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Chapter 11
I had barely lit the cigarette and lifted it to my mouth, when Rei walked in, plucked it away from me and drilled it into the ashtray.
"What the hell was that for?"
"They're bad for you, Ryan. Besides it's barely morning." The sun streamed down on her from my wide window walls, highlighting her raven black hair.
I leaned back in my chair, "You're not fun, you know that?"
Rei looked at me with an amused smile, then plopped down a bunch of papers, "Reports for you to read."
"Right," I flipped open the cover of one and scanned it quickly, "I see Mr. Softie isn't flexing its muscles that much anymore."
"Does Bill Gates really need to? He is the richest man in t he world."
"True, but I never thought him the type to pass up on some profit."
"Perhaps not, but I think that he's also not the type to get outside his area of particular expertise."
"Also true," I scanned he sumary of another report, "What are you doing for lunch?"
"Nothing, why?"
"You wanna get something? My treat."
Rei smiled, "Food is always good. Where though?"
"You choose this time. I'm still not great with the restaurants around here."
She tapped a pencil against her chin, "Well, there's a nice hangout that my friends and I used to like, especially during my school days. It's got great food and it's a nice atmosphere, although a tad noisy."
"Where is it?"
"Juuban. I actually don't know if its still there."
"Well, let's take a look. What's its name?"
"The Crown Arcade Cafe."
To Rei's eyes, the place had hardly changed. Of course, the counter help wasn't Motoki anymore, but some young kid who looked at her appraisingly then with dismay at her companion. Ryan grinned rakishly and gestured to a corner booth.
"Sounds good."
They took their seats and pulled out the menus conveniently placed on a little rack next to the table.
"How does a hamburger sound?"
Ryan smirked, "It's an integral part of my diet. I've been deprived here."
"Well, as I remember, they're pretty good."
Her boss leaned back easily, "That's all I ask for. So, now that you've been with the company for a couple of weeks, what do you think so far?"
Rei blushed slightly, "What do you mean, Ryan?"
He grinned and leaned forward, "I interviewed you, so I know what I think of you. I want to know what you truly think of me and my company."
She stared at him for a moment. Perhaps it was an interogation tactic, to draw out dissention? But that would not fit with the generally tolerant atmosphere that pervaded his management style. Perhaps honesty would be the best tactic.
"As this is my first secretarial job, I don;t have a frame of comparison. I do enjoy working with you a lot. The pay is above average for Japan and the work is much more interesting than what I've heard my friends are doing."
"Your friend Minako is an analyst, I believe?"
"She will be after graduation, with the 90 hour weeks and face time no less. Usagi will be pursuing grad school, Mako is a chef, and Ami is in biotechnology."
"Really? I've had some thoughts about biotechnology. It's a very difficult business to go into." I hesitated for a moment, "They sound like wonderful people. Someday, I would like to meet them."
Rei smiled at him, "I think that can be arranged someday. I think I would like for you to meet them."
Ryan looked down, as if slightly embarrassed, then signalled to the waiter.
"Cheeseburger, sauted onions and mushrooms. Order of curly fries. And a cherry coke. How about you Rei?"
Rei scanned the menu, "A small salad and a chicken sandwich."
I grinned at her, "Keeping your girlish figure?"
Rei wiggled a bit and then settled into her seat, "Should I get fat, I think it will be difficult for me to get a husband."
Gallantly, "I don;t think you're going to have too much trouble with that. If you do, give me a call."
She winked, "Ah, is the good sir suggesting I commit an indiscretion?"
I flushed slightly, but covered it with a careful smile, "I am joking of course."
Rei smirked, "Perhaps."
I raised my drink in a salute, "In any case, we have some time. What would you like to talk about?"
She lifted her eyebrows in a silent question, "Well, I have always been curious about America. I'd like to know what combination of environment and genetic stock made you all the way that you are?"
I smiled innocently, "What ever could you mean by that?"
