All characters are 18 years old or older. This one is a little darker than is usual for me. This story is for the Siren's Song event. I hope you enjoy it and please feel free to vote and leave a comment. Have a great holiday and be safe!
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I had fallen asleep to the sound of falling rain and I woke to it as well. It was early summer after all and days of precipitation weren't unusual. The Fourth of July holiday was nearly upon us. So, I rose and slipped into my morning routine. I started my shower and noted the condition of my fingernails. They were filthy and needed attention. My hobby was prone to leave my nails as well as my clothes in such a state, but it brought me such joy that it was worth a little extra effort. I showered and went over my welcome speech I had been working on for a little over a week now. The company I had worked for since I was eighteen had been bought out. I had a new boss and I wanted to make it clear that my department welcomed her and looked forward to working with her. I dressed and sat in front of the television watching the morning news.
"...will rain all day..."
Click.
"...stock prices slightly rose..."
Click.
"...the body of Amanda Waller was found near the I-70 offramp early this morning. She is believed to be the 36th victim of the I-70 Slasher. In a related story, Carroll Danvers, an 18-year-old cheerleader and freshman at Arkham Institute of Technology is still missing..."
"What a tragedy. I wonder if they will ever catch him." I muttered feeling my mood droop. "No, I have to keep up a positive attitude and start the day on the right foot."
The honk outside alerted me that my carpool had arrived. I grabbed my umbrella as I stepped out the door. I locked the door and slipped into the front passenger seat. There were greetings all around and an undertow of tension. I broke the silence and brought up what we were all fearing. Would any of us be let go in restructuring that our new parent corporation was famous for. They bought companies and streamlined them to fit some specific criteria. No on knew what the criteria was though. The rain made the apprehension more tangible. I wasn't concerned. The history of restructuring never affected anyone above lower management. I held the position of district manager though I still saw myself as one of the guys. I think I was the only manager of my level that carpooled, but it was great at building a connection with the people that I worked with. I wasn't just the boss I was also the guy they drove with and even sometimes had a beer with.
"Let's all take a deep breath." I said as we pulled into the building's parking lot. "This is going to work out."
I arrived at my office and Jenny, my secretary, asked if it was alright for the team to get started. I told her to tell them to hold off for an hour. If there were people let go it would be a pain to go to those cubicles and log them off. Let's see who they terminate and then start work. I set my briefcase on my desk when she walked in unannounced.
"Come with me Jim." She said her voice cold and unemotional.
"I'm glad we are already on a first name basis Haley." I replied, and she glared over her shoulder and I corrected my statement. "Ah... Ms. Briarstone."
She wore an impeccable dark suit with tiny pinstripes, a navy-blue tie, and nice but practical flat shoes. If I was eighteen again I would have complimented her on her round ass and the hint of an amazing rack beneath the double-breasted jacket she wore. But I wasn't eighteen I was thirty-eight and was two weeks from celebrating my twenty-year mark with this company. She had a long kissable neck and was the kind of pretty that distracted younger men. We entered the Vice President's office, her office, and I sat opposite her. She looked so small behind that huge desk.
"I am sorry about being harsh earlier. I need to clear some things up before we can continue."
I took out my cell phone, logged in and pressed an icon in the shape of a black diamond. It began a ten-minute countdown that only I could stop. I powered my phone down and told her I didn't want us being interrupted.
"Thank you for your considerate nature. Tell me about yourself."
"Not much to say, I began working at this company right out of high school. I have worked my way up the ladder to a trusted position of district manager."
"Your previous department wasn't research and development, it was security. In fact, you were the head of cyber security division for five years. Why the sudden shift?" She asked her eyes as cold as the dead and her voice flat and emotionless.
"Leaks. This company was hemorrhaging data. Mr. Maxwell, your predecessor, brought me in to protect the R&D department. Since I took over the leaks stopped. I took what were thought at the time extraordinary precautions to ensure our work here remained proprietary. We have government contracts you know, contracts that expire today." I said and smiled.
"You put all the projects on internal servers. Servers that cannot be accessed outside your department. Is that correct?"
"Yes." I said telling myself I had eight minutes to press the cancellation icon on my phone.
"Your workforce cannot bring home printouts of work files."
"Correct. The work stations don't possess ports for thumb drives or any other similar device. The machines also cannot access the internet. All communication is limited to R&D exclusively. As I said the data leaks to your company ended when I took over. I know it was your father that was getting his spies into the other departments. He had to buy this company to try and get access to those government projects." I said and watched her body language carefully.
"Correct. You seem distracted Jim. Did you think your job was safe?" She sneered as I put my phone away. "Your desk is being cleaned out as we speak."
"I see. Your loss. I am a loyal employee and you will miss me." I said seeing a twinge of guilt at my words. "Is there anything else?"
"Why did you settle?" She asked. "You were a shining star in this company. You could have been an Assistant Vice President by now."
"There are more important things than personal advancement." I said and saw the look in her eye. She didn't believe that and neither did I. "Anything else?"