silverspidey

I have a solid idea for this but i'm in the middle of writing one entry for myself, but I will be participating.

VANGUARD PLAZA - BUILDING 3 - 45th FLOOR

Standing at the bar positioned to the rear of the seating area. Tall in height, Laila maintains a clear view of the theatre sized movie screen. Her arms crossed, her brow furrowed, Laila uncharacteristically nibbles on her lip. Her blue eyes not focused on the dozens of smaller box screens holding views to several candidates battling on the abandoned office floor, but to just one.

“Dirty Martini, Ma’am.” speaks the bartender.

With no reply Laila grabs the martini by the glass stem and sips, her eyes never leaving the screen.

“Who decided on a venue where men get five stalls in a bathroom, but women only get two?”

Recognizing the voice, Laila smirks, “The same idiot who decided all company females only need two weeks for Maternity Leave.” she answers, setting her drink on the marble counter.

Glancing at her friend, Laila smirks as does her friend. Standing far shorter than her, Laila’s friend, decked in a black loose fitting button blouse, black corporate issued blazer and black shorts, tips down her sunglasses so their eyes meet.

“Derek.” they say once.

The shared smile then fades as both women turn their attention to the screens.

“Alright, what I miss?” asks Ana.

“Lester’s ‘Admin’...” Laila sighs, “...already killed his mentor on his order.”

Ana pulls off her glasses and stressfully rubs her eyes, “You mean that womanizing horn dog is actually succeeding in clearing a path for himself to the Board?”

“Harold Fredericks is the only thing left in his way.” Laila bitterly answers, “And that 'yes-man' kiss up is very kill-able. If he's taken out, the Board will panic, promote Lester and let that ‘groper’ be our new boss.”

“Laila, tell me we can do something?” Ana insists.

Letting out a flustered sigh, Laila reaches her in her pocket and pulls out a USB drive, “I allied with Felix Alderman.”

Ana’s eyes open wide as saucers.

Clenching her jaw, Laila gently places the USB drive in her friend's pocket, “Felix gave me intel on his Executive Assistant's plan. Find a terminal, back him up with the ghost drive. Don’t get caught.”

Ana grabs her sleeve but Laila immediately shoves her hand down, forcing Ana to remember herself and stuff her hands in her pocket. Leaning against the bar next to Laila, both women remain quiet as cheering erupts from a group of executives gathered in front of the monitor.

Clenching her fist around the USB drive, Ana looks straight ahead. “It's not fair. Men buddy-system or stab each other in the back to success when we're the ones who did all the work and still get slapped with an N.D.A.”

Clearing her throat, Laila smirks while sipping her martini. “All those men get sloppy Ana.” Laila replies with a curt smile, “We don't, we work and when we do - we always win."

SS PRESENTS: the executive assistant

Issue #6

Dogs and Collars

“This is too much.” mumbles Harold Fredericks, gulping down a mouthful of amber bourbon into his mouth.

Clenching teeth as the bourbon burns down his throat, Harold grabs hold of the shelf as another strong thud trembles the floor, rattling the awards in the glass casing.

“HOW MUCH LONGER IS THIS GONNA LAST!” shouts Harold.

Feeling the tremble ebb away, Felix Alderman, seated in a plush leather chair facing the door, twiddles a fat cigar between his fingers. Releasing a plume of white smoke from his nostrils, Felix sets his cigar on the arm rest and calmly closes his eyes.

“Performance Evaluations usually last no more than an hour or two.” he sleepily answers, “Unless too many people get killed, then we cut it short.”

Harold stops his pacing as if frozen in place and points at Felix, “What if an INTERNAL EMPLOYEE TRYING TO KILL ME?!!”

Again the floor trembles. “ISN’T THAT JUST AS BAD?!” Harold exclaims, “Lester purposefully hired a Yakuza thug to take ‘me’ out. Not you! ME!”

Once more the floor trembles, causing the awards in the glass casing to clang together.

“Firstly Harold…” Felix sigh, already tired of Harold's frayed nerves, “, ...in one hour you will be the Chief Finance Officer for the most enviable, financially stable Data Security Firm on the planet.” he states, raising his sea-blue eyes at the young man, “Everyone should be trying to kill you.”

Harold’s blond brow furrows at the blunt statement. “What?!” he exclaims in disbelief.

Felix folds his arms and raises an eyebrow. “It is the price of power.” he scoffs, “You’re on top now, but you’re a mark. Their goal is to knock you off from being ‘on top’. So, since you’re on top, you should see them first, and plan their demise accor…”

Suddenly Felix's words are cut short as the office door is kicked off its hinges to reveal a Japanese woman standing in the door frame.