"Certainly you know what I speak of, Kaitou-san. The headstrong insistence-"
"That, with enough determination, I could drive my head through a concrete wall?"
She blushed, "Something like that."
I relaxed for a moment. Though having only lived there for a relatively short time, I had come to love California and the country that surrounded it. On a whim, a former college girlfriend and I had taken a roadtrip to New York, seeing the historical sites of America. There was a sort of lusty elegance to it all. Silver Millenium it was not, but perhaps something even better. It was with great pride that I forged my American citizenship papers. "It's a nice place."
This time, sarcasm dripped papably from her words, "Really."
I mock glared at her, "Hey, you had plenty of chances to go over there. But no, you make me come over here! Sheesh woman, what's up with that?"
"What happened to chivalry?"
"It died before you or I were ever born."
Rei folded her arms, "But seriously, what's with you Americans? You're the first one I've ever gotten to know really well."
I smirked, "Lucky me. To deal with your second point, Americans are a mongrel country. You know, America for many years took the dregs of other societies. So genetically, we're probably pretty average."
"You're not average." A statement of fact.
"But I am what every American wants to be. Prosperous, independent," I turned my head in profile, "Regally handsome."
"Egocentric, megalomaniacal."
"Exactly. We're a bunch of arrogant, independent mules."
Rei smiled, "It worked."
"It worked indeed." My phone rang and I waved Rei to silence. "Hello?"
"Mr. Kaitou, this is Dan from The Blackstone Group."
I beamed, "Dan, what a pleasant surprise! How's your father doing?"
"Great, sir. He's still playing the stock market, and he says he's eagerly awaiting the day you decide to go public. He figures he can make a killing."
I laughed, "Tell him he's rich enough already. He should take up squash like in the old days."
Dan chuckled, "He has been playing squash. He's still smarting from that faculty-student match you set up and wants a rematch. Anyway, I called to tell you that I've been assigned to your case. I'll be working with you to facilitate the public offering."
"Great! I'm glad you're on it. Someone I can trust!"
"When can you fly out? I'd like to meet with you personally."
"Actually, I'm due for a break soon anyway. I can fly out in a day or two and we can talk. And I want to take your dad out to lunch. We can reminisce about the old days."
"I am looking forward to it, sir."
I closed the phone and beamed at Rei, "We may get our funding."
"That's great. What will we be doing with it?"
"Wet bars and martinis for all. We've gone long enough having to pay for our own drunken revelery. It'll be nice to have someone else foot the bill."
The meal ended casually, with small talk intermingled with business chatter. Rei commented about some minor issues in the sales department and I decided to look up Jerry when I got back. He would have to deal with these things. Also, I would have to suggest Steve Chalmers to the board. Damn, I had better book those tickets. It's going to be a busy few weeks.
Five women sat around a table. Ami began the conversation, "So, I've heard...and please correct me if I'm wrong...that Rei is involved with someone. I've been out of the country, but could someone please verify the truthfulness of that claim?"
Rei turned crimson, but before she could speak, Minako chimed in, "And he's HOT. And rich. And popular. And foreign. And he's got a tan."
"He's my boss, not boyfriend!"
Usagi waved that comment away, "It's a single degree of separation."
Makoto grinned at Ami, "She even has dates with him on a regular basis."
Rei lifted her hand, signalling surrender to their jibes. "Fine, fine. Laugh all you want. I have my job, and I'm happy about that."
Ami inquired softly, "I haven;t seen since I've gotten back, so I'm a bit in the dark. What are you doing?"
Minako, ever helpful, chimed in, "She's an executive assistant for the hot guy!"
"I'm his secretary, while I look for a better job."
The blue haired girl smiled and replied simply, "I know how it is. Job hunting is a terrible, terrible thing. I was lucky to get the job that I have."
Makoto looked shocked, "My dearest Ami-chan, worried about the job market? God forbid her incredible grades and unbelievable test scores bar her from employment! Perhaps it is her winning personality that prevents her from work!"
