It was a hard lesson to learn, but I was glad that he didn't have to be let down by his heroes directly. I'd done him a mercy.
"Hey there, good looking." The Amazonian security guard leered at me as I approached.
I forgot her name, again. And I didn't think I could get away with asking for it again, but it was worth a shot.
"What was your name again?" Sometimes I enjoyed playing with fire.
She scowled at me as she towered over me.
She wasn't ugly; very few women who had powers were. They tended to stay healthy and fit, which helped them to be more attractive.
But the guard for my office building had a slight uptilt to her nose. It was the type of uptilt that would typically make a woman look cute, but she was also Amazonian in stature, at nearly seven feet tall.
As a result, as you looked up at her, you were smacked in the face with nostrils. And she looked (at the risk of sounding like an asshole)… kind of like a pig.
Not everybody could win the genetic lottery, and unfortunately, men got to be choosy in this age.
"Burtha. I'm Burtha. How can you not remember the name of someone who protects you night and day? Men should be more grateful. If it wasn't for—"
I nodded, trying to give her my most appreciative smile while continuing to move forward so I wouldn't be late.
"Uh huh." I stepped past her, not having time for another one of her tirades.
She continued on, berating me while I moved through the lobby. I let her fade into the distance.
As I approached, the elevator bank was filled with people waiting their turn.
One of the elevators dinged, and people spilled out. I stepped into the open elevator before those waiting had a chance.
Most were too focused on their phones to move quickly enough, but others quickly piled in the second they looked up.
"Boss." Rachel pushed her way in, panting. "Good to see you. Ready for the presentation?"
"As ready as I'm going to be." I checked my watch. The meeting with Candice was only three minutes away. "But I think everything is perfectly in order.
You guys have done a fantastic job. Make sure you argue at least once with Candice. Otherwise, she tends to forget you are capable of free thought."
Rachel went wide-eyed at my candid evaluation of my boss, but she nodded all the same. I could tell she was taking the advice to heart.
The elevator dinged at our floor, and I stepped out with two minutes to spare.
I went to exit, feeling my ass being squeezed as I walked out.
I froze, thinking about turning the entire elevator into bloody paste, but that would be hard to explain away. And I'd likely be late for my meeting.
It would have to wait for another day. The creep would probably give me a second chance at some point. That thought perked me up as I walked into the office, snagging my laptop from my desk.
I didn't enjoy taking it home. Setting firm boundaries was important. I might answer some emails on my phone, but anything that required my laptop would have to wait for the next business day.
I liked to set a good example for my team.
My team assembled around me, and we all walked into the large meeting room. Kate had already set up her laptop and had the presentation ready.
The other ladies fanned out and took their spots, leaving the seat directly opposite of the projector empty for Candice.
The clock hit eight, and… Candice was late, as usual.
"Ladies, Candice will be exactly five minutes late. Do your best. Remember to engage her in discussion. Candice thrives on conflict. That's how you'll make a good impression. You do not need to do all she asks. In fact, I'd discourage it."
"Has anyone told you that you are the best boss, Zayn?" Mary was always a bit of a suck up, but I'd gotten used to it. And I didn't say anything to her about it.
I liked my direct reports enough to curb my tongue against them.
"I think you said it the other day, but I always enjoy hearing it. Look, your success is mine. I'm just doing what I'm paid to do."
"Uh huh." None of them were convinced. "You should have Candice's job."
"No, thank you. I like sleeping too much," I joked.
In reality, I wanted nothing to do with the direct interactions with the BSH or the government. Candice functioned as a nice buffer for me.
I also had gotten used to all the women flattering me. I was only one of five men in the office, and as a result, I often was a place of focus for their attention.
Candice strolled in, her blonde hair cut sharply with the angle of her chin.
It was just an inch shorter than where her chin ended, giving her an edgy haircut that was a decade or two too young for the woman, whose skin wrinkled around her eyes.
The frown lines on her face added to her intensity.
She sat down sharply and flipped open her leather folio, flipping the legal pad to a new page. Then she clicked her pen as if it was the button to start the projector, looking up and staring at the screen.
Right on cue, Kate hit play, and the commercial we'd worked on for the last several months started.
On the screen, Katherine Hensway twisted, putting both her chest and butt on full display.
She slowly bit her lip and gave us all a smoldering look that would set any man on fire. And she did it all while wearing an oversexualized Uncle Sam costume. "Do your part for the country. Have a harem, have kids."
The ad winked out, and we looked at each other in the conference room, waiting to hear Candice's questions. Mary jumped to get the lights.
"Why Miss Point City?" Candice asked.
I thought it was the stupidest question in the world, but I let the girls pick up the softball.
"Why not?" Rachel threw back. "She's the superstar of Point City's heroes. On all the metrics, from receptiveness to keeping attention, she scored the highest. And she does especially well with the male demographic."
I nodded, proud of them for taking my advice. I glanced at Candice, catching the subtlest approval while she kept her scowl.
"Who cares about the male demographic? We want the women on board. They are the ones that need to grab a man by the balls and bring him to bed," Candice declared.
Fucking idiot.