Chapter 1: File 13.
As Dr. Sorensen stared at the next-to-last applicant for the day, he began to wonder if anyone with any real qualifications would make an attempt to get the open job offer. The man obviously was in this to make a quick buck more than anything, mainly because the good Dr. could feel the man's emotions due to his strong psychic family traits. You might say it's why he had chosen this profession. But as he read over the extremely short resume of a few paragraphs of information, his face turned to a frown.
"Sir, I'm sorry but I'm afraid I'm going to have to turn you down for the job, you simply don't have the right essentials necessary for this job... Besides, we both know what you're really here for, and don't attempt to lie, I didn't get where I am for nothing." Todd said to the youth in the chair in front of him. The kid's face turned to a scowl as he said,
"Well fuck you too buddy, that's a helluva note... You can just go to hell then you penny pinching bastard, you just lost out!" The young man said getting up roughly to go.
"Well at least you're properly qualified for possibly shoveling manure somewhere in a field, assuming you don't wallow in it first... Get the hell out of my office, you little quiff." He said, suddenly catching himself from the sudden anger. Dr. Sorenson has a problem with his ability however, as it eventually causes him to feel the same emotions after a time with other varying factors. The man slammed the door behind him, knocking a few items off of a nearby shelf and Todd sighed heavily in aggravation.
"14 years... 14 years I've put into this place... This can't be happening..." He said, the anger ebbing into the usual depression. Suddenly he remembered the last applicant, and got up to call them in to his office. However when he went out of his office, the bench was entirely empty save for a sticky note, with the words, 'brb 15 min.'
"I guess I can wait... It's not like I've anything to lose, for now... I'll give him time to show up again." He thought aloud. He went back into his office to work on some of the desperate for attention paperwork and bills, putting some of his favorite music on the stereo system; an old Pre-Sukebe group called 'Linkin Park.' He soon lost track of time and didn't expect the door to be knocked in the time of what had seemed like just starting on the financial papers. His eyes glanced over at the clock on his wall that showed the exact amount of time said on the note had passed.
"Come in, it's not locked..." Todd called out as an odd-looking young man came in, laden down with all sorts of electronic equipment strapped to his person. The most notable feature though were his eyes. The left was a regular natural brown, while the right was wildly different. It had the look of a focusing lens for a camera, even to where it was colored a digital green with the veins formed in a cybernetic pattern.
"Please, have a seat... Mr. Nic Tompson, was it? You certainly have the most unique resume of all, but I can't quite figure it out..." Todd said in a confused manner.
"Whaddya mean unique? I just thought I should list my qualifications, but I probably should've only wrote a few of'em, that musta been a heckuva read for you... Sorry about that by the way." Nic apologized.
"Oh, no need... My question though is this; Are you certain this is all accurate? Forgive me if I sound rude but none of the other applicants had very good resumes, let alone decent attitudes about the idea behind the job itself, so I'm just a tad gun shy as it were." Todd explained.
"Yeh, I know how that's gotta sound, about the ability to interface with computers, but... Say, you gotta camera? Like a closed circuit security or somethin'? I'll show you what I mean." Nic said with a grin.
"Well, we don't have the best security around here but there are a few cameras, there's one up there in the corner of my office, in fact..." Todd said, pointing to it.
"Alright, I'll close my eyes and tell you what you're doin'... Heck, I'll even turn away from you so you're sure I can't see you with these eyes." Nic said with that same smile, doing exactly as he said he would. At first Todd noticed one thing about the camera, in that its sweeping side-to-side motion halted and began looking straight at him. He then got up to take a closer look at it, throwing a glance over his shoulder to make sure his possible applicant wasn't peeking. He then got back behind him and said,
"How many fingers?" He questioned holding up nothing but his gaze to the camera.
"I could tell ya if you'd put some up, and don't use your middle one cause you don't wanna be rude, do ya?" Nic said with his head slightly down and eyes still closed, facing completely away from anything that might have given him a hint.
"Alright, one more thing before I decide... How many stacks of paper on my desk after I rearrange them in just a moment?" Todd said, making two neat stacks along with a smaller third.
"2 Big ones and a small third pile... Is there a point to this?" Nic asked honestly. Todd seemed to think for a moment before saying anything.
"Alright... I guess I've nothing to lose... If I hire you, do you know anything about security systems? That was the main point of the job description, we have a real issue with that here, you know..." Todd said hopefully.
"Well I wouldn't be here otherwise and besides, these girls need all the help they can get... Personally I think you're doin' the world and society itself a favor and a service." Nic said in a serious tone.
"Well I appreciate that but flattery wasn't in the job description... So you're saying you used to work in high-security areas? Of what type?" Todd inquired.
"Mainly for freelance stuff, like actual designs and cost-effective stuff... In fact some of my best work was once trashed material, But I can personally guarantee what I make works." Nic said quickly, seeing the look on his possible Boss' face.
"Alright... I'll hire you, but bear in mind the job though little in terms of monetary gain has it's own benefits, one that lasts longer than any kind of currency... Are you still sure you want the job knowing all this?" Todd said, going out on a limb and praying he wouldn't say 'no.'
"If I wanted to get rich I'd go to the slot league... I'm in this for the same reason you are, and to help out wherever life calls for it... You just happened to be in the phone book o' life it seems." Nic stated in that same serious tone.
"Alright, your first job is to do with these other resumes as you see fit, by which I mean disposal of... You know, File #13 and all that." Todd said as His new hiree took out a small joint and lit it, placing his feet on the desk and sweeping all the now useless application papers into the large waste bin next to Todd's desk, tossing the still lit match into it along with the papers sending up a plume of flames shortly after.
"Unorthodox, but... rather effective... At least the can is metal... After this is done I'll show you around the complex and have you make a list of what's to be done about all the security holes, sound good?" Todd said, opening a window to let the smoke from the trash out.
"Sure, just gotta finish this, don't know if you've got any cases that would react bad to this stuff." Said Nic, puffing calmly on his smoke. One thing was for sure, this was the beginning of an odd staff/patient relationship.