To change the subject, Usagi interjected, "Where are you working, anyway?"
"I'm current part of Amgen's internship program." Wryly, "Since I know Japanese, they wanted me here to learn the ins and outs of the Health Ministry. Not quite what I had in mind, but research jobs don;t go to undergraduates immediately."
"Hey, a job is a job. Who knows, you may grow to love it." Minako took a sip of wine and assumed her usual leadership role, "Anyway, I hate to break up a wonderful conversation, but we've got some things to deal with. Why are youma popping up again?"
Ami looked up in alarm, "What?"
Rei nodded grimly, "I faced one at work a couple of weeks ago. It came into the building and starting smashing up the lobby. My boss went down to start evacuating people from the first floor, and barely escaped with his life. Anyway, it didn't seem on capturing energy or heart crystals or anything quite like that."
Rei paused for a moment and shivered, "When I touched its mind, I could only feel a tightly wound ball of hate and destruction."
Usagi sighed, "Mamoru faced another one a few nights back. It caused a couple of casualties before retreating. There's something bad going on."
Makoto rubbed her eyes, "I knew I should have stayed in France."
Minako glared at her.
Mako laughed nervously, "Just kidding. So what do we do?"
Ami coughed, "I want locations for all the youma attacks. I want to run some quick tests around the areas, perhaps identifying some weaknesses in the dimensions."
Rei leaned back, "I've already started divinations, but I haven't gotten anything."
Minako turned to Usagi, "Princess, I believe we should call in the Outer Senshi in on this. We need all the manpower we can get, and from the looks of it, this is going to be a dirty war. They have more experience fighting them than we do."
Usagi, upon hearing her proper title, straightened and looked deep in thought, "No, not yet. I believe we ought to wait until we can figure out what we are facing before calling more people away from their lives. I will, however, keep that under advisement."
Minako bowed her head slightly, "Yes, Princess."
Chapter 11
I had barely lit the cigarette and lifted it to my mouth, when Rei walked in, plucked it away from me and drilled it into the ashtray.
"What the hell was that for?"
"They're bad for you, Ryan. Besides it's barely morning." The sun streamed down on her from my wide window walls, highlighting her raven black hair.
I leaned back in my chair, "You're not fun, you know that?"
Rei looked at me with an amused smile, then plopped down a bunch of papers, "Reports for you to read."
"Right," I flipped open the cover of one and scanned it quickly, "I see Mr. Softie isn't flexing its muscles that much anymore."
"Does Bill Gates really need to? He is the richest man in t he world."
"True, but I never thought him the type to pass up on some profit."
"Perhaps not, but I think that he's also not the type to get outside his area of particular expertise."
"Also true," I scanned he sumary of another report, "What are you doing for lunch?"
"Nothing, why?"
"You wanna get something? My treat."
Rei smiled, "Food is always good. Where though?"
"You choose this time. I'm still not great with the restaurants around here."
She tapped a pencil against her chin, "Well, there's a nice hangout that my friends and I used to like, especially during my school days. It's got great food and it's a nice atmosphere, although a tad noisy."
"Where is it?"
"Juuban. I actually don't know if its still there."
"Well, let's take a look. What's its name?"
"The Crown Arcade Cafe."
To Rei's eyes, the place had hardly changed. Of course, the counter help wasn't Motoki anymore, but some young kid who looked at her appraisingly then with dismay at her companion. Ryan grinned rakishly and gestured to a corner booth.
"Sounds good."
They took their seats and pulled out the menus conveniently placed on a little rack next to the table.
"How does a hamburger sound?"
Ryan smirked, "It's an integral part of my diet. I've been deprived here."
"Well, as I remember, they're pretty good."
Her boss leaned back easily, "That's all I ask for. So, now that you've been with the company for a couple of weeks, what do you think so far?"
