Everything was put to a stop once the announcement from the boss came from the intercom. No one expected for the big cheese of the company to make an entrance but thankfully, the timing couldn't be any better. All the others could do now is let Tom go with nothing but hostile glares and unsettled muttering under their breaths. "Lucky man you turned out to be today Tom. So how about you head on over and see what your employer has to say." Only a sigh escaped Tom as he made his way to the top floor. The Boss likes to keep a distance from themselves and the employees. You can already imagine why it came to no surprise that they had to seclude themselves to such an extent. It was quite a walk; so thank heavens the elevators were still working. It would've done a number on our corporate crusader here. Well, enough about me making the best of a potentially life-changing situation. Our hero's about to walk through the door any moment now.

Within seconds, Tom stood by the door, hesitating to open it. It has been long since he ever met the Boss of his place of work. The last time he's ever interacted with them was during his first day on the job. Albeit, it was rather brief considering the hectic sounds of copying machines and ringing phone lines taking place during that time. Nervousness racked his mind but he had to face his demons head on. It wouldn't have been wise to keep his superior waiting; so the knob was turned, unlocking the doorway into the office. The light coming from the open window made Tom hold a hand over his head as he tried to step inside. It was then that a familiar voice called out to him. "Greetings Tom. I know it's been a while but it's been quite a day for you hasn't it? I apologize for the lighting, but I like to have my office space on the brighter side of things. Please, take a seat so that we can discuss the reason why I called you in."

A feminine voice that was all too familiar to Tom. He recognized the woman as his Boss. He never really bothered to remember her name but in actuality, he wasn't one for recognition. The office was his workspace, the angry mob below were just co-workers and now the person before him only known as the Boss. Tom wasn't much of a communicator either, which was a common occurrence within the company. His superior was well aware of that but still did what she could to strike up a conversation with our silent protagonist. Once the seat was taken, she spoke. "Honestly Tom... You were really going to just let them behave like that towards you? You're lucky that I caught you all at that exact moment. Heavens know how much messier that situation would've been if I hadn't intervened. However, I'm quite impressed at how well you handled the situation. If it were anyone else, I probably would've been down a few employees or so. Not that it would've been a bad thing but the risk of losing such a valuable employee such as you would've been problematic. You're pretty much the bread and butter of this business after all. My most sincerest of thanks goes out toward you for that alone."

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It's true that Tom kept the company afloat for all these years. For all that has happened today, it was a comforting thing to hear that his work was still appreciated. He exhaled a sigh of relief and nodded as the Boss continued to speak. "Sometimes I wonder if it was still worth keeping this place running. With all the moral ethics out there, it kind of makes it difficult to call it quits. It's just stressful Tom. If I shut the place down, it's more likely that those same individuals would seek vengeance. Keeping them on however is still bad for business, but you can see why replacements are difficult to come by." It was clear that the whole predicament was taking a toll on the woman. Even if he was just a regular office worker, Tom still knew what it was like to be a person despite his lack thereof. He stood up and went over to the coffee maker to heat up some water. Taking a provided mug, he added some herbal leaves and one spoon of sugar to brew her some tea. After presenting the cup to his Boss, she called him over. "I've a few things I'd like to say to you personally Tom. Hope you don't mind the close distance between us."