Sporting a sleeveless leather kimono, specks of vibrant red blood decorate her emotionless face and cold gaze. A sheathed katana strapped to her hip, the woman’s grips the sheath and flicks up her thumb, exposing part of the blade.

“My name is Kazuko, I am Lester’s Assistant.” she states.

Horrified, Harold opens his mouth, but a scream fails him. Rubbing his profusely sweating face, Harold nervously runs his hands through his auburn hair, backing up to the window.

Grabbing hold of her sword's handle, Kazuko slowly pulls the blade from its sheath, fully exposing the neon blue blade sporting a new black scorch mark in the middle.

“Ha-HAROLD ISN’T HERE!” Harold exclaims.

Tilting her head to the side, Kazuko narrows her eyes, “A bad lie…” she says, now pointing the length of her sword at him, “...is the greatest insult to one's intelligence.” she says.

As if cued by Harold’s gulp, Kazuko wastes no time marching at him, but Felix jolts out his seat, not daring to get in but raises his hands.

“Before-you-skewer-my-protégé, question... ” Felix says rather quickly, “...Did you kill my Executive Assistant?”

Uncharacteristically even for herself, Kazuko pauses. Her steely glare shifts away from Harold to aged business man awaiting her answer

“What’s it to you?”

Felix draws a breath, “Because if you did, then I have a job offer for you.”

“WHAT?!” Harold screamed.

Kazuko brow furrowed her brow, “I’ll decline thank you. Your reputation precedes you.”

“So does my E.A.…” Felix chuckles to Kazuko’s visual disapproval, “...which, since you didn’t answer my question, if you didn’t kill him - you just pissed off the wrong…”

Suddenly Felix notices Kazuko’s eyes do a double take to the window behind him just William shatters through the glass! Flying past Harold and Felix, William rams both feet squarely with full momentum into Kazuko’s chest, launching her straight back into the hallway.

Crashing on the coffee table, William lets out a groan of pain but determinedly wipes off the bits of glass from his person. Sitting up with a strain, William raises his gun, aims and pulls the trigger to hear only an empty ‘click’.

“Great.” William chides, tossing aside the gun.

There in the middle of the crisp narrow white hallway, white secretary desks sit in front of frost glass door offices is Kazuko. Flat down on her belly, Kazuko struggles to get up.

She was injured at the least which was an advantage he needed. Hence, William grinds his teeth as he gets up but then feels a tug on his jacket. Looking over his shoulder, William’s gaze rests on his boss Felix, gripping his jacket with a scowl on his set for the ages.

“Remember...” Felix spits, “...I die, your son dies.”

Turning away from him, William lets out a tired sir. “Thanks for the reminder.”

~*~*~*~

Holding herself up on her hands and knees, Kazuko’s slow to get up. William’s kick, in addition to knocking the wind out of her, was sure to have cracked or bruised a rib or two. However, such concerns are dashed aside as Kazuko feels William’s swift moving feet trembling the floor through her palms.

Instinct kicks in. Kazuko grabs her hilt and draws her blade but is met with deft foot-stomp to her sword handle, shunting the blade back in its sheath! Unsure whether to be impressed or angry, Kazuko moves to counter but sees too late William’s half-turned body in the air, bringing his foot her to face!

Bashed across her left temple, Kazuko sees stars as she’s sent spinning to the floor but strives to extend her leg for a reciprocated blind back-kick! Kicked by Kazuko's leg across the torso, William’s sent flying over a secretary’s desk and falling onto the other side!

“You are NOT winning this!!”shouts Kazuko, wincing from the pain radiating across her head.

Groaning in pain, William glanced at his scuffed watch, he told his new ‘team’ he needed five minutes, ten maximum. Now five have already passed.

Staggering onto her feet, Kazuko leans against the wall of the narrow hallway, drags herself towards her target: Harold and Felix, both watching her from their office.

Grinding her teeth, Kazuko, determined to finish her assignment, pushes herself off the wall and, fixing her attention at her targets, breaks out into a full charge.

In the office, Harold screams, “SHE’S COMING SHE’ COMING!” he yells in full panic to Felix.

“I see that!!” spits Felix, watching Kazuko charge at them with a fleet footed William chasing after her from behind row empty secretaries' desks. Seeing he's outpaced by Kazuko, William promptly grabs a bronze letter-opener from a desk and flings it!

Catching a shiny glint from the corner of her eye, Kazuko stops short and ducks, missing the knife-like letter stab into the wall with a tremble. Determined still, Kazuko lunges forward but William throws himself over a desk and back-kicks Kazuko square in the chest, backing her away from the office.

“GAH!” Kazuko cries out, grimacing in pain as she clutches her chest and staggers back. Seething in pain, Kazuko curses herself. William's kick to her chest through the window fractured something and he was targeting it all the same.

