The sounds of clacking keys and muffled phone calls fill the air seeping into my office as the day commenced. Karly, our wonderfully efficient administrative assistant, had already stacked a fresh batch of pending loan applications in the organizer on my desk, each separated into the most common reasons: weapon upgrades/creation, lair improvement/purchase, experimentation/lab funding, vehicle down-payment, and the ever enigmatic misc section.
"That girl is the best thing that's ever happened to this place. Most speedsters try to join the guild, so they can be like that insufferable Velocity, she has caused more issues than the dunces in loan processing. But enough about that; don't want to ruin a good day. After all, today the 'misc' section is barren, I always hate trying to determine if world domination, parallel universe invasion, or start-up loans are good investments, as the market for such business is typically turbulent and unforgiving"
So with my affairs in order, a happy swirl to my form I signed in via the company computer on my desk and got to work
After rereading the details of my first pending weapons loan of the day for the third time, a sharp knock brought my attention to the doorway of my office.
Jax our office gopher stood in the doorway, his trademark dark eyes and ragged appearance making him look like he hadn't slept in a month and was running on double espresso, with anyones else I would have had to speak up about professional business attire as I believe people should have some class and be presentable when they leave their homes.
However, Jax's appearance was mainly due to his mutation, which kept him in a constant caffeinated state so I could excuse his behavior.
"Alastor, the boss wants to see you asap," Jax said, the glassy look in his eyes making him look more like a puppet than a man. “Alright I will be up in a moment I just need to finish the paperwork to deny Bearlords, “honey cannon” , I swear the loan consultant are getting lazier and lazier jax seems like they just try to hand loans over to every middling wannabe with a mask that walks in.” I could feel my form squirm as the strands of green smog that made up my head shifted and squirmed with my annoyance
"Yeah, I wouldn't make him wait, Alastor. He seemed really peeved," Jax added. "Peeved?"
"Yeah, he was all but crushing his desk with the grip he had on it."
"I see." I said gesturing for him to leave green smog wafting out from the gap between my black leather gloves and my shirt sleeve as I performed the motion, I stood from my desk checking to make sure my shirt was tucked in and my tie was straight as I tried to sweep the creases out of my pants, as the escaped waft of green smog that had escaped reluctantly slithered back between the gap of my glove and sleeve like a stubborn dog being called back in “always so chaotic what I wouldn't give for a more reliable from”.
Once I looked presentable, I took my fedora off the hook by the door and was slipping it on as I stepped out of my office.
making my way to the elevator I passed office after office exactly like mine frosted glass and thin metal doors, the only difference between them being the name on the door making it feel mind numbing and giving me a moment to think "Why would the boss want to see me I always fill out my paperwork, I always check the financial state and credibility of every client to the best of my ability, so whatever he's mad at, it shouldn't be me. As far as I know, business is good other than the guild's annoying attempts to slow business but that’s nothing new.”
A lurch brought me back to reality as I found myself riding alone in an elevator, the number eighty glowing with an air of menace on the display above.
Calming, my form solidified a bit more, as the strands wove together the doors opened. I stepped out into a sparkling reception area covered in marble busts and rich decor.
An expensive-looking rug led to a large rounded desk that sat in the middle of the room and to the right was a looming set of dark doors that had no visible sable means to open, behind which was Mr.Jones office.
"Mr. Lamont?"
Starting I realized I had completely overlooked the woman behind the desk "Yes, I'm sorry its been a whIle since i've been up here and i had forgotten how nice it is," I said, turning to face a petite lady with sharp features, violet hair, and matching glowing eyes that looked directly ahead as though looking straight threw me.
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"Please have a seat, Mr. Lamont, and he will see you soon," she said, gesturing to a set of leather chairs and couch in one corner of the room.
Nodding, I made my way over to the chairs and sat down, doing my best to keep my mutation contained. I didn't want it mucking about uncontrolled. When that happened to my office chair, it was fine as long as it didn't tare my suit, cause damage to the office or attack my coworkers. I would just leave it alone until the company replaced it and sent me the bill for the new chair. However I doubted I made enough to replace these.
"Mr. Lamont, he is ready to see you now." Standing I looked toward the woman behind the desk, who was still just staring forward as though she had never spoken, so silently I headed for the towering doors as they seemed to glide opened.
My boss sat behind a large desk looking like a dining room table had been modified for an office environment. His office itself looked much like the reception area but with a personal touch, trophies from his victories against the alleged heroes from Seattle's branch of the Guardians Guild from the golden years as he called them.
