My sleep is disturbed by the sound of the Lisa. "Sure thing boss. Hey, think I can get a bonu- Fucker hung up on me." The Lisa growls. She was on the phone then. Coil? Don't know anyone else she would have as a boss other than me, wink wink nudge nudge. I want coffee before doing anything else. But to get coffee I need to roll out of bed and that's not very cool. Wait, I have another option.
"Lisaa, make coffee." I whine heroically, rolling over to face the very naked blonde. Her hair a tangled mess and obvious bags under her eyes. She did not sleep much last night. Or the night before. Or the night before that. Rest in peace Lisa's sleep schedule. Wait, why does she keep sleeping here? Is Lisa a closet maso?
"No, I still can't move my legs, you asshole." She scowls at me. "And I'm going back to sleep." Fook, mission failed.
"Aight, before you do, what did Tommy boy want?" She stills in her attempts to get comfortable back in the bed, just having put her head on the pillow again. Then she launches up and looks into my eyes with an intense glare.
"His name is Tom?" She asks. Wait, did I never tell her that? Oh, I hadn't.
"Thomas Calvert, Coil, PRT consultant that did time in federal prison after shooting his superior officer in the back, in goblin land." I stretch out my arms with a yawn, getting up into a sit on the side of the bed.
"You're fucking kidding me, you had this for how long?" The Lisa sighs and slumps back into bed. I sense I need to be careful on this one.
"You never asked to know?" Nailed it.
"I'm too tired to argue." Truly I'm blessed. "He wants me to figure out who just tried to kill him." She half mumbles into the pillow.
"Probably the Empire, I doxed him to Maxy boy." I stand up in all my naked and covered in Lisa juice glory. But not Glory, Glory, I've only had a few makeout and grope sessions with her. I happily used her abs as my pillow at any opportunity. I was worried about her for a day there, after our little thing in the cafeteria she was pretty subdued. Then she talked to Lisa and started acting like normal. Girls are fucking weird.
"Asshole. Don't just do this shit pleaseee." Lisa uses her action to whine. It's super effective. "Seriously Rory, big talk in the future. Gotta go over need to know shit." Not unreasonable really. And I've grown rather attached to Lisa. Considering the timelines been bent over like a particularly cheap whore that had been running a discount that day. That tangent went in a very unexpected direction but is still very much accurate.
"I can agree to that. Just uh, might want to ignore Coil and just run damage control for a bit, babe. Preferably don't go out as a cape for a while." I throw my fluffy green robe on, rightfully reclaimed after I bought Lisa a fluffy pink robe.
"Noted." She states, then rolls over to have her face on the pillow. Conversation is done, that's fair. I just smirk and go downstairs. I need coffee. And I'll just hang out with Big Boy. It's a weekend, I don't gotta do shit today.
And the dog deserves much attention and many pats.
...
"I hate you."
"No, you don't." Shane chuckles. He had ambushed me just after twelve. With a fucking suit of all things. I hate it, why is tie so tight? This some bullshit.
"I hate this." I growl as I fight with the tie in an attempt to loosen it.
"That I will believe. First impressions are important Rory, you can forgo the tie when you're in charge." He chuckles. "Here, let me help. Quit moving around so much." I just cross my arms and grumble as Shane loosens the tie. "There, spitting image of your father when he was your age." I do my best to hide the shudder at that comment. In my former life, it was the same situation, but my father very much did not age well after fifty. Good news is your hair genes come from your mother's father. Or so I've heard. "Are you okay Rory?"
Shane's words shake me out of my thoughts. My family… not something I want to think of. I didn't have much family left by the time I got sent here but I loved them all the same. "Yeah, just thinking about shit." Shane nods.
"Good, then let's head inside. Charles." At the mention of the man, said servant man but not fate servant opens the door of the car.
"This is Lord's Street. Why are we on Lord's Street?"
"I like having fun on occasion as well, kid." Shane smirks and gets out of the car. Ballsy fucker, opening The Elite branch on the same street as the fucking PRT building. Admittedly, the street is the biggest street in the city. So it isn't unreasonable for Shane to put the branch here.
The building itself is rather nondescript. For one of the tallest fucking skyscrapers in the city. "Shane why."