Struggling to catch her breath, Kazuko tries to rally herself but William rips the blade out the wall and tackles Kazuko’s torso, throwing her onto a secretaries desk. Pinning her arms over her wounded chest, William presses down on her injury!

“AAAH!” Kazuko cries out as William raises the blade over his head, poised to plunge in her chest.

Then, between the seconds, William pauses. As if time stopped for a moment. William looks into his enemies face. Past the pain, the hate and anger churning in her expression, peering into her eyes he sees something. His brow furrows at the flash of a moment of something he too recognized all too well.

Sadness?

HIs wide open in shock at his hesitancy, Felix runs to the office door frame and leans out, “FINISH HUURR!”

Snapping himself out of his train of thought, William suddenly sees all the red ink within Kazuko’s sleeve tattoos, glow!

As if lit by light panels underneath her skin, William follows the tattoos that illuminate up along her arms, her neck to the squares of her cheeks that clench..

William’s gaze meets with Kazuko's narrowed eyes.

“Oh sh…”

Throwing her hand up, Kazuko grabs William by the throat and squeezes with the strength of four men.

In one motion, Kazuko throws William to the left like a doll! Cracking the dry wall on impact, William sinks into it as Kazuko leaps off the desk and brutishly punches William’s face through the drywall to the otherside!

His screams muffled by the debris, Kazuko takes off running!

“GET...” yells Kazuko, dragging Williams' entire body, tearing a jagged line across the walls as she nears the elevators, “...OUT OF MY WAY!” she yells, throwing him out the wall and careening him another 100 feet down the hallway!

“GAAAH!” William shouts, bouncing off against the elevator door and dropping to the floor in a heap of dust.

Harold's eyes open wide in pure shock. The no more than 5’9 tall Japanese woman stands in the corridor like a tired beast. Her sloped shoulders rising, her illuminated tattoos glowing, Kazuko remains perfectly still, waiting to see if William moves, let alone twitches.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Harold’s neck snaps into attention to Felix standing amidst the broken table with his arms folded and nothing but an impressed expression washing over his face.

“For decades Governments outlawed and ‘sterilized’ the growing populous of ‘powered’ people out of fear." Felix reminisces, "In the end, they couldn’t see a world of ‘mixed races’ literally becoming new weapons they couldn’t control.”

Harold gulps, watching the expression on Felix face become increasing sinister, almost diabolic.

"Now look us now." he grins, "Thirty years later in a ‘government free’ society ruled by corporations, it took the 'businessman' to find the few ‘powered’ people left to put the collar on these ‘beautiful’ weapons - so they could be useful dogs. Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Looking at Kazuko standing in the middle of the half-destroyed hallway with red light emanating from her tattoos, Harold gulps hard as she eerily turns her head in their direction, staring right at him.

Harold’s heart thuds in his chest. Taking a step back, Harold stumbles over the debris and falls on his rump, shaking his head, “Ah-a bu-beautiful gun is a scary gun when you don’t have one!” he exclaims.

Noticing her dropped sword at her feet, Kazuko stomps on the handle, flipping the blade to herself before snatching it out the air.

Felix arches his eyebrow at Harold’s statement. “You donut, Vanguard Industries is a principal shareholder in the formation of our new world. What makes you think we wouldn’t have a few ‘guns’ at our disposal?!”

Leaning her shoulder back, Kazuko grips her sword handle firmly before throwing like a pitcher on a baseball mound.

“RAAA!” she yells, hurling the blade in precision accuracy at Harold!

Blood drains from Harold’s face! “NAAAAOOOo!” he screams.

However, Harold, having felt nothing or surmising his death was so quick he must’ve ascended to heaven, drops his arms.

Instantly, Harold’s eyes widen, unable to believe his own eyes.

Felix, standing beside him, can not help but grin at the sight of the katana suspended in in mid-air threshold of their office door.

Kazuko’s drops. Confusion and anger swell within her. Her eyes darted from place to place. Searching, analyzing. What around the threshold of the door would explain the phenomena.

Then she hears it. The painful groan. The sound of a body coping with ache and soreness.

Quickly Kazuko turns around. Her eyes wide with equal parts anger and shock at the sight of William on his feet. His black suit tattered and covered in white dust. Dozens of small red cuts decorating the side of his face coated in white dust. His green eyes are alive with light and power. Blood trickling down his nose while he holds out his trembling hand as if grabbing something.

Kazuko’s face twists into frustration with a snarl. Glancing over shoulder she observes her sword, trembling in the suspended air, then falls to the floor with a clatter.

