A shortie but a goodie... missy is continuing to be a stubborn girl. Not a gank really... because she is kinda sweet int his story... that head injury has changed her a lot. but Jade is still Jade and Jade will do what Jade will do. Enjoy! ~S.K.
Ten
"This is going to be a circus." Jade made her way up towards the office, with Tori pacing alongside. "I think I'll make a sign saying what happened, and hang it around my damn neck to save me some time."
"You should be at home." Tori groused.
"There is so much to do… it's only half a day." She said as they approached the building.
The cold wind accompanying a weather front that had come through that morning fluttered against her leather jacket, which she was wearing over a pleated, cotton shirt tucked into very comfortable cargo pants. It had been one of the few bright spots of the morning, aside from Tori's insistence on 'helping' her shower, and she was actually looking forward to appearing in the executive committee meeting as she watched her co-workers fidget In their less comfortable clothes.
They went past the security guard, who waved, then did a double take at Jade, who just rolled her eyes, and headed for the elevator. "I'm damn glad it's early." The executive commented dryly. The trip up was quiet, as Jade leaned against the wall, and Tori fussed a bit with her blouse, which bore a pretty, filigreed rose pin, with delicately traced leaves. "Did I mention how much I like this?" She murmured.
"About six times." Jade allowed a grin to cross her face. "You're welcome." They'd encountered one of the wandering artists down on the boardwalk after lunch the previous day, and gotten each other one or two of the pretty trinkets.. Jade's had been a rearing pony, which she'd saved to wear after she was off crutches. They exited the elevator and proceeded down the hall, with Tori getting a pace ahead to open the door as they reached Jade's office. "Well, here we go."
Mariela glanced up as they entered. "Bom Dia….Meu Deus, Jade!" The secretary stood up and stared at her boss as the taller woman maneuvered into the office. "What happened?"
Tori walked ahead and opened the inner office door, leaving it open. "Rough weekend." She joked faintly, holding her casted hand up. "Ended up shorter than expected, as a matter of fact."
Jade Exhaled. "Long story, Mariela… let's just say be ready for all kinds of crap to hit all kinds of rotary air movement devices today." She paused in the doorway and half turned. "In addition to the usual Monday disasters… I'm sure Cat will be in here as soon as she gets in… we made a mess of things." She turned back around and moved towards her desk, sitting down in her comfortable chair with a sense of relief and setting her crutches down on the floor next to her. She flipped on the computer and leaned back, hearing Tori's low voice in the outer room as she filled in Mariela on the weekend. Her mail program came up, and she winced, watching the new messages scroll rapidly down the screen.
It used to be fun, she recalled. She used to even look forward to Mondays, when most of the really interesting disasters lifted their ugly heads. Now… one ear focused on Tori and she sighed. Now, she had other priorities. Her phone rang, and she punched the button. "Yeah?"
"Jade."
"Cat. Good morning." Jade replied, lacing her fingers together and leaning back.
"Not very, it isn't. We've got real trouble." The personnel VP stated quietly. "The police are on their way here. Fabricini pressed charges."
Jadesat up and leaned on her elbows. "Pressed charges?? For what? I didn't touch him!"
"Not against you." Cat replied. "Against Tori. For assault. She broke his nose."
"Oh, you've got to be kidding." Jade snapped back disgustedly. "He can't be serious."
"Jade, I'm not kidding, and he is serious... I've already talked to him, and he's not backing down. He's going to press charges for assault, and file suit against her for pain and suffering." Cat's voice was very tense. "I don't know what he's after, but... "
Jade gazed across the office quietly. "I do." She answered. "I know what he's after." She exhaled, then nodded once. "All right, thanks Kitten. I'll tell Tori what's coming." She disconnected the call, holding the knowledge inside her as Tori poked her head into the office.
"I'm going to run downstairs for coffee… want some?" The brunette asked.
"Sure," Jade mustered a smile. "I'd love some." She watched Tori leave, then she studied the top of her desk for a few moments. Ten years. Her eyes strayed to the gilded clock resting on the shelf across the room, her ten year anniversary marker. Ten years. She took a breath, and dialed a number, waiting for an answer. "Get up here." She stated quietly when it was, then hung up, and simply waited.
It didn't take long. Fabricini walked into her office, his face half obscured by a white bandage, and his skin covered with blotches, and smears of lotion. He sat down without being asked, and tossed a folder on her desk, with a quietly triumphant air.
Jade opened it, regarding the contents with an expressionless face, then glanced at him. "What do you want?"
He didn't even pretend not to understand her. "You, out of that seat." He answered with vicious satisfaction.
Jade gazed quietly at him. "All right." She answered, very simply. "You call the cops, and withdraw your charges, and you've got it."
"Oh no, Jade… I want my pound of flesh out of that whore of yours." Steve replied, with a smile.
" If you want me out of this seat…You withdraw the charges, or no deal." Jade answered. "And you get counter suited for sexual harassment."
