A Killing Business

It's been a while since I did a story. My time has been spent working, taking care of my son and regular household duties. I frequent the G.I. Joe page and tend to read the works. There have been several stories that are wonderful and I for one have found a lack of inspiration. This is my way of saying "Thank You" for waking me up. Don't quit what you enjoy doing!

Legal B.S.: I don't own G.I. Joe or any of the established characters. They belong to their prospective companies (Marvel, Hasbro, Devil's Due, etc.). The only characters that I own are Cassidy M. Riley/Sidewinder and newcomer Alexander Matthews/Forge.

Characters: With the new character Alex Matthews; I'm including Jinx, Shockwave, Firewall and Sidewinder for the Joe team. Expect dozens of cannon fodder, I mean Cobra agents. I'm introducing a new member of the Cobra ranks: Diamondback.

Chapter One: Another Day, Another Dollar

Alex Matthews stretched in his stiff desk chair. He rubbed his shoulder as he looked at the clock on his cubicle wall. He let out a grunt of pure despair. The laughter from the cubicle one row over let him know that his partner this night, Dave, was enjoying the quiet night. Alex just rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to his monitor. He grabbed the mouse and clicked on a couple of screens; watching countless numbers scroll across his computer screen. He rubbed his temples and stared at the screen for what seemed like forever (more than likely, about thirty seconds), when he heard the squeak from Dave's chair. Alex stopped slouching in his chair and made a pathetic effort to pay attention to what he was doing.

"Dude, I'm going to Cosmo's down the street. Do you want anything?" Dave smiled. Dave was as round as he was tall. He reminded Alex of a mobile snowman.

Alex reached for his wallet. He took out a ten spot and handed it to Dave. "Just go ahead and get me the chicken with rice and a lot of veggies. They know when you walk in that you get your usual and you're picking up my usual. Tell Margie that I said hi." Alex turned his attention back to the monitor.

Dave laughed. "I'll be back in half an hour dude. Think you can hold the fort down?" Alex replied with a one finger salute; causing Dave to laugh again as he walked out the door.

Alex didn't like working customer service. Sitting in a desk, watching a monitor for odd banking transactions wasn't his forte. He liked dealing with customers less. It was usual for someone to lose a bank card and they would have to call someone. Alex was that someone. He didn't like it, but he didn't complain about it. It paid the bills; just like any other job. Unfortunately, his real job didn't pay the bills. He was an Army Reservist in the town of Port Haven, Indiana. The decision to join the military was an easy choice for him; it was either that or get a job in the mills in neighboring Gary, Indiana. He actually wanted to go into the Army at the end of his senior year, but his mother fell ill to cancer earlier that year. After all of the treatments and chemo, she died when he was twenty. He wanted to go then, but his father died in an accident in the mill a year later. Someone had to take care of his little sister Julie; the duty fell onto him. He decided to go Reservist and get a job in town after basic. The two of them found a place in town and he went to work full time. Julie still had a year before she graduated high school; Alex planned to go off to full time Army when she graduated.

Sadly, Julie died the night of her senior prom. That was six months ago. As the holidays were coming, Alex decided that after the New Year would be the opportunity. He looked at this as a new way to start over. He could leave all of the painful memories behind and go into what he really wanted.

The sound of a telephone over the loudspeaker shook Alex from his thoughts. He sighed and clicked on the headset receiver; putting on the fake smile and happy face.

"Thank you for calling Computer Processing Associates; my name is Alex. How can I help you this evening?"

The voice from the other end of the phone was obviously drunk. He could smell the booze coming from the caller; almost.

"Hi. I…I can't find my bank card. I think I flushed it down the toilet after I threw up."

Alex shook his head as he opened a file on his computer. He tried hard not to laugh.

"Okay miss, if you could tell me the name of the bank the card is through, I'll do what I can for you."

Alex heard giggling in the background. "Shut up Bonnie, I'm on the phone with the bank. Wait, is that a slippery nipple? I want one." Alex cleared his throat. "Yes the bank is Broca Bank and Trust in New York."

Alex clicked on another file and opened it. Broca Bank and Trust, while in New York, was CPA's biggest client. He knew that no matter what any of Broca's cardholders called in and said or did; they were always right. Their file was also the weirdest; most of the other banks had customers' social security numbers, date-of-births and account numbers. Broca Bank and Trust customers had full names, a seven digit code and address verification.

"Okay, your name and seven digit code please miss."

"Ugh. That was disgusting. Get me two more. Okay, Kate Martin is my name. My code is TV-00092. Ooh. Get another round of the cinnymom ones. I like those!"