Turning to face him, Kazuko’s brow furrows as William sweeps his hands back, palms facing the wall! Suddenly an explosive burst of air explodes behind him and William rockets through the narrow hallway like a missile, rattling the glass doors!

No time to think, Kazuko leaps in the air and fans out her legs and arms for William to zip by underneath.

Then her heart sinks. Her stomach aches. Every thought in her mind screams a warning as William does zip beneath her, but slams his feet to prompt halt!

Kazuko’s eyes immediately notices the churning swirl of frosty white air within William’s cupped palms as he narrows his eyes at her..

“My turn!”

Thrusting up his cup palms, William unleashes a deafening ‘BOOM’ that quakes the entire floor , shattering the glass doors, throwing desks off the floor into the air and rattling the metal studs within the walls!

Covering his face as debris falls beside him, William curls up on his side, waiting for the noise and trembling to fade. Feeling trickles of dust and a warmth on his face, William peaks behind his forearms and sees the bright warm sun held in the blue sky through a new hole within the ceiling. Kazuko nowhere to be seen.

From inside their office, Harold leans forward on his hands, his mouth open in pure awe.

“You think I would be in this chaos without a gun like him?” Felix cockily smirks to Harold, “Governments in the past made the critical mistake of letting people like him think they’re ‘special and unique’. But that’s how uprisings began. People believed they had rights. Hence why 99% of powered people worldwide were eradicated thirty years ago.

“He survived though.” Harold comments, “A telekinetic or is he, telepathic?”

“Heavens no. All the telepaths were killed.” Felix smirks, “He’s a one in a ten thousand. A telekinetic. A true minority, but he can’t advertise that talent, not unless I say so.”

Harold watches William push aside fragments of the drywall and slowly rise to his feet, bathed in the sunlight shining through.

Felix looks to Harold but gestures at William, “Hence your job Harold when you're’ on board as a CFO is to keep dogs like him on a tight leash.” he says, observing William, “Evaluations like today prove their capability, but never enable that feeling. Keep them trapped in a system, or else…”

“Chaos.” Harold finishes.

Felix smirks with a nod of approval, “Exactly my boy. Exactly.”

Glancing at his watch, William limps over to the office where Felix stares blazes into him like a sustained bullet wound. Stopping at the office door, Felix slowly roves over his Executive Assistant appearance.

His shoes scuffed. His tailored black suit tattered and covered white dust. His white shirt is decorated with specks of bright red blood. His tie loose around the collar. William’s angular bruised face half coated in white dust with contrasting red cuts decorate one side of his face as if it was a new art form.

Yet what intrigues Felix most of all is William’s eyes. His glowing, vibrant green eyes that seem to power even at the center iris with hints of gold.

“Where’s your Halo-Disc?” Felix snaps, his voice cold and demanding, “That concept weapon’s worth more than your kid.”

Leaning against the door, barely able to stand on his feet, William nods, “I left it behind. Didn’t want to take a chance she’d use it against me.”

Felix arches his eyebrow, “Evaluations not over yet, we’ll see if that was a smart move.”

“Its.

Felix grimaces.

“Sir.” William quickly adds.

Felix snorts, shaking his head while pulling out a cigar from his inner jacket and bites off the tip, spitting the small bit, “I wonder Harold, does William fight best knowing he’ll lose his son...”

William pushes off the doorframe, standing on his own two feet as Felix lights his cigar.

Spewing a cloud of smoke from his nose, Felix smiles a sinister grin while glaring at his Executive Assistant through the whisper thin smoke, “...Or does he fight best when just feels like he’s losing?”

Harold takes a long hard blink before looking at William’s clenched jaw tighten.

Twiddling his cigar between his fingers with a sick grin, Felix waits for answer.

However William closes his eyes, lets out a long breath and calms himself.

“Excuse me.” replies William, extending right hand towards four other Office Suites along the extended section of the corridor. Sweeping his hand back, William throws the doors open.

Closing his eyes, William concentrates. Dampening his power, William opens his eyes to the sound of collective mutters and footstep and observes the four other executives emerge.

Drawing a tired breath, William stands about face and bows, “Good Afternoon Sirs.” he exclaims, standing upright, “I am here to escort you downstairs for Transport.”

One individual, a tall lanky older fellow in a grey suit, black tie and white dress shirt points his golden cane at him, “And WHO are you! You’re not Melissa!”

“WHERE IS CHESTER!” exclaims another voice.

Rubbing the back of his head, William smirks, “No, I’m the…

THE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

PART 6

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ROOFTOP

“GUUUUUUH!”

Gasping awake, Kazuko opens her eyes, staring at the bright yellow sun held in the sky. Immediately pain greets her. Her face twists in agony. Barely able to move, let along twitch, Kazuko pants short breath, barely able to contain the excruciating pain. The cool touch of liquid of pooling under her.

