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WENDY [ part 1 ] Please note this is a continuation of Hitchhiker, but starts off slow - very slow, the first few chapters are setting the scene. I arrived at work that Monday to uproar. People were rushing around like headless chickens! I got to my cubical and noticed that Bob's door - my door is always open! - was firmly closed and the blinds drawn. I looked to my co-worker, Adam, and mouthed 'What's going on?' He looked at me, "Head office! That's what! Somebody's put a bee up their arses and now they're swarming all over the place - The Auditors are going through Bob's books looking at everything. "Shit! Where's that going to leave us?" I asked. But Adam just shrugged his shoulders. I spent the rest of the morning shifting through some paperwork, and thinking about Amanda and Janet. With any luck they'd be on the plane back to America to carry on with their lives. ---- In the afternoon Bob finally appeared from his office, along with a couple of policemen and a man in a grey suit. It seems that Bob's dreams of retiring rich may have hit a snag. Which left us all wondering who was the poor bastard who would be taking over Bob's shoes, But we carried on as per normal, although I did find myself fielding several enquiries from staff - to be honest many of which they could have worked out for themselves, but I didn't want to disappoint them. By the end of the day I was so tired that I almost missed the announcement that we would have to attend a staff meeting on Tuesday, all I wanted to do was to go home and drop onto my bed. The phone rang as I entered the house, I answered it. "You don't sound well daddy John!" Amanda's welcomed voice came to my ears. "I'm sorry Amanda, it's just that it's been a hectic day, but never mind that, I thought you were going back to America today." I said glad to hear her voice anyway. "Oh mummy wanted to do some sightseeing - she took me to the London Dungeon, it was smashing, all the bodies and the chains . . . I enjoyed it so much!" I could almost picture her wanting to try some of the chains herself. "And we ate lunch at the Blood and Guts café - you should have come with us." She added. I smiled, "I would have liked to Amanda, but I don't think my bosses would have let me." I could hear her yawn it must have been a long day for her as well. "I know daddy John, oops, here's mummy." And then a faint "It's for you. . ." as the phone was handed over. "Hello? Who's that?" Janet asked cautiously. "Hello Janet, I take it you didn't ask Amanda to phone?" I said, dropping Amanda into trouble immediately. "Hello John - no I didn't. But she did miss you today, so I suppose I shouldn't be too angry with her. You sound tired." It was a quick change of subject . . . but then I suppose it did echo in my voice. "Oh just some added fun and games at work, we're going through a hectic time at the moment." I said. "Do you want to talk about it?" Janet asked sounding all concerned. "No, it's just boring work stuff, you wouldn't be interested. . . . So Amanda liked looking around the dungeon then?" I could change the subject with the best of them. Janet laughed, "Oh yes, she enjoyed the trial and having to travel through traitors gate, I had to stop her from looking too hard at the exhibits, just in case she started to criticize them!" She paused for a moment, as if debating with herself about something but then she finished by saying, "I'm sorry John there's a lot I've got to do, I'll see you again sometime." "That's fine Janet, I know you've got to pack and arrange to return to America, I hope Amanda doesn't wear you out too soon. Bye." I fixed myself something to eat, the remainder of the care package that Sonja had left. I did consider drowning my sorrows in whisky again, but contented myself with watching the idiot-box for a couple of hours before calling it a day. ---- I arrived at work, early for a change. If I was going to get the sack then I'd at least go fighting. I noticed a large car was parked in the visitor's space. The windows were darkened so I couldn't see if anyone was in the vehicle. I entered the building and took the lift to the third floor, finding my desk and sitting behind it. I tried to concentrate on the work, but no sooner had I picked up my pen I was putting it down and walking with the rest of the herd to the meeting room. "If I can have your attention please . . . Thank you!" That was Clive Mortimer the Chief Executive Officer of our branch of the company. "Now as you know, there's been a small problem in the development area." There was a small amount of cat-calling at that as we knew that Bob had a bit of help from higher up and Clive was the chief suspect. "We are expecting a representative from Head Office to arrive today and start interviewing for Bob's replacement, so please give him all the help you can. We'll be starting at 11 O'clock." We ambled back to our pens feeling like sheep about to be shorn of their fleece. I pitied the poor sod who inherited us. At eleven O'clock the phones started to ring, calling the sacrificial lambs to their slaughter. Adam returned after his calling, he looked slightly shell-shocked, "My god!" He said, "She's a right one, looks so nice but then . . . pure ice-queen, she'd put the white witch to shame." Adam always had a thing about Narnia (you know The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe?). "Who's that?" I asked him - any information about the enemy is useful. "That person from head office, it's not a he it's a she, asks a lot of questions and she knows her stuff, but BOY! Her attitude, it stinks!" Adam said, and he was being polite!! Just then my phone rang, I picked it up - "Mr. err . . . Argent, will you come to the meeting room." And the person hung up, rather abruptly I thought but I got up and made my way to the meeting room. I knocked on the door . . . "Come!" 