Alex rolled his eyes and continued onward. He got the rest of Kate's information and listened to her go on about different shots with her friend Bonnie. He told her to contact the bank in the morning to get a new card and have a nice night. He clicked off the headset and deactivated the card. He updated the file and sat there. He couldn't figure it out, but something didn't add up with this bank. He knew that the main office was out of New York City, he also knew that they had offices in Mobile, New Orleans, Chicago, Broca Beach, New York, Millville, New Jersey and Springfield, Indiana. He sat there staring at the file, not sure why he didn't close it. He jumped on the internet and researched the bank.

Broca Bank and Trust came up with a legitimate page. He clicked on the history and read how the bank came to be. He looked up the Board of Directors after that. He looked at each picture with a little bio next to them.

"Hm, the CEO is kinda pretty, ditch the glasses and we'll talk." He looked down the list. "Twins? Really? Nice scar on that one buddy. They look like a couple of fags." He continued on down the list. "An eye patch? Nice moustache Cyclops." He looked at the last two bios. "Black man with dreadlocks. I never figured that for a bank. Wow, the brunette's a hell of a lot cuter than the CEO." Alex shook his head. The brunette made him stop. The door opened up to the office.

"Sorry dude. I would have been back sooner but I had to let the night cleaning crew in. Did I miss anything?" Dave brought his food to him. "Is that Tracy Ellis? Our company president?"

Alex nodded. "Yeah, thanks for the grub." He opened the container and poked at the rice and veggies. "Did you know that she's on the Board of Directors for Broca Bank and Trust?"

"Our flagship bank?" Alex nodded to Dave. "Wow, never knew that at all. I was always trying to figure out why our biggest customer was out of New York."

Alex nodded. He scooped up some of the rice and chicken; taking a good forkful and inhaling it. He thought it was weird too. He shrugged to himself and continued to eat his dinner. When Alex started with the company three years ago, he had an account opened at the nearest Broca Bank and Trust. Apparently the company paid to open any account for those that worked for them. He got checks and a bank card, but didn't use the card. They always made him paranoid. He usually got the money out of his account during bank hours. Since he worked evenings, getting to the bank during business hours was never a problem. He continued on with his dinner. Boredom sunk back in and he looked at the bank site more and more. He noticed the name of Extensive Enterprises pop up here and there. Where did he hear that name before? Dave squeaking in his chair woke him from his thoughts.

"Dude! Someone robbed another Broca Bank!"

Alex made a face at this. "Dude, that's the what third one this week?"

"Fourth." Dave replied. "This one burned to the ground!"

Alex shook his head. "World's going to hell in a handbasket." He picked at some of the veggies. He figured he'd ask Dave about Extensive Enterprises. "Dude, you ever hear of Extensive Enterprises?"

Dave raised his head over his cubicle wall. "Yeah, that's our parent company. It's in that book the company put out last year. I think there's one in the break area."

"Okay, thought it sounded familiar." Alex stretched. "Thanks for getting the food. I'm going to step out and have a smoke. You need anything?"

Dave held up a couple of singles. "Get me another Venom Cola from the vending machine. I just finished the one I brought in."

"Yes sir." Alex took the money and walked out of the room. He turned left and walked out into the hallway that led to the back door and the back dock. He walked outside and found the pack in his right cargo pocket. He pulled the Zippo lighter out of his hip pocket and lit up. Something he heard before wasn't sitting right with him. He knew the name Extensive Enterprises before, but where was the question. He pondered this as he took another drag from the cigarette. He felt his pocket vibrate and he took out his cellphone.

"Alex Matthews."

"Hey buddy!" It was his sergeant and good friend in the reserves, Dan.

"Danno! What up bro?"

"Nada amigo. You still at work?"

Alex sighed. "Yeah, for another two hours. You guys getting together tonight?"

Dan laughed. "You know it! Scamming chicks dude! You up for it?"

Alex laughed. "You know I'm so there! Who's all going?"

"The usual crew, man! I've got to introduce you to my buddy Jason! He's in town for a Riot Gear show that was in Chi-Town tonight! He brought some hot fucking chicks with him!"

"Leave it to one of your friends to bring dates with him!" Alex took a drag. "Where you guys at tonight?"

"Northside buddy! Get your ass over here soon! I'll call if we go anywhere else! Late!"

With that Dan hung up the phone. Alex put the phone back in his pocket and finished his cigarette. He scanned his card and walked back in. He got Dave his soda and headed back to his cube; forgetting the whole idea of Extensive Enterprises, Broca Bank and Trust or the company president, Tracy Ellis. He had booze on the mind and meeting new people. He smiled as he sat down and was looking forward to the next day off from work.

So, it's the end of this part. I know, slow start. I've finished the story but I'm posting it in parts. Hopefully it'll buy a few moments so I can start on the next story. As always, let me know what you think (positive and negative). I'll have Chap. 2 up in a few, I swear.