Lifting her hand, Kazuko vision double as she sees her hand coated in red blood.

Weak, she drops her hands to side. Closing her eyes, Kazuko face twists to grief, unable to hold back the tears.

“Watashu...YuRuusteh…” she sobs, unleashing a torrent of tears.

Unable to hear the the grind of gravel underfoot, Kazuko than feels the sun become blocked out.

Crying still, Kazuko opens her eyes, but then, brings her whimpers to silence. Her face stiffens and her jaw clenches at the sight of a young raven haired woman looking down at her.

Holding up a vial of blue liquid between her fingers, the young woman pushes up her sunglasses.

“Oh good you’re not dead…” she smiles, “...Lester would’ve been pissed!”

Kazuko eyes shift to the woman standing over her, observing her injuries “Who are you?”

“Shaw, Anna Shaw.” she replies before squatting beside her and holding up a USB stick , “I’m your second chance.”

.

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To be continued….

Kazuko smirks. Bending her knees, Kazuko drops her shoulder towards William. Her swords hilt aimed low, Kazuko hovers her palm over the katana's long hilt, ready to draw.

“Only other Master Black Belt Six Sigma CEOs give me trouble." she smirks, lifting her black painted eyes at William. Curiously, she tilts her head, "Are you trained?"

Sliding on a black glove, William reaches behind under his blazer and pulls out a hollow black frisbee, “Come and find out.” he retorts, crouching in a similar fashion as she.

Instantly, the edges of the frisbee turn bright red while in William's grip.

Kazuko smiles again, "Good, I was hoping you'd say that."

Ready to spring at each other, William and Kazuko both see a small canister zip straight between them.

Suddenly William’s eyes open wide, “FLASHBANG!” he shouts, covering his face.

A deafening ‘bang’ erupts between them with a blinding white light burning through everyone’s closed eyelids.

SS PRESENT

The Executive Assistant

Issue #5 - I Want to Make....An Alliance

Knelt on the floor with the length of her arm covering her eyes, Melissa grinds her teeth from the intense white light bleeding through her eyelids.

Feeling the white light fade to nothing, Melissa drops her arms. Opening her eyes, Melissa finds find her vision blurred with odd shaped mass fast approaching her face!

“GAAA!” cries out Melissa as she’s punched across the jaw and sent to her side.

Rolling onto her back, Melissa blindly scrambles for her gun and aims, but feets a firm shoe step on her wrist, “GrrrAAAH!” she screams, opening her hand with the gun being kicked away.

Swiftly followed is the all too familiar ‘click’ of a gun.

Paralyzed by the sound of it, Melissa’s heart pounds in her chest, almost bursting to come out as she slowly raises her hands to the gunman's fuzzy outline aiming a pistol at her head.

“Pull the trigger you coward.” She spits, as she closes her eyes and bites her trembling lips.

Suddenly a deafening ‘POW’, rings out, making Melissa gasp.

“GET UP!”

Feeling someone drop beside her, Melissa eyes snap open to see a burry woman reaching for her while wildly firing off shots.

“Yala Kelb!” Exclaims the voice speaking Arabic.

Feeling a forceful grip pull heronto her feet, Melissa is quickly guided a few paces to the corner of a wall.

Feeling herself pushed up against a wall, Melissa holds out her hands frantically as her 'savior' touches her face, trying to look at her eyes.

“Can you see? Can you see me?”

Shaking her head, Melissa frantically holds out her hands pushing back the woman, “Who are you, who are…”

“Adira! Who else!” she answers, her tone riddled with frustration.

Pulling out a small vial of droplets, Adira pulls Melissa’s head back, “I have concept pharmaceuticals for such moment, hold still.”

Promptly Melissa grabs Adira’s small wrist and firmly places her palm against her sternum, holding her back, “NO no no no…”

“Will you argh…” Adira growls, straining against Melissa’s surprising strength. “...if you want to die like dumb blind goat, die like blind goat, but do not waste my time!”

Melissa shoves Adira back, her vision still blurred.

“No one does anything for free, especially you!.” Melissa chides, “What’d you want Adira?”

Folding her arms, Adira rolls her tongue in her mouth, “Ah my reputation precedes me no? Yes blind white girl I want something. I want to start alliance. with you. Be thankful.” she declares.

“An alliance?!” Melissa scoffs, even blind she didn’t see this coming. “The Self-Proclaimed Genius, Self-Sufficient, NEVER NEEDS HELP...Adira! Wants an alliance?! Did I die?”

Adira furrows her brow at the mocking tone, “Can arrange if you prefer. Focus on point. Without antidote for blindness, you die or fail. I, without safety of group, die or fail. You see situation, no?” she declares.

