the authorities, powers, functions, responsibilities or duties
         attached to the position held by the Executive immediately prior to the
         Change in Control, which situation is not remedied within 10 calendar
         days after written notice to the Company from the Executive of such
         determination;

                           (iv) The liquidation, dissolution, merger,
         consolidation or reorganization of the Company or any Subsidiary by
         which Executive is employed or transfer of all or substantially all of
         its business and/or assets, unless the successor or successors (by
         liquidation, merger, consolidation, reorganization, transfer or
         otherwise) to which all or substantially all of its business and/or
         assets have been transferred (directly or by operation of law) assumed
         all duties and obligations of the Company under this Agreement pursuant
         to Section 9(a);

                           (v) The Company or any Subsidiary by which Executive
         is employed relocates its principal executive offices, or requires the
         Executive to have his/her principal location of work changed, to any
         location which is in excess of 25 miles from the location thereof
         immediately prior to the Change of Control, or requires the Executive
         to travel away from his/her office in the course of discharging his/her
         responsibilities or duties hereunder at least 20% more (in terms of
         aggregate days in any calendar year or in any calendar quarter when
         annualized for purposes of comparison to any prior year) than was
         required of Executive in any of the three full years immediately prior
         to the Change in Control without, in either case, his/her prior written
         consent; or

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                           (vi) Without limiting the generality or effect of the
         foregoing, any material breach of this Agreement by the Company or any
         successor thereto.

                  (c) A termination by the Company pursuant to Section 3(a) or
         by the Executive pursuant to Section 3(b) will not affect any rights
         which the Executive may have pursuant to any agreement, policy, plan,
         program or arrangement of the Company providing Employee Benefits,
         which rights shall be governed by the terms thereof.

         4. SEVERANCE COMPENSATION: (a) If, following the occurrence of a Change
in Control, the Company or any Subsidiary by which Executive is employed
terminates the Executive's employment during the Severance Period other than
pursuant to Section 3(a)(i), 3(a)(ii) or 3(a)(iii), or if the Executive
terminates his/her employment pursuant to Section 3(b), the Company will pay to
the Executive the following amounts within five business days after the date
(the "Termination Date") that the Executive's employment is terminated (the
effective date of which shall be the date of termination, or such other date
that may be specified by the Executive if the termination is pursuant to Section
3(b)) and continue to provide to the Executive the following benefits:

                           (i) A lump sum payment (the "Severance Payment") in
         an amount equal to three (3) times the sum of (A) Base Pay (at the
         highest rate in effect for any period prior to the Termination Date),
         plus (B) Incentive Pay (determined in accordance with the standards set
         forth in Section 1(f)) less the sum of (A) any and all payments
         received by the Executive from the Company, any Subsidiary, NCC, a
         Successor or an affiliate of NCC or a Successor following the
         occurrence of a Change in Control plus (B) any future payments to be
         made to the Executive in accordance with any employment agreements or
         contracts between the Company, a Subsidiary, NCC or its affiliates, or
         a Successor and the Executive (specifically excluding payments from any
         deferred compensation plan).

                           (ii) (A) For thirty-six (36) months (the
         "Continuation Period") following the occurrence of a Change in Control,
         the Company will arrange to provide the Executive with Employee
         Benefits that are welfare benefits (but not stock option, stock
         purchase, stock appreciation or similar compensatory benefits)
         substantially similar to those which the Executive was receiving or
         entitled to receive immediately prior to the occurrence of a Change in
         Control Date, and (B) such continuation Period will be considered
         service with the Company, assuming the amount of Base Pay and Incentive
         Pay payable to the Executive during the calendar year immediately
         preceding the year in which the Termination Date occurs, for the
         purpose of determining service credits and benefits due and payable to
         the Executive under the Company's retirement, supplemental executive
         retirement and other benefit plans of the Company applicable to the
         Executive, his/her dependents or his/her beneficiaries immediately
         prior to the Termination Date. If beneficiaries and to the extent that
         any benefit described in subsections (A) and (B) of this Section
         4(a)(ii) is not or cannot be paid or provided under any policy, plan,
         program or arrangement of the Company or any Subsidiary, as the case
         may be, then the Company

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         will itself pay or provide for the payment to the Executive, his/her
         dependents and beneficiaries, of such Employee Benefits. Without
         otherwise limiting the purposes or effect of Section 5, Employee
         Benefits otherwise receivable by the Executive pursuant to the
         subsection (A) of this Section 4(a)(ii) will be reduced to the extent
         comparable welfare benefits are actually received by the Executive from
         another employer during the Continuation Period, and any such benefits
         received by the Executive shall be reported by the Executive to the
         Company.