Rei blushed slightly, "What do you mean, Ryan?"
He grinned and leaned forward, "I interviewed you, so I know what I think of you. I want to know what you truly think of me and my company."
She stared at him for a moment. Perhaps it was an interogation tactic, to draw out dissention? But that would not fit with the generally tolerant atmosphere that pervaded his management style. Perhaps honesty would be the best tactic.
"As this is my first secretarial job, I don;t have a frame of comparison. I do enjoy working with you a lot. The pay is above average for Japan and the work is much more interesting than what I've heard my friends are doing."
"Your friend Minako is an analyst, I believe?"
"She will be after graduation, with the 90 hour weeks and face time no less. Usagi will be pursuing grad school, Mako is a chef, and Ami is in biotechnology."
"Really? I've had some thoughts about biotechnology. It's a very difficult business to go into." I hesitated for a moment, "They sound like wonderful people. Someday, I would like to meet them."
Rei smiled at him, "I think that can be arranged someday. I think I would like for you to meet them."
Ryan looked down, as if slightly embarrassed, then signalled to the waiter.
"Cheeseburger, sauted onions and mushrooms. Order of curly fries. And a cherry coke. How about you Rei?"
Rei scanned the menu, "A small salad and a chicken sandwich."
I grinned at her, "Keeping your girlish figure?"
Rei wiggled a bit and then settled into her seat, "Should I get fat, I think it will be difficult for me to get a husband."
Gallantly, "I don;t think you're going to have too much trouble with that. If you do, give me a call."
She winked, "Ah, is the good sir suggesting I commit an indiscretion?"
I flushed slightly, but covered it with a careful smile, "I am joking of course."
Rei smirked, "Perhaps."
I raised my drink in a salute, "In any case, we have some time. What would you like to talk about?"
She lifted her eyebrows in a silent question, "Well, I have always been curious about America. I'd like to know what combination of environment and genetic stock made you all the way that you are?"
I smiled innocently, "What ever could you mean by that?"
"Certainly you know what I speak of, Kaitou-san. The headstrong insistence-"
"That, with enough determination, I could drive my head through a concrete wall?"
She blushed, "Something like that."
I relaxed for a moment. Though having only lived there for a relatively short time, I had come to love California and the country that surrounded it. On a whim, a former college girlfriend and I had taken a roadtrip to New York, seeing the historical sites of America. There was a sort of lusty elegance to it all. Silver Millenium it was not, but perhaps something even better. It was with great pride that I forged my American citizenship papers. "It's a nice place."
This time, sarcasm dripped papably from her words, "Really."
I mock glared at her, "Hey, you had plenty of chances to go over there. But no, you make me come over here! Sheesh woman, what's up with that?"
"What happened to chivalry?"
"It died before you or I were ever born."
Rei folded her arms, "But seriously, what's with you Americans? You're the first one I've ever gotten to know really well."
I smirked, "Lucky me. To deal with your second point, Americans are a mongrel country. You know, America for many years took the dregs of other societies. So genetically, we're probably pretty average."
"You're not average." A statement of fact.
"But I am what every American wants to be. Prosperous, independent," I turned my head in profile, "Regally handsome."
"Egocentric, megalomaniacal."
"Exactly. We're a bunch of arrogant, independent mules."
Rei smiled, "It worked."
"It worked indeed." My phone rang and I waved Rei to silence. "Hello?"
"Mr. Kaitou, this is Dan from The Blackstone Group."
I beamed, "Dan, what a pleasant surprise! How's your father doing?"
"Great, sir. He's still playing the stock market, and he says he's eagerly awaiting the day you decide to go public. He figures he can make a killing."
I laughed, "Tell him he's rich enough already. He should take up squash like in the old days."
Dan chuckled, "He has been playing squash. He's still smarting from that faculty-student match you set up and wants a rematch. Anyway, I called to tell you that I've been assigned to your case. I'll be working with you to facilitate the public offering."