Each resting atop a marble pedestal with a news clippings that correspond to his victories beside each, the most memorable one was a bronze steampunk-looking vest with small Tesla coils on its back from a hero known as Jolt, two massive hand indentations still scarring the sides from the hero's crushing defeat as the news clipping hanging beside it put it.
"Do you like my trophies, Mr. Lamont?" a deep voice boomed from the other side of the large office.
"Yes, sir, they are quite impressive from what I understand," I replied.
"Yes, each was in their prime when we battled back in the good old days before this soft generation of heroes," a hint of bitterness entered his voice at the last statement.
"Well, sir, while I mean no disrespect, I quite enjoy going about my day not having to worry about some wannabe vigilante with a gun,"
He huffed before speaking again, "Well, to each their own, I suppose. Now sit down, Lamont." He pointed at an expensive-looking high-backed leather chair in front of his desk with one of his meaty hands. "I apologize, sir, but I must decline. My mutation has a tendency to act up,"
"Very well," he said as his massive seven-foot frame rose from his seat. "I prefer to stand anyway." He said gesturing for me to follow him over to the glass wall behind his desk where the quiet pattering of a light rain became audible
I took my place by his side, his massive figure facing the window as the rain continued to pick up and drenched the street outside, umbrellas blooming from pedestrians below like flowers. "As I am sure you are aware,” ,he growled “the guild has been targeting known employees and subsidiaries of this bank in an attempt to slow the rise of new 'villains' as they put it"
"yes, sir, I am aware of the situation," I said not really understanding where this was going just yet, "well most of the targets are employees who have trouble or can't hide their abilities or traits, so in order to minimize the amount of employes and business lost due their actions, the higher-ups have decided to terminate the employment and replace individuals who meet that description," with those words he stopped tension filling the air, "you are one such individual, Mr. Lamont."
My mutation escaped my control at his words the smog that made up my form leaking from all openings in my suite turning the carpet around my feet into slime that gathered it self together and began to ooze away perfectly camouflaging to the carpet as the glass near me seemed to change into some kind of fruit skin in my own shape like a thick pink shadow on the glass.
"I am being fired, but sir I have worked here for almost seven years and never once approved a loan that didn't turn out to be a good investment for this bank" finding a job as a metahuman is nearly impossible unless you are one of those corporate-owned guild members, "I am aware Mr. Lamont, which is why I have been approved to give you a full month's pay, minus the cost to fix my office and a offer if your interested one that will keep you out of the office and help keep your employment to this company secret." he never once looking at me or shifted his towering form, "An offer sir," my body seemed to grow heavier more solid, steader, "However, Lamont it is a field assignment and a high-risk high reward opportunity where you will either fly high or crash hard" He turned his thick neck for the first time since I entered his office, his gaze seeming to be made of steel as it bore into me.
“Understood sir, opportunities however are rare for people like me so I am interested and i accept, Mr.Jones ” he didn't move didn’t speak and for a moment I feared I hadn't actually spoken after all it's hard to tell sometimes when you don't have a mouth, then something horrendous accrued, he chuckled, at least I think thats what that was as it was more the sound of bass that was so deep that the glass vibrated in response “That's what I like to hear Lamont the details along with any personal belongings from your office will be delivered to your apartment on the tenth floor”
He turnd to me one massive hands outsreched “Welcome to Assets Management Alastor”
That evening I sat on my bed in my small apartment staring at the envelope that had been sitting on my on my nightstand when I got home a small box lay beside me with the few items i had left at my office
I looked around the apartment i had called home for almost seven years now the closet clean but still as empty as the day i was moved in by the bank the cabinets and fridge exactly like they had been when i had arrived this place was a refuge after my mutation in the years fallowing new yorks collapes after all no one trusts a strange xeno, at least not one without a colorfull costume
Now i'm leaving it, I don't really have a choice if I still want a refuge of any kind. So sitting on my bed I faced my future, and there was no point in stalling so with great care I opened the top of the manilla messenger that held my fate and pulled out the document my form sirling and loosening with my panic as I saw witch case I was assigned to.
to : Alastor Lamont
New assignment: Asset management and acquisition of Evercrest Manor
Previous owner: Alexander Evercrest
Current tenant/caretaker: Alexander Evercrest
Loan type: Lair improvement/creation
Amount owed: 7,000,000
Address: 4975 Hunts Point Rd