Silent for a moment, Melissa balls up a fist, “What do you bring to the table?”

Adira sneers, “What do I….” she scoffs, gagging at the thought of finishing the statement, “Kimberly you are maid in my country!” she says, patting her on the head, “I do not answer to you! NEVER! You want my help? Yes or No? I think, no! So, you, go sweep desert. I will go find someone more worth my...”

Desperately Melissa grabs Adira’s arm, “Fine fine FINE!” she exclaims, “It's a deal! Just put that crap in my eyes and lets go.”

Adira smirks, smacking the bottle into her hand, “Good. Now, we partners.” She smiles with a firm shake, “But I do not trust you. So I invoke Betrayers Pact. Which means…”

“Which means because you gave me the first part of the benefits in our deal, now I look out for your interests first and if I don’t you’ll shoot me. Got it.” Melissa finishes, rubbing her eyes as the droplets relieve the stinging.

Blinking a few times, Melissa now see’s Adira’s face clearly, leaning up against the wall, gun in hand.

“Deal is a deal, but I wanna know what happened to your Research Development team? “ asks Melissa, “There was ten of them!”

Adira shoves off the wall, rolling her eyes, “Yes. They break pact, I break necks.”

~*~*~*~*~

“Melissa is caught out there I can’t see her.”

“I KNOW ANDRE!”

“She made the plan CHESTER so go get her…

“I see her! Adira’s got her, they’re coming our way.” .

“THEN DO SOMETHING!!”

“Who died and made you my boss!! "

“YOUR INABILITY TO MULTITASK DID!”

His legs folded over the other as if in a meditative squat, Chester Leon, levitates over Andre and Mortimer’s heads while inside a translucent red holographic orb.

“Siri, jumpstart McAfee Assault Protocols and set a reminder to slap Andre if we both live through this!” he commands.

Extending his arms to the right and left, Chester activates two massive red holographic cannons that appear on both sides of the orb.

“Reminder to slap Andre for Four o’clock. McAfee Mobile Security Initialized.”

“YEAH BABY!” shouts Chester, clapping his hands together, “NO NEW HIRE CAN OUT-CODE ME! I AM THE TECHNO KAAANG!”

At that moment, Chester spots across the floor, a bright white holographic sphere rising over everyone’s heads. Beside it, four massive cannons float beside it.

Chester face hardens. “What in the....”

Suddenly a bright white holographic square appears within Chester’s red holographic orb, in front of his face.

“Hi Chester, I’m Takesha...."

the girl in the BitDefender Assault Virus Sphere opposite you, how are you!!”

Chester’s eyes open as wide as saucers, “It's an orb!”

“Mmmm but is it?” She kindly counters with a head tilt, “Mathematically it's really a sphere, but whatever. Anyways, sorry to be rude, but, I had to punch a hole in your backdoor data system with a Java Superscript Algorithm to reach you. You really like Python huh?”

Chester’s blinks once. Twice, then so many times he rubs his eyes, “Y-you mean my private...super coded, took me four weeks to make, digital back door?”

“Yeah, like Java is way superior.” Takesha grins, “Anyway, just wanted to say you know, before I destroy you, that this was super fun. It's so hard to meet people who really try their best to eat me even if you are using old software like McAfee software. You seem so dedicated to Python coding, it's like, you know, weird. But still, mad respect.`

Chester closes his eyes and clenches his fist, “I need to pretend you're a man. Not a beautiful woman, with the perfect body, who’s trying to destroy me…that I'd like to take to the movies.”

“Awww, your sweet.” Takesha gushes “Okay well I gotta blow you up so, deuces!!”

Suddenly, an image vanishes and is replaced by high pitch alerts sounding off within his cockpit. Looking straight ahead, Chester now spots bright yellow projectiles streaking towards him.

“Wait, did she say maybe?” Chester huffs.

~*~*~*~*~

Below, hunched behind a metal filing cabinet for his protection, Andre ducks as bullets zip over his head, cracking the bulletproof window and sending pieces of drywall onto him. Swiping his hand across the holographic red screens, Andre closes all his holographic windows and redirects it as a shield over him, deflecting the fiery explosions from Chester’s battle overhead.

Pushing an earbud into his left ear, Andre flicks away his cigarette, stands up and begins firing his pistol, “WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE NOW!” he shouts.

Holding up his wrist, a yellow holographic Post It appears, defecting a broom stick sharpened onto a spear.

“FREAKIN JANITOR!! EAT THIS!” Andre shouts, laying suppression fire against the crowd. Spotting two familiar faces in the battling crowd, Andre shoots over them, backing away any attackers until Adira and Melissa dive over the toppled filing cabinets and desks to his side.

