"I need to go for my break, so I'll tell her to do it instead."
The part about the dress code must have gotten ripped off, because I knew for sure an outfit like that wasn't allowed in such an environment. After all, there are working men around here. You couldn't have a woman like that walking around in her high heels trying to get our attention because before we knew it our asses would be outside begging for money. Then again, this was no typical secretary to me. She was someone close, so close that any desires I may have had for her would have been immoral.
I have been working here as a sales associate for a few months now. After graduating with a good enough bachelor's degrees I insisted on taking whatever job I could find. I could have cared less about the salary because I knew for a fact I didn't want to become one of those people who tries to find a job with the highest pay and ends up with nothing. It was like climbing a ladder: you start from the ground and make your way up to the top. The problem was that for a few people this ladder had an obstacle they might as well let it push them off. The woman I have known all my life had just that power, the power to take some of my colleagues and set them on fire.
My mind was swirling with thoughts as I neatly stacked my papers into my briefcase. I never would have imagined the corruption was so rife in the company. I still had that one paper, the one that Mike gave me before he left the company with his box full of dreams. I knew I shouldn't have lied to Roy, this was his job we were talking about. But if I told him exactly what was on this paper I might as well be spreading the word. This was something Mike trusted me on and if I were to tell Roy I don't think I would be able to live with myself. How could someone I knew all my life do something like this? You just can't play with someone's mind like that. Like I said before, there are working men around here. I had to do this. I just had to know the details to Roy's potential outcome.
Some people I have talked to had been calling me the company spy. But I don't think I'm being a spy here, it is just for my personal curiosity. I needed to know if what Mike told me was true. Can a corporation of this caliber have such a scandal in the works? I knew Mr. Greg had something up his sleeves ever since he took control of this division. He got contractors to install security cameras all around the department. Even in employee washrooms, which were ones that inspectors didn't seem to be able to see. Is he trying to watch our every move? I don't even know who was watching us. It's not like Mr. Greg had a set of screens built in the walls of his office. Somebody out there was keeping a close eye on us and I had a hint that this room in particular was being watched much more closely.
I reached into my dress pants pocket and felt the answer to all my questions. It was a rather small device, about the size of an mp3 player. It was capable of being turned on wirelessly from a distance of about fifty feet. The key feature was its ability to record five hours worth of video within its memory. The device had a tiny microphone embedded within it, which to my surprise could record understandable conversations from a few meters away. I attached a magnet to the metal surface of the device so that it could be affixed to an outside surface of one of the many unusual number of cameras located throughout this secretary office. The problem was that whoever was watching me right now through those cameras would clearly see what I was doing. What was I suppose to do? Risk it and hope that the watcher never saw it? I'm pretty sure that's a risk not worth taking. I had one option though: I could pull out the device and attach it to the metal bar underneath the secretary's desk. I won't see what's happening, but certainly will be able to hear it. I thought about it for a sec then shifted the chair closer to the desk, reached into my pocket and pulled out the tiny camera. I felt the force of the magnet snapping itself to the bar.
"Okay, so I got the files faxed to headquarters. Mr. Greg will be expecting a response by next week," said Melissa, entering the room from the door behind me rather unexpectedly.
"Alright, so I guess I'll take leave then," I said, getting up from my chair.
"Wait Shawn," said Melissa, anxiously grabbing my arm. I glanced at her eyes through those black framed glasses. Her desperate grab felt so seductive. I just wanted to reverse the grab and pull her towards me, her curvy body hard against mine with that soothing scent of hers filling my nose. It's hard for anyone to resist such a temptation, a temptation that would be downright disgusting if I let it take control over me. "I want to give you something."
"What is it?" I asked, trying to relax my muscles and keep my thoughts from wandering.
"It's a card. I want you to hold on to it."
What I held in my hand was some sort of blank card with nothing on it except a black stripe across the top. Was it a credit card? It sure didn't seem like one seeing that it was a purely blank, white card.
"What's this for?" I asked, examining it more closely.
"Just keep it with you and don't show or tell anyone. I'm trusting you on this."
First it was Mike's paper and now this. How many secrets must I keep? Yet I felt skeptical worrying about this. For all that she has done, she thought I'm going to keep something she gave me from being known by others. After all that Mike told me, I was the one to be trusted. But then again there is always something that might come in return.