                  (b) There will be no right of set-off or counterclaim in
         respect of any claim, debt or obligation against any payment to or
         benefit for the Executive provided for in this Agreement, except as
         expressly provided in the last sentence of Section 4(a)(ii).

                  (c) Without limiting the rights of the Executive at law or in
         equity, if the Company fails to make any payment or provide any benefit
         required to be made or provided hereunder on a timely basis, the
         Company will pay interest on the amount or value thereof at an
         annualized rate of interest equal to the so-called composite "prime
         rate" as quoted from time to time during the relevant period in the
         Midwest Edition of The WALL STREET JOURNAL. Such interest will be
         payable as it accrues on demand. Any change in such prime rate will be
         effective on and as of the date of such change.

                  (d) Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, the parties'
         respective rights and obligations under this Section 4 and under
         Section 6 will survive any termination or expiration of this Agreement
         following a Change in Control or the termination of the Executive's
         employment following a Change in Control for any reason whatsoever.

                  (e) If the Executive shall become entitled to the benefits
         provided by Section 4(a)(i) and Section 4(a)(ii), then the Executive
         may, by notice to the Company as provided by Section 10 that is
         received by the Company within two days after the Termination Date, be
         released from any covenant not-to-compete with the Company that the
         Executive has theretofore undertaken; provided, however, that if the
         Executive gives such notice for relief from a covenant not-to-compete,
         then the benefits provided by Section 4(a)(i) shall be reduced by an
         amount equal to the sum of (A) Executive's Base Pay (at the highest
         rate in effect for any period prior to the Termination Date) plus (B)
         Incentive Pay (determined in accordance with the standards set forth in
         Section 1(f)) and the benefits provided by Section 4(a)(ii) shall be
         reduced by twelve (12) months; and provided further, however, that if
         Executive shall have received payment of the benefit provided by
         Section 4(a)(i) prior to receipt by the Company of the notice
         contemplated by this Section 4(e), then the Executive shall have waived
         his/her right to such notice and relief from any covenant
         not-to-compete. The waiver of any covenant not-to-compete contemplated
         by this Section 4(e) shall not include any covenant by Executive to
         maintain and not misapply any of the Company's confidential business
         information.

         5. NO MITIGATION OBLIGATION: The Company hereby acknowledges that it
will be difficult and may be impossible (a) for the Executive to find
reasonably comparable employment

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following the Termination Date, and (b) to measure the amount of damages which
Executive may suffer as a result of termination of employment hereunder. In
addition, the Company acknowledges that its severance pay plans applicable in
general to its salaried employees do not provide for mitigation, offset or
reduction of any severance payment received thereunder. Accordingly, the payment
of the severance compensation by the Company to the Executive in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement is hereby acknowledged by the Company to be
reasonable and will be liquidated damages, and the Executive will not be
required to mitigate the amount of any payment provided for in this Agreement by
seeking other employment or otherwise, nor will any profits, income, earnings or
other benefits from any source whatsoever create any mitigation, offset,
reduction or any other obligation on the part of the Executive hereunder or
otherwise, except as expressly provided in the last sentence of Section
4(a)(ii).

