"When you become a teenager, you step onto a bridge. You may already be on it. The opposite shore is adulthood. Childhood lies behind. The bridge is made of wood. As you cross, it burns behind you." -Gail Carson Levine
Chapter 1:
Alpha
James Neutron was known for several things. First and foremost he was, obviously, the founder and CEO of NeuCo. NeuCo was the most powerful company in the world. An extremely shrewd business man, he had expanded his company to contracts on several continents. NeuCo also held exclusive contracts with the US Department of Defense, the FBI, and the CIA. Many said that NeuCo was the Wayne Enterprises of the modern world. They dabbled in everything, and succeeded.
Secondly, he was a genius. Not only was a shrewd business man, but he created most of the products that NeuCo was known for. For a CEO, he was notoriously hands on. He invented most of the technology that NeuCo produced. If he did not sketch the plans himself, the invention would have to meet his approval before it could be completed.
Thirdly, he was notoriously stoic and serious. Rumors constantly swirled about why the world's most eligible bachelor, not to mention the richest man on the planet, was so miserable. He never went out to social events, never seemed to date, and preferred spending all his time in the labs. Interviews with celebrities were full of wishes to date him. He ignored the flirting of Victoria's Secret Angels at the few parties he was required to go to. And even the everyday woman would agree that he was their favorite crush. But he was never seen out with a woman. Or even on a date.
Needless to say, the rumors constantly swirled. Why else would the 24 year old make himself so miserable? The stories of him snapping at his interns for his late being made wrong and of him insulting the intelligences of his best scientists were known across the globe. Wouldn't the man who could date any woman he wanted rather spend his time partying? What was holding him back? Luckily, the rumor mill had an answer for that to. The most constant rumor was a haphazard love affair in his past. Which, people whispered, would explain his behavior and the fact that he never, ever went home to Texas. The memories must be too painful.
The week before Christmas, the CEO was even in a more horrible mood. For the first time in years, he would be going home to Retroville. While the idea of going home for Christmas would make most people cheery, it seemed to do the opposite for James. He would walk around the NeuCo offices muttering to himself and snapping at anyone he got in his way. The day before he was scheduled to leave, he called a meeting and gave specific instructions to all of his workers about what they were supposed to accomplish while he was gone and strict guidelines to stick to.
The first couple of days he was gone he called the office every day to check in. But the fourth day he didn't call, or the fifth day. By the sixth day, his board of directors were all huddled around the telephone in the conference room, eyeing the phone with a mixture of confusion and apprehension. "Do we call?" His head of research asked.
After much debate, the head of finance tentatively picked up the phone and dialed. After a couple of rings, their CEO picked up. "Yes?"
"Um, boss? Is- is everything okay?"
"Huh? Yeah of course. Why?"
"Well, uh, we hadn't heard from you in a while and we just thought-"
"Neutron!" A female voice cut through the phone. "Are you coming? We're going to miss our dinner reservation!"
"Yeah, hang on Cin, I'm coming. Reggie is there something you need?"
"I-uh-no."
"Alright. See you in a week." James hang up, leaving the men in the conference room looking at each other with various looks of confusion and amusement. The rumor mill quickly got ahold of this new piece to the puzzle as well. Was the founder of NeuCo with someone?
The first week he was back had everyone on edge. No one knew how to react to their CEO anymore. He seemed almost… happy. He walked around whistling. He bought lunch for everyone. He got his own lattes. He didn't insult people. He would even make small talk with his employees. Some were convinced that he had been abducted by aliens. Others that the brain swap idea that NeuCo was supposedly developing finally was operational. Yet, the board of directors and a few of the older employees merely smiled to themselves but said nothing and waited.
It was the middle of May when James walked through NeuCo with a blonde woman on his arm. He introduced her to the staff, but many of them recognized her right away as the new District Attorney, Cindy Vortex. At first, many thought that he was just meeting her, but when he ducked down to give her a kiss on the forehead, everyone knew that this was the reason that James was a happier man. It also connected with the 'Cin' that he had made dinner reservations with back in Retroville.
They got to know Cindy quite well over the next couple of months. Even though she was busy at the DA's office, she always managed to stop once a week to see James. She always brightened up the office and was one of the few people that James could take criticism from well. He was also in a much brighter mood when she was around. It was clear to everyone that he was in love and he had fallen, hard.
It was a blustery day in March when the whole NeuCo was called together by their CEO. James stood up and announced that he would be out for three weeks in May, as he and Cindy were getting married. The room instantly burst into cheers and shouts, causing the man in question to blush slightly, but with a smirk on his face. The entire office was cheery at the news of the upcoming nuptials, a cheer that they showed Cindy when she came walking in later that afternoon, with a new bunch of shouts and congratulations.
The CEO of NeuCo was known for three things. He was still the founder and CEO of NeuCo. He was still a genius. But now he was also happily married to New York City's District Attorney Cindy Vortex (now Neutron). Sure women still fawned over him and the rumor mill still ran of course, but for the first time since he was seventeen he was happy. And that was all that mattered.
A/N: Yes that was crazy cheesy. This was really more of a preview of whats to come. We'll learn what happened with Jimmy and Cindy when they were younger and what they're up to now! Excited? I am!