"Great! I'm glad you're on it. Someone I can trust!"
"When can you fly out? I'd like to meet with you personally."
"Actually, I'm due for a break soon anyway. I can fly out in a day or two and we can talk. And I want to take your dad out to lunch. We can reminisce about the old days."
"I am looking forward to it, sir."
I closed the phone and beamed at Rei, "We may get our funding."
"That's great. What will we be doing with it?"
"Wet bars and martinis for all. We've gone long enough having to pay for our own drunken revelery. It'll be nice to have someone else foot the bill."
The meal ended casually, with small talk intermingled with business chatter. Rei commented about some minor issues in the sales department and I decided to look up Jerry when I got back. He would have to deal with these things. Also, I would have to suggest Steve Chalmers to the board. Damn, I had better book those tickets. It's going to be a busy few weeks.
Five women sat around a table. Ami began the conversation, "So, I've heard...and please correct me if I'm wrong...that Rei is involved with someone. I've been out of the country, but could someone please verify the truthfulness of that claim?"
Rei turned crimson, but before she could speak, Minako chimed in, "And he's HOT. And rich. And popular. And foreign. And he's got a tan."
"He's my boss, not boyfriend!"
Usagi waved that comment away, "It's a single degree of separation."
Makoto grinned at Ami, "She even has dates with him on a regular basis."
Rei lifted her hand, signalling surrender to their jibes. "Fine, fine. Laugh all you want. I have my job, and I'm happy about that."
Ami inquired softly, "I haven;t seen since I've gotten back, so I'm a bit in the dark. What are you doing?"
Minako, ever helpful, chimed in, "She's an executive assistant for the hot guy!"
"I'm his secretary, while I look for a better job."
The blue haired girl smiled and replied simply, "I know how it is. Job hunting is a terrible, terrible thing. I was lucky to get the job that I have."
Makoto looked shocked, "My dearest Ami-chan, worried about the job market? God forbid her incredible grades and unbelievable test scores bar her from employment! Perhaps it is her winning personality that prevents her from work!"
To change the subject, Usagi interjected, "Where are you working, anyway?"
"I'm current part of Amgen's internship program." Wryly, "Since I know Japanese, they wanted me here to learn the ins and outs of the Health Ministry. Not quite what I had in mind, but research jobs don;t go to undergraduates immediately."
"Hey, a job is a job. Who knows, you may grow to love it." Minako took a sip of wine and assumed her usual leadership role, "Anyway, I hate to break up a wonderful conversation, but we've got some things to deal with. Why are youma popping up again?"
Ami looked up in alarm, "What?"
Rei nodded grimly, "I faced one at work a couple of weeks ago. It came into the building and starting smashing up the lobby. My boss went down to start evacuating people from the first floor, and barely escaped with his life. Anyway, it didn't seem on capturing energy or heart crystals or anything quite like that."
Rei paused for a moment and shivered, "When I touched its mind, I could only feel a tightly wound ball of hate and destruction."
Usagi sighed, "Mamoru faced another one a few nights back. It caused a couple of casualties before retreating. There's something bad going on."
Makoto rubbed her eyes, "I knew I should have stayed in France."
Minako glared at her.
Mako laughed nervously, "Just kidding. So what do we do?"
Ami coughed, "I want locations for all the youma attacks. I want to run some quick tests around the areas, perhaps identifying some weaknesses in the dimensions."
Rei leaned back, "I've already started divinations, but I haven't gotten anything."
Minako turned to Usagi, "Princess, I believe we should call in the Outer Senshi in on this. We need all the manpower we can get, and from the looks of it, this is going to be a dirty war. They have more experience fighting them than we do."
Usagi, upon hearing her proper title, straightened and looked deep in thought, "No, not yet. I believe we ought to wait until we can figure out what we are facing before calling more people away from their lives. I will, however, keep that under advisement."
Minako bowed her head slightly, "Yes, Princess."