         6. LEGAL FEES AND EXPENSES. It is the intent of the Company that the
Executive not be required to incur legal fees and the related expenses
associated with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Executive's rights
under this Agreement by litigation or otherwise because the cost and expense
thereof would substantially detract from the benefits intended to be extended to
the Executive hereunder. Accordingly, if it should appear to the Executive that
the company has failed to comply with any of its obligations under this
Agreement or in the event that the Company or any other person takes or
threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or
institutes any litigation or other action or proceeding designed to deny, or to
recover from, the Executive the benefits provided or intended to be provided to
the Executive hereunder, the company irrevocably authorizes the Executive from
time to time to retain counsel of Executive's choice, at the expense of the
company as hereafter provided, to advise and represent the Executive in
connection with any such interpretation, enforcement or defense, including
without limitation the initiation or defense of any litigation or other legal
action, whether by or against the Company or any Director, officer, stockholder
or other person affiliated with the Company, in any jurisdiction.
Notwithstanding any existing or prior attorney-client relationship between the
Company and such counsel, the Company irrevocably consents to the Executive's
entering into an attorney-client relationship with such counsel, and in that
connection the Company and the Executive agree that a confidential relationship
shall exist between the Executive and such counsel. Without respect to whether
the Executive prevails, in whole or in part, in connection with any of the
foregoing, the Company will pay and be solely financially responsible for any
and all attorneys' and related fees and expenses incurred by the Executive in
connection with any of the foregoing.

         7. EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS; TERMINATION PRIOR TO CHANGE IN CONTROL: Nothing
expressed or implied in this Agreement will create any right or duty on the part
of the Company or the Executive to have the Executive remain in the employment
of the Company or any Subsidiary prior to or following any Change in Control.
Any termination of employment of the executive or the removal of the Executive
from the office or position in the Company following the commencement of any
discussion with a third person that ultimately results in a Change in Control
shall be deemed to be a termination or removal of the Executive after a Change
in Control for purposes of this Agreement.

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         8. WITHHOLDING OF TAXES: The Company may withhold from any amounts
payable under this Agreement all federal, state, city or other taxes as the
Company is required to withhold pursuant to any law or government regulation or
ruling.

         9. SUCCESSORS AND BINDING AGREEMENT: (a) The Company will require any
successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation,
reorganization or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or
assets of the Company, by agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the
Executive, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same
manner and to the same extent the Company would be required to perform if no
such succession had taken place. This Agreement will be binding upon and inure
to the benefit of the Company and any successor to the Company, including
without limitation any persons acquiring directly or indirectly all or
substantially all of the business or assets of the Company whether by purchase,
merger, consolidation, reorganization or otherwise (and such successor shall
thereafter be deemed the "Company" for the purposes of this Agreement), but will
not otherwise be assignable, transferable or delegable by the Company.

                  (b) This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be
         enforceable by the Executive's personal or legal representatives,
         executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributees and
         legatees.

                  (c) This Agreement is personal in nature and neither of the
         parties hereto shall, without the consent of the other, assign,
         transfer or delegate this Agreement or any rights or obligations
         hereunder except as expressly provided in Sections 9(a) and 9(b)
         hereof. Without limiting the generality or effect of the foregoing, the
         Executive's right to receive payments hereunder will not be assignable,
         transferable or delegable, whether by pledge, creation of a security
         interest, or otherwise, other than by a transfer by Executive's will or
         by the last of descent and distribution and, in the event of any
         attempted assignment or transfer contrary to this Section 9(c), the
         Company shall have no liability to pay an amount so attempted to be
         assigned, transferred or delegated.

         10. NOTICES: For all purposes of this Agreement, all communications,
including without limitation notices, consents, requests or approvals, required
or permitted to be given hereunder will be in writing and will be deemed to have
been duly given when hand delivered or dispatched by electronic facsimile
transmission (with receipt thereof orally confirmed), or five business days
after having been mailed by United States registered or certified mail, return
receipt requested, postage prepaid, or three business days after having been
sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service such as Federal
Express, UPS, or Purolator, addressed to the Company (to the attention of the
Secretary of the Company) at its principal executive office and to the Executive
at his/her principal residence, or to such other address as any party may have
furnished to the other in writing and in accordance herewith, except that
notices of changes of address shall be effective only upon receipt.

         11. GOVERNING LAW: The validity, interpretation, construction and
performance of this Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance
with the substantive laws of the

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Commonwealth of Kentucky, without giving effect to the principles of conflict of
laws of such Commonwealth.