'Great!' I thought 'not even come in, just COME!' but I entered the room. The person was sitting in a swivel chair; its back was towards me. I approached the table and stood there, I was willing to wait. "So Mr. Argent, why do you think you should be in charge here?" The woman said, but I was beginning to recognise the voice. "I don't know if I do want to be in charge, not if I have to report to some self-important American who thinks she can boss everyone about . . . Janet!" I said smiling as I spoke the last. "There you are mummy! I told you it wouldn't work." Amanda's voice came from behind me; I turned, only to be hit in the stomach by the flying young girl. Janet, for it was her, turned the chair round, she was also smiling. "It's good to see you as well John." She said. "You know I think I've found the right person for this position." She added. I shook my head, "Who? Me! No way. The person to control this crowd needs 4 hands, one to hold the chair, the other to hold the machine gun and two to have whips in them, I'm not the one to do it." I told her. She tapped the file she was holding, "This says differently. It seems that yesterday there was a minor problem with some chips, and you directed the team to the problem without even thinking about it." "Yes, but it was an obvious fault, they just hadn't tested it through correctly that was all, and anyway they did the work, all I did was point them in the direction." I said, "That's what we need, a co-ordinator who knows what he's doing. I've been going through our files, your name is always mentioned with systems, and when you're involved the systems have a lower failure rate. But for some reason your predecessor failed to promote you as he should have." Janet said. "Of course he didn't, because it would have lost him money." I said emphasising the 'him' part. "Plus there's the other aspect of you, your ability of keeping your mouth shut, it's the thing we need from a manager." Janet said. "We need? Don't you mean the company needs? Or am I missing something?" I asked Janet who looked at Amanda who giggled. "John? You don't really know who I am, do you?" Janet asked and Amanda just looked at me without giving clues. "Not really, I mean I know you're Janet Jones and that you're quite high up in the company . . ." I began but then Amanda started to giggle away. ". . . Very high up?" I queried, and Janet nodded her head. "Mummy's the owner of the company at home." Amanda said. "Well I'm the majority shareholder of the parent company." Janet said . . . This time I sat down in shock. "I don't remember seeing your name on the board, and I'm certain that the parent company's address isn't that Ropehill place." I said Janet smiled, "Oh daddy started the company in New York State, it's just when he met my mother while he was in Ropeville that he settled down there, I inherited his share of the company when he died, and I'm not mentioned on the board, except as J.A. Williams, my maiden name." I thought about it and yes J.A. Williams was one of the senior members of the board. "I see," I said and turned to Amanda, "And why didn't you say anything when I was talking about where I worked?" I asked her. "But daddy John! I don't know all the places that mummy owns, and anyway you were the one who told her, not me!" Amanda defended herself from my accusation. But I picked her up and placed her over my knees anyway. "Mr. Argent do you think this is the best way to conduct yourself during an interview?" Janet said in an authoritative voice. "Maybe not, but what a way to get fired!" I said and, flipping Amanda's skirt up to reveal her naked backside, I brought my hand down three times on her flesh. "Amanda how dare . . . you come here . . . without your knickers on!" I said to the flushed-faced girl. "I'm sorry daddy John, but how did you know?" Amanda said. As I rubbed my hand over her slit. "I've learnt about you Amanda, you'd go naked to school if you thought you'd get away with it." I stopped fingering the girl and set her onto the ground on unsteady legs. I then turned to Janet, "I suppose I told you everything about Bob, and that explains about the audit check yesterday?" She gave a sheepish nod, "I'm afraid so John, when I heard on the audio where you worked and what was happening I ordered an immediate check. I also suggested that we try to find a replacement . . . which was you." She reached out a hand to me, "Welcome to upper management John." I looked up to the ceiling "Why me lord? What did I do wrong?" I said to the air, but I accepted her hand and shook it. Janet just smiled at me, "Why John didn't you know? No good deed ever goes unpunished!" |