Glancing at them, Andre shakes his head, “You girls done having a baby? Can we get back to work now? You need a tampon?!?” he shouts, rattling off two more shots.

Melissa’s pink discolored eyes snaps to Andre but Adira reaches over and slaps him across the face, stunning him.

Getting in his face, Adira smiles, “Hi nerd man. I am the woman who doesn’t like crying cranky little boys. Are you a cranky little boy? Do you require foot shoved into unpleasant place? Hm? Or sound beating with rods!”

Andre gulps, peering into Adira’s deep green eyes, feeling a wellspring of emotion burst within him.

“I love you.” he blurts.

“Oh…” winces Melissa.

Suddenly jagged red shards of holographic glass fall around them, shattering into bright fizzling white bits of techno-data.

Adira arches her brow at Andre, “How you say, hard pass.”

“AAAAH!” screams Chester, crashing down to the floor between them, covered in a flurry of red powder.

Adira, Andre and Melissa look at Chester covered in red dust.

“I GOT A DATE!!” he exclaims.

Melissa rolls over to them, “Keep your personal crap OUT of my work life!” she snaps, then looms to Andre, “Did you set the charges?!”

Immediately Andre taps the screen of his smartwatch, “FIRE IN THE HOLE!”

A deafening explosion rocks the entire floor, quaking the ground beneath their feet.

All covered in grey dust, Melissa waves her hands at the billowing a hole in a wall until she can see a clear path to the freight elevators through a newly made hole in the wall.

“Perfect.” Melissa exclaims, “MORTIMER!?”

“HERE!” he exclaims, falling out the side of a bullet riddled metal cabinet.

Raising her gun with one hand, Melissa grabs Mortimer by his shirt collar. Bringing him to her other side, shielding him with her body, Melissa appoints forward like a military leader in battle, “RUN AND SHOOT, RUN AND SHOOT!” she yells, sprinting ahead.

Like a practiced unit, Andre, Chester, Adira run behind Melissa to the gaping hole in the wall. Seeing the once-hidden service elevators, Melissa and everyone behind her opens fire on the fighting crowd, new-hire secretaries and accountants now noticing their plan.

“GO GO GO!” shouts Melissa , seconds from reaching their opening in the wall.

Suddenly, a body smashes through the wreckage of piled filing cabinets and desks, cutting off her path.

Stunned, Melissa throws Mortimer aside and turns to who’s coming but is mercilessly punched straight to the floor!

Seeing Melissa is down, Kazuko twirls over Melissa and swipes her leg across the air and bashes Andre across the face, cracking his head against the armored window.

“DISHONORABLE FILTH!” Yells Adira, hold out both her hands.

Landing on her feet, Kazuko eyes immediately locks onto Adira shooting out flying silver miniature cd-roms from her oversized suit sleeves. Spinning on her heels, Kazuko cranes her neck to the side as two discs slice through her fine black hair! Backflipping over two razor sharp discs, Kazuko lands on her feet and defensively twirls her katana in configurative 8’s, shattering dozens of CDs before grabbing a passing disc between her fingers, and hurling it straight into Adira’s shoulder.

“AAAH!” Adira cries out, dropping to the floor and exposing Chester who was hiding behind her.

Seeing him, Kazuko rolls her eyes and sheathes, “Not worth my time.” she scoffs.

“H-hey Siri...” calls out Chester before aiming his phone like a gun at Kazuko, “...FIND MY ENEMY!”

Confusion decorates Kazuko’s face as she watches Chester’s phone swiftly morph into a crackling white clad pistol within his hands! A long red crackling slit forms at its front, with a light throbbing as its barrel.

Enemy Found - Eliminating Threat!. replies the phone.

Kazuko's jaw drops as Chester pulls the trigger, unleashing a powerful bright red energy beam that streaks at her!

Bathing everything around her in crimson, Kazuko swings up the flat of her blade as the hot energy beam slams against it so hard, Kazuko’s feet slide back over the carpet.

“JEEZZAAAAS!” shouts Kazuko, as the force of the beam pushes feet sliding back over the surface of the rug.

“NOOOO!” she screams, digging in her heels to stop while twisting her blade into the beam that fractures the hot light into eight super hot beams burning in a circular dance around her!

“WATCH OUT!” Adira shouts, yanking Andre back as a white hot beam burns across the carpet and up along the wall!

Seeing Chester reach for yet another weapon, Kazuko quickly angles her blade down! Suddenly Chester sees the eight fractured lights consolidate to one large energy beam pounding into the ceiling and descend in his direction!

Chester’s heart drops and peers across the length of the beam shooting out his weapon at Kazuko, glaring at him with gritted teeth as she purposefully struggles to reflect the beam to reflect back into itself and cause a….