         12. VALIDITY: If any provision of this Agreement or the application of
any provision hereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid,
unenforceable or otherwise illegal, the remainder of this Agreement and the
application of such provision to any other person or circumstances will not be
affected, and the provision so held to be invalid, unenforceable or otherwise
illegal will be reformed to the extent (and only to the extent) necessary to
make it enforceable, valid or legal.

         13. MISCELLANEOUS: No provision of this Agreement may be modified,
waived or discharged unless such waiver, modification or discharge is agreed to
in writing and signed by the Executive and the Company. No waiver by either
party hereto at any time of any breach by the other party hereto or compliance
with any condition or provision of this Agreement to be performed by such other
party will be deemed a waiver of similar or dissimilar provisions or conditions
at the same or at any prior to subsequent time. No agreements or
representations, oral or otherwise, expressed or implied with respect to the
subject matter hereof have been made by either party which are not set forth
expressly in this Agreement. References to sections are to references to
sections of this Agreement.

         14. COUNTERPARTS: This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which
together will constitute one and the same agreement.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed and delivered as of the date first above written.

                                    NATIONAL PROCESSING, INC.

                                    By: ___________________________
                                            (Signature)

---------------------------
       [Signature]<PAGE>
                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.39
                            EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT AND
                         UNDERTAKING OF CONFIDENTIALITY
                         ------------------------------

        In consideration of their mutual promises and agreements and subject to
the terms and conditions set forth below in this Employment Agreement and
Undertaking of Confidentiality ("Agreement"), National Processing Company
("NPC") and David Fountain ("Employee") hereby agree as follows:

        1. NPC agrees to continue to employ Employee in the position identified
and at the salary shown on NPC's official records, and to make available to
Employee those benefits provided by NPC to employees with similar
responsibilities, all as amended from time to time, upon the terms and
conditions set forth below.

        2. Employee agrees to use his best efforts to perform the duties
assigned to him/her by NPC.

        3. Employee acknowledges and agrees that in the performance of his
duties of employment he may be brought into frequent contact with clients and
potential clients of NPC either in person, through the mails, by telephone or by
other electronic means. Employee also acknowledges and agrees that trade secrets
and confidential information of NPC, more fully described in paragraph 13 of
this Agreement, gained by Employee during his employment with NPC, have been
developed by NPC through substantial expenditures of time, effort and financial
resources and constitute valuable and unique property of NPC. Employee further
understands, acknowledges and agrees that the foregoing makes it necessary for
the protection of NPC's business that Employee not compete with NPC during the
term of his employment and for a reasonable period thereafter.

        4. Employee agrees that he will not, during his employment, compete with
NPC within the continental United States. Employee agrees that, in accordance
with this restriction, but without limiting its terms, he will not during the
term of his employment:

        (i)     enter into or engage in any business that competes with NPC's
                Business; or

        (ii)    solicit any customers, clients, business, patronage or orders
                for, or sell any services in competition with, or for any
                business that competes with NPC's Business; or

        (iii)   divert, entice, or take away any customers, clients, business,
                patronage or orders of NPC, or attempt to do so; or

        (iv)    promote or assist, financially or otherwise, any person, firm,
                association or corporation engaged in any business that competes
                with NPC's Business.

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        5. Employee agrees that, within the continental United States, he will
not, for a period of one (1) year following the termination of his employment,
enter into or engage in any business that competes with NPC's Business.

        6. Employee agrees that, within the continental United States, he will
not, for a period of one (1) year following the termination of his employment,
solicit customers, clients, business, patronage, or orders for, or sell any
services in competition with NPC's Business.

        7. Employee agrees that, within the continental United States, he will
not, for a period of one (1) year following the termination of his employment,
divert, entice, or otherwise take away any customers, clients, business or
orders of NPC or attempt to do so.

        8. Employee agrees that, within the continental United States, he will
not, for a period of one (1) year following the termination of his employment,
promote or assist financially or otherwise, any person, firm, association,
partnership, corporation, or other entity engaged in any business that competes
with NPC's Business.

        9. For the purposes of paragraphs 4 through 8, inclusive, Employee
understands and agrees that he will be competing if he engages in any or all of
the activities set forth therein directly as an individual on his own account,
or indirectly as a partner, joint venturer, employee, agent, salesman,
consultant, officer and/or director of any firm or corporation, or as a
stockholder of any corporation in which Employee or Employee's spouse, child or
parent owns, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, more than
ten percent (10%) of the outstanding stock.