"We don't do anything in half measures, not in my business." He claps my back as I'm just staring at the building's far far peak. "Come on in, I'll show you around."
"Please, Shane, no full building tour." I beg. He laughs like a demon, with no verbal response as we enter the building.
"Shane please." There remains no response.
...
He tortured me in full. Less than he could have actually. We visited every department but not floor, thank god. Some departments had multiple., and the building does a lot more normal office shit than I expected it to. Each and every one I was introduced as Shane's understudy and future company lead. Fairly positive a few of the people I met were capes, but I never gave a shit for the rules in the first place so it's whatever really.
And of course, Shane's office is at the top of the building. He also told me he set up a lab in the basement so the office is mostly for show or something I guess.
"And this is your office." What.
"Pardon?" Shane why do you do this, don't give me so much power I beg of you. I can't trust myself with any amount of control. May chaos rule the world, god bless.
"What need do I have for it? I'd rather just stay in my lab, and I heard you like a good view." He laughs at his joke at my expense. "And your little hero girl can fly in whenever you-"
"I get it, Shane! That's enough." I'm not embarrassed at my relationship with Vicky, I'm just going with the motions here. It's my duty as a young man of an irresponsible age to stop old guys from talking about my sex life. Something that should be expected of any decent young man of questionable morals.
"Good. Office is yours, hire your own secretary." He chuckles. "And one more thing this afternoon. Got a new hire." He walks out of the office and I unconsciously follow him at this point.
"Wait, am I supposed to actually know the shit we're supposedly doing in this building?" I ask as we walk to the elevator.
"No, I don't expect you to. I expect you to learn about the project heads and oversee the area." We get into the elevator and he hits the lobby button. "Cape wise? Look big and scary. Keep the other factions in line."
"I'm five-eleven and a half. Five-twelve on a good day."
"You know what I mean." I do know what he means. So I just sigh and give him a nod. We ride the rest of the way down in comfortable silence, Shane closing his eyes as he travels into his thoughts. I do the same at that. So I'm basically The Elite's new big beat-stick.
Someone causes a problem? Tentacles. We have a schism in the ranks with our capes? Tentacles. I don't like the look someone gives me when I'm using the office blender to make strawberry yogurt? Tentacles.
Vicky or Lisa looking needy? No, we use the other tool for that. The door dings and we walk through the lobby.
"Hired you a bodyguard, I know you don't need one. Still, I would rather you act as a last resort." Shane explains as we walk, I see Charles at the front talking to a redheaded woman in a black suit with a ponytail and sunglasses on. "And I should tell you, she's also into blondes."
"I'm sorry what?" Shane bro what?
"Ah here she is, Sheridan, this is the man you'll be working for." Oh no, she's hot. Nope, nope, nope, stop it Rory brain. Rory brain bad. "Excuse the fact he's a horny little shit." Et tu Shane?
"Good thing I don't swing that way then. Pleasure to meet ya." The most Aussie apparent lesbian I've met offers me her hand with a grin. Much more cheerful than I expected. I give it a good shake.
"Sure thing, thought I was gonna get some stoic dude in a suit. You like hot blondes?" Good taste if she does. Good tastes can always be appreciated.
"I guess? Kinda like any woman. Don't really care about the specifics." She shrugs, I send a glance at Shane and he just has a neutral grin.
"Fair, I'll have to introduce you to my blonde minders I guess? What am I supposed to do here? I've never had a bodyguard before." Seriously, I have no idea what to do about this. This life or the last I was not trained in rich person etiquette.
"I've no clue either mate!" Sheridan says cheerfully, standing tall with her hands behind her back. Wait, why does my bodyguard not know how to bodyguard?
Shane claps his hands. "Let's talk about this in the car, yes?" Shane gives the both of us a look, then motions towards the rather public lobby. Yeah, yeah that's probably a good idea.
Maybe this day will finally start making sense.
...
"So I can make disks, all at a set width but I can mess with the length. Gotta decide when I make the disk whether it's sharp or dull." Sheridan explains her power cheerfully. This day did not start making sense, It, in fact, started making less sense.
"You said there was another requirement in its use on your resume." Shane points out in a manner of questioning. Sheridan blinks and then leans back in her seat across from me.
"Slipped my mind completely, Sir. I need to throw in an arc, or the disk will just fizzle out. Gone. Poof. No disk."