"Okay," I said, pulling out my wallet and inserting the card into a sleeve.
"Are you sure you won't loose that wallet?" asked Melissa, looking rather skeptical.
"Don't worry, I've had this wallet since I was fourteen. I doubt I'll ever loose it."
"I hope not," smiled Melissa, tapping the ceramic flooring with her heels as she walked around and opened the door to Mr. Greg's office just behind the secretary chair. "So I guess I'll talk to you later," she said, closing the door behind her.
Was that skirt at her ass's borderline or what? I thought to myself as she closed the door to Mr. Greg's office. Like I said before, I don't know what happened to the dress code but it must have been modified in someone's favor. Maybe it was our company watcher, who might as well be having a blast stalking her with these cameras all over the department. I sure wouldn't resist such a position. Melissa by far had to be the hottest woman who came here every morning, and if I had the opportunity to be the guy with dozens of screens in front of his face I might as well be some sort of a stalker who jerks off staring at whichever screen she was on. With all the sleaze I'm starting to take notice of, I don't see why I shouldn't join it. Why don't I just give in? I never really cared for an honest job, heck I'm not even the honest type. I was always that bastard in high school who looks for an easy fix, even if it meant cheating, lying and stealing. It was not that I was a bad guy, even though I was considered a thug in school. I was just lazy and dishonesty had grown to be a part of it.
"What'd she say?" asked Roy, who was sitting on a chair outside the office door. "I saw her come outside with some papers, but I kinda got edgy opening my mouth. Then I saw another woman entering the room several minutes later."
"Try to relax. She'll be back to call you in about twenty minutes," I smiled, closing the door behind me and sitting beside Roy. "Just take some deep breaths and think positive. I'll be waiting here till your interview is done."
Roy placed his palm on his stomach as he took in a few deep breathes. Roy was sort of at the wimpy side of things. He joined the company a couple of weeks ago and had the impression that it was a godsend that a multi-billion dollar corporation had hired him. Roy did have conditions in his contract that stated he must complete a portfolio outlining an investment the company can make to strengthen its already high, reputable status. If it got accepted his job was permanent, but if it was declined he was given two options. Mike also had conditions within his contract period after he got temporarily hired and was the only person I have known whose assignment got declined.
"Thanks bud," nodded Roy as he waited, still rather anxiously moving his feet up and down and staring at the clock on the wall across from him.
Suddenly the door screeched open and Melissa's blonde head peeked outside. Roy swiftly turned his head towards the door. "Mr. Greg insists that Mr. Jefferson have his meeting right now. He'll be talking to him personally instead." I nodded as Roy got up from his seat and made his way into the room. Melissa came out, grabbing the door knob. As she closed the door, she hinted a smile and a wink. At that instant, I knew that something was up; either about that or about the card she gave me.
After a few minutes the door opened up again. "Mr. Greg insists you not waste time sitting here waiting and get to work with those files in your office," said Melissa, throwing me another awkward grin and shutting the door.
I got up, adjusted my suit and grabbed my briefcase. Before taking my step I reached into my pocket and wrapped my hand around a remote, placing my thumb on a small button. I pushed it and pulled my hand out of my pocket. I had no indication that the recorder in the secretary's office was on, so I could only hope that it was.
I stood in front of my office desk and slammed my briefcase onto it. I decoded the lock, opened up the case and searched through a folder. What I pulled out was Mike's paper. I fell to my chair and leaned back, holding the paper before my eyes. I just couldn't keep my eyes off it; it had that name and that word in the same sentence. It was a question, an option which I was disgusted that Mike chose over his job and our friendship. He had total control over the situation, but he acted like there wasn't any choice. Yet I couldn't blame him. We all go through stages where our hormones go wild over a desire, it's human nature. Is it wrong to be attracted to the opposite sex? Our body and mind have been programmed to do so. How else can we prevent our species from going extinct? With all that in mind I punched Mike right in the mouth and broke it like it was a glass jaw. What he did almost made me want to kill him, but I left it at him spitting blood. He should have wished he hadn't told me anything. Suddenly someone knocked on my office door. I swiftly folded the paper and stuck it into a drawer. I couldn't see who it was behind the closed blinds on the window.
"Please come in," I said politely, pretending to look through some papers.