        10. For the purposes of paragraphs 4 through 8, inclusive, and 14, NPC's
Business is defined as follows:

        Bankcard Services: the acquisition and processing of credit and debit
        card transactions accepted by merchants at the point of sale.

        Check Services: the guarantee, authorization, and collection of checks
        accepted at the point of sale.

        Corporate Payable: corporate accounts payable, processing and payment,
        and related data processing.

        Travel Services: the receipt, processing, and collection of Travel Agent
        payments being made to the Airlines as the result of tickets issued by
        the Agents, the processing of airline documents for the airlines, and
        the financial settlement operations between transportation industry
        providers (e.g., hotels, car rentals, airlines, travel agents, event
        suppliers).

        Retail Lockbox Services: the receipt, processing, and collection of
        consumer payments being made to corporations for services rendered.

                                       2
<PAGE>

        Freight Services: the processing of freight accounts payable, audit, and
        payment, and related data processing.

        Imaging Services: customized outsourcing solutions, including call
        center operations, data capture, and data management services utilizing
        labor and/or image processing.

        11. If it shall be judicially determined that Employee has violated any
of his obligations under paragraphs 4 through 8, inclusive, then the period
applicable to the obligation which Employee shall have been determined to have
violated shall automatically be extended by a period of time equal in length to
the period during which said violation(s) occurred.

        12. Employee agrees that he will not directly or indirectly at any time
solicit or induce or attempt to solicit or induce any employee of NPC to
terminate his employment, representation or other association with NPC.

        13. Employee will keep in strict confidence, and will not, directly or
indirectly, at any time during or after his employment, disclose, furnish,
disseminate, make available or use (except in the course of performing his
duties of employment hereunder) any trade secrets or confidential business and
technical information of NPC or its customers or clients, without limitation as
to when or how Employee may have acquired such information. Such confidential
information shall include, the whole or any portion or phase of any scientific
or technical information, design, process, procedure, formula, pattern,
compilation, program, device, method, technique or improvement, or any business
information or plans, financial information, or listing of names, addresses or
telephone numbers, including without limitation, information relating to any of
NPC's customers or prospective customers, NPC's customer lists, contract
information including terms, pricing and services provided, information received
as a result of customer contacts, NPC's products and processing capabilities,
methods of operation, business plans, financials or strategy, and agreements to
which NPC may be a party. Employee specifically acknowledges that such
information, whether reduced to writing or maintained in the mind or memory of
Employee and whether compiled by NPC and/or Employee, derive independent
economic value from not being readily known to or ascertainable by proper means
by others who can obtain economic value from its disclosure or use, that
reasonable efforts have been put forth by NPC to maintain the secrecy of such
information, that such information is the sole property of NPC and that any
retention and use of such information during or after his employment with NPC
(except in the course of performing his duties of employment hereunder) shall
constitute a misappropriation of NPC's trade secrets. Employee further agrees
that, at the time of termination of his employment, he will return to NPC, in
good condition, all property of NPC, including, without limitation, the
information identified above. In the event that said items are not so returned,
NPC shall have the right to charge Employee for all reasonable damages, costs,
attorney's fees and other expenses incurred in searching for, taking, removing,
and/or recovering such property.

        14. During his employment and for one (1) year thereafter, Employee
agrees to communicate the contents of this Agreement to any person, firm,
association, or corporation that

                                       3
<PAGE>

he intends to be employed by, associated with, or represent, that is engaged in
a business that is competitive to NPC's Business.

        15. Employee acknowledges and agrees that the remedy at law available to
NPC for breach of any of Employee's obligations under this Agreement would be
inadequate, and agrees and consents that in addition to any other rights or
remedies that NPC may have at law or in equity, temporary and permanent
injunctive relief may be granted in any proceeding that may be brought to
enforce any provision contained in paragraphs 4 through 8, inclusive, of this
Agreement, without the necessity of proof of actual damage.