"I think I get it, Sheridan." So that's why her cape name is Frisbee. Honestly, a great name for the power she has.
"Sherry, don't ever go by my full name." She insists. "Or whatever you want, you're the boss." Alright then.
"Aight, Sherry, uh, when did you get to the bay?" I mean, that accent is super fucking thick.
"Three days ago!" She enthusiastically answers with a wide grin. I give a look at Shane, he's just sitting peacefully with that annoying smirk. "Applied for the job after asking if The Elite was hiring back at the Canberra camp they had set up. Got here on a work Visa with Mr. Parkes's help."
"And what do you think of Canberra…"
"Angel lady did some good work for once she did." Sherry nods at that. "Landed right on parliament, good riddance I say."
"Yeah, that tracks. Welcome aboard, Sherry. If I ask you to dismember me with your disks, I expect you to follow that order, to the letter."
"I'm sorry Boss, don't think I heard you right, what was that?" Sherry's smile goes from cheery to alarmed, but still trying her best to look happy.
"If I say cut my head, arm, or leg off. Do it." I deadpan to her, catching Shane covering his mouth for a moment in the corner of my eye.
"Sir?!" She turns to Shane. He nods gravely. "I-I don't think I can do that! Do I lose the job if I can't kill you?! Why do you want me to kill you?!" I laugh and she just looks more confused. I shall elaborate for this poor woman.
"Foolish mortal, do you really expect me to die when I am killed? Dying is cringe and for lesser beings. What a grand and intoxicating innocence." Dagoth Ur best boy for real. All my homies like Dagoth Ur. Fuck, I miss having Dagoth wave as my ringtone. Does Morrowind exist here? I'm gonna force Lisa to play if it does.
"What? I-Is this a test?"
"Yes, now tell me the answer to life, the universe, and everything."
"How the hell am I supposed to know that?"
"Wrong. It's forty-two. You ain't really starting off on the best foot here, Sherry." Shane then leans over and slaps the back of my head. Rude.
"Why forty-two…?" She mumbles to herself.
"That's enough messing around. But what he says still stands. He will not die. Follow his orders." He says turning to face her.
"Believe me, I've tried nearly everything." I unhelpfully add.
"That's enough, Rory."
No Shane, It has just begun.
...
I got home around seven. Not because I was busy with Shane the entire time. No, It's because I used all of my authority in The Elite to make them find me an original Xbox and a copy of Morrowind.
Both of which actually existed here to my relief, not without some difficulty, however. The copy of Morrowind was imported from Aleph. Which, thank whoever thought of that, immensely.
I had searched on the front lines for em both while the nerds back at the HQ looked online or something. Front lines being pawn shops and used tech stores. Which turned over nothing, save for a copy of Donkey Kong Country and an SNES to go with it.
And after spending the rest of my day looking through old tech and other shit with an increasingly panicked, inexperienced bodyguard, I let her off for the night as I wanted to go the fuck home. She had called Shane to confirm that order. Rood. And so Charles gave me a lift home while Shane stayed back at the building to tinker I think. He's doing something that's for sure.
Opening the door I'm greeted with the sight of two blondes and a big dog pausing their conversation to look at me in the now-open doorway. "I have returned. Lisa, no sex tonight I'm making you play video games."
"I'm sorry what?" Lisa, now fully dressed since when I left her here, asks with a raised brow. Vicky just tilts her head as she looks at the bags in my hands.
"Silence wahman, there will be no arguments. Now gaze upon the Heart of Lorkhan!"
"He's doing the thing again. I have too much of a headache for this. Vicky, tapping out." Lisa pats Vicky's shoulder then climbs up the stairs, and with a snap of her finger the dog follows. When the hell did she teach him that? Wait no, I have to teach someone the joys of good gaming. My gaze pans to the extremely confused Victoria.
"You are also a worthy sacrifice."
"How am I even supposed to respond to that?" Vicky gives up her feeble resistance immediately.
"Dont, just play the game." I wanted Lisa, but Vicky is still very good. And Lisa will be jealous she missed out on so much. "The Sixth House shall be honored, so help me Azura."
Vicky just looks oh so very confused. It's okay, the confusion will be over soon.
And she's playing as a Dunmer, I put my foot down on this one.