“HOLY…”

Dropping his pistol, Chester throws himself to the floor as does Kazuko as the two beams meet with a white flash and deafening explosion erupting over their heads! The force of the blast trembling the floor, Chester scrambles. Sitting up, Chester pulls out his other weapon and aims straight but is startled to find Kazuko having already cleared half the distance to him, glaring right at him!

Feeling as if he was staring into the eyes of a lion, Chester grinds his teeth, unable to stop his weapon from shaking, but then hears, ‘click’. His eyes drop down to her blade. Kazuko twists again, locking the handle of her katana that causes the blue blade to glow as if radioactive!

Tiny particles lift out the blade that now sports a scorch mark. Chester’s eyes widen and meet with Kazukos’ sinister smirk as the particles lift around her and freeze!.

“Blackout!” she calls out as a soft-blue particle wave of energy burst out from her sword, throwing Chester off his feet.

Slamming up against the wall, Chester falls onto his stomach with Andre racing over to him, pulling off his tech and throwing it as sparks spew out from them.

In pain but alert, Melissa rolls onto her back and aims her pistol at Kazuko, to find no trace of her. Letting out a groan, Melissa hits the back of her head in frustration, “Jeezus, she took us all out.” she sighs.

Clutching her bleeding shoulder, Adira gets on her feet, “ON OUR SIX!!” she shouts, holding up her gun.

Turning around, the group watches William Glass crash through the other side of the barrier of desks and filing cabinets, punching a man across the face. Taking his gun, William turns around, throwing a flurry of black marbles.

Rolling forward, William covers his ears as a deafening explosion quakes the entire floor.

Lifting his eyes to the rather beaten group on the floor as well, William eyes peers past them to a gaping hole in the wall, and hears an elevator call button.

Getting on his feet, William watches Andre helping Chester stand.

William nods ahead, “Are those the Service elevators?”

Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Andre nods but Adira boldly stands in front of him, clutching her bloodied shoulder “No...”

Reaching behind his back with his black gloved hand, William immediately pulls out a holo-discus that ‘thuds’ as it illuminates red along its sharp curved edges.

“You all just got soundly beat, don’t get embarrassed.” warns William.

Melissa quickly staggers to Adira’s side, casting a sharp look of disapproval, “Adira what are you…”

Holding up her hand to Melissa’s, Adira silences her and smiles at William “So were beaten to, no?” she boldly states, “Unless you believe you are able to beat that walking problem and finish this evaluation in one piece, you need us!”

Melissa eyes open wide at Adira’s boldness, “One, William never, ever allies with anyone.” she exclaims, "And two, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR ACCENT!"

Adira sneers at her, "Because stupid hoes like you only listen when you think we're dumb!" she says, tapping her own head, "Psychology Behavior Class! Try it!" she exclaims to Melissa's wide-eyed shocked expression.

Closing his eyes, William lets out a sigh, “Adira you really don't change…” he sighs, rubbing his eyes before looking at the motley group behind her, “...okay if we did start an alliance, what'd you have to offer?” he asks, deactivating his weapon.

Feeling as if a ton bricks fell on them, Melissa, Chester and Andre’s jaws drop.

Adira proudly folds her arms and holds up her fist, raising a finger for each point made. “Chester possess conceptual weapon. Melissa, extra gun. I, can lend my smart ethernet cables patent pending to scale building, or to use on people, specifically necks…”

Melissa gulps, rubbing her neck.

“...and we have two geeks…” Adira finishes, “One good, one not so good. He's still child.”

“I AM NOT A CHILD!” yells

“Not what you're ex-said!” chides Adira, pointing her finger down to which Andre oddly sits.

Adira points at Mortimer standing behind Melissa, “Mortimer is Analyst, his department only use armored vehicles. We take his for transport.”

Mortimer nods, “It's a G-Wagon XL.”

“Self brag.” coughs Andre.

“William’s care is armored too.” Melissa chides.

William lets out a tired sigh and rests his hands on his waist, “Yeah but since I’m the only thing standing between Kazuko and my boss…” he explains, “...my car's probably rigged to explode in case she can’t kill me out right.”

“Most likely.” agrees Mortimer.

Adira extends her hand, “Hence you take from us what you need to win after beating killer woman…” she explains, “...and we all survive to end. Betray us, I kill you in sleep.”

William smirks and extends his hand to Adira’s surprise, “You should go into Project Management.”

Chester leans towards Melissa, “Didn’t you say you took that?”

Melissa stomps her heel on his foot, “Shut $%^&* up.”

.

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To be continued…..

WHAT THE HECK!!! We got GEMS like this just layin' around?!"!!