        16. Employee acknowledges that his obligations under this Agreement are
reasonable in the context of the nature of NPC's business and the competitive
injuries likely to be sustained by NPC if Employee violated such obligations.
Employee further acknowledges that this Agreement is made in consideration of,
and is adequately supported by the obligations undertaken by NPC in paragraph 1
above, which Employee acknowledges constitutes new and/or good, valuable and
sufficient consideration. Employee acknowledges that his employment relationship
with NPC is and following the execution of this Agreement shall continue to be
"at will," and may be terminated at any time and for any reason, or for no
reason, by NPC or by Employee. However, if NPC terminates Employee's employment
for reasons other than cause and/or violation of this Agreement, then NPC shall
pay Employee an amount equal to Employee's annual base salary at the time of
termination, with said amount being paid to Employee over a twelve (12) month
period on the same periodic basis as NPC's regular payroll, so long as Employee
does not violate any part of this Agreement. For the purposes of this Agreement,
"Cause" is defined as fraud, misconduct and/or violation of NPC's employment
policies.

        17. The failure of NPC to enforce any provision of this Agreement shall
not be construed to be a waiver of such provision or of the right of NPC
thereafter to enforce each and every provision.

        18. This Agreement supersedes all previous agreements, written or oral,
between Employee and NPC, except the Severance Agreement executed on October 27,
1998. No modification, waiver, amendment or addition to any of the terms of this
Agreement shall be effective except as set forth in a writing signed by Employee
and NPC.

        19. All provisions, terms, conditions, paragraphs, agreements and
covenants ("Provisions") contained in this Agreement are severable and, in the
event any one of them shall be held to be invalid by any competent court, this
Agreement shall be interpreted as if such Provision was not contained herein,
and such determination shall not otherwise affect the validity of any other
Provision. The within Provisions shall be applicable irrespective of whether
such termination shall be by NPC or by the Employee, whether voluntary or
involuntary, whether for cause or without cause, and whether by reason of the
expiration of this or any other written or oral agreement or arrangement (or any
extensions thereof) with NPC.

                                       4
<PAGE>

        20. While the restrictions set forth herein are considered by the
parties to be reasonable in all circumstances, it is recognized that
restrictions of this nature may fail for reasons unforeseen, and accordingly it
is hereby agreed and declared that if any of such restrictions shall be adjudged
to be void as going beyond what is reasonable in all the circumstances, but
would be valid if the geographical area or temporal extent were reduced in part,
or the range of activities or area dealt with thereby reduced in scope, the said
restriction shall apply with such modification as may be necessary to make it
valid and effective.

        21. NPC shall have the right to sell, assign or transfer this Agreement
with all its rights, title and interest and any assignee will acquire all of the
rights and assume all of the obligations of NPC under this Agreement. This
Agreement and all conditions imposed herein shall be binding upon and inure to
the benefit of Employee and NPC.

        22. This Agreement shall take effect upon execution by Employee and NPC
and shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal,
substantive laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Employee agrees that the state
and federal courts located in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, shall have
jurisdiction in any action, suit or proceeding against Employee based on or
arising out of this Agreement and Employee hereby: (i) submits to the personal
jurisdiction of such courts; (ii) consents to service of process in connection
with any action, suit or proceeding against Employee; and (iii) waives any other
requirement (whether imposed by statute, rule of court or otherwise) with
respect to personal jurisdiction, venue or service of process.

        Employee represents that, prior to signing this Agreement, he has read,
fully understands and voluntarily agrees to the terms and conditions as stated
above, that he was not coerced to sign this Agreement, that he was not under
duress at the time he signed this Agreement and that, prior to signing this
Agreement, he had adequate time to consider entering into this Agreement,
including without limitation, the opportunity to discuss the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, as well as its legal consequences, with an
attorney of his choice.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Employee, having read and fully understood each
of the foregoing provisions, has executed this Agreement as of this 27th day of
October, 1998.

                                           EMPLOYEE:

                                                         /s/David Fountain
                                                         -----------------
                                                         David Fountain

                                           NATIONAL PROCESSING COMPANY

                                           By:           /s/Robert Showalter
                                                         -------------------
                                                              (Signature)

                                           Dated this 27th day of October, 1998

                                       5

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