He kept her waiting for a long moment. "Do you know how sweet this is?" He purred. "It's perfect.. you're sitting there, completely helpless, and I'm loving every second of it." He paused. "All right, Jade… I'll leave your little piece alone…but I want you out of here today."
Jade glanced aside at her mail, which had just finished downloading four hundred new messages. "All right." She agreed, handing him the handset of her phone. "Call."
She listened to him speak charmingly to the police, then hang up. "Goodbye, Jade… it's been a pleasure working with you." He got up and began to swagger toward the door.
" I wonder if you know what the word West in WesTrek stands for…" Jade said as he reached the door. "I'll never truly be gone, I call the shots. But if this makes you feel better… Just know that your days here are numbered."
Fabricini's face dropped some of the smugness, as if he hadn't though beyond getting her out of her seat. But Jade was a very by the book person. She was not about to fire him because she had no just cause... At least he thought she didn't. So he left elated that he'd won this skirmish.
Jade closed her eyes briefly after he left her former office. Now came the hard part. She picked up the phone and dialed Cat's extension. The personnel VP answered immediately. "Kitten."
"Jade…oh, good.. glad it's you.. listen, I was brainstorming with Rob, maybe we can find a way to... "
"I fixed it." Jade interrupted her. "He dropped the charges."
Silence. "Oh.." Cat was obviously startled. "Well… I… I didn't think he'd back down, Jade... I.."
"He didn't." The dark haired woman stated quietly. "I just gave him what he wanted." She took a breath. "I'm resigning. Enact the Vote with the board, and set the plan for my exit in motion. Alastair will have to move back out here… He's the only one equipped to take over." A soft sound made her look up, to see Tori standing in the doorway, staring at her in shock. "I'm going to put through the paperwork.. just get it finalized, Kitten." Jade finished, then hung up. "Shut the door."
Tori did, then she came right around the desk and put the coffee down, kneeling at Jade's side and putting a hand on her arm. "What do you mean you're resigning?" She asked in utter confusion. "Jade, what's going on?"
Sad blue eyes regarded her. "The police were coming here, Tori.. he filed charges against you for assault and battery, and filed a lawsuit for pain and suffering against you."
"So?" Tori sputtered. "Let him! Jade, don't you tell me you resigned because of that… I'll… I'll…. How much trouble would I get into for punching him anyway? What are they going to do.. sentence me to prison time for that? In Marin County? I don't think so… you have to kill someone to even be booked in jail here."
"Tori.. I'm not going to have that on your record, have you go through all that crap with the police, and being charged, and taken down there… and go to court.. god knows he could probably get a jury to award him who-knows-what in damages." She cupped the brunette's cheek. "No… I can't stand by and watch that, knowing it was my fault… and I could have stopped it."
"Jade, you can't let him win like this." Tori argued fiercely. "I'm not going to let you do it."
Jade sighed, and pushed the folder over to her. "We don't have a choice." She nudged the folder. "One of us would have had to leave anyway."
Tori stared at her, then she opened the folder, her eyes falling on a stack of 8 by 10 pictures. Her and Jade. Walking, shopping… standing on the boardwalk with their arms around each other. Her feeding Jade crawfish. One striking photo that had caught her looking at her lover, with an expression even Tori couldn't explain away as anything other than adoration. "Oh." She closed the folder. "Well, then, I'll leave, Jade… come on now, you're a lot more important to the company than I am… that's ridiculous." She looked up at Jade. "Can't you call The board? Can't you do anything?"
Jade studied her interlaced fingertips. "I'm not sure I want to do anything." She admitted.
Tori stared at her. "So you're giving up?" She waved a hand. "After ten years, just like that?" She shook her head. "I don't believe it, this is your baby."
"C'mon, Tori… I don't regret my time here, but maybe it's time to move on ... it's getting harder and harder for me to keep the hard edge I need to do this." Jade pleaded with her for understanding. "Not without carrying that over into my personal life, and I really don't want to do that."
Tori remained silent for a moment. "What am I supposed to do?" She asked, finally. "You don't think I'm going to stay in this place without you, do you?" She stood and raked a hand through her hair. "I can't believe you're giving up and letting him win." She repeated softly. "I… "She shook her head and walked to the inner door, opening it, and passing through without another word.
Jade was quietly stunned."Well… shit," she muttered. Here she'd been, being rather noble, she'd thought, in putting herself between Tori and a bad situation. But Tori didn't see it that way at all, and rather than be grateful, she was disappointed.
Disappointed and Angry…
Jade felt very confused, but didn't have time to consider her options before her door slammed open and Cat came in, her face upset and angry. "Are you coming in here to yell too?" She snapped defensively.
Cat stopped, and looked at her. "I'm here to try and talk some sense into you, Jade, you can't just leave."
"Why not?" Jade propped her chin up on one hand. "Am I indentured? Founders leave companies all the time. Look at Besos"
"Not… no, Jade, you know what I mean. " Cat took a seat.
"No, I don't." The taller woman shook her head. "I own the company, the company doesn't own me, and there is no reason why I can't just walk out that damn door." Jade stood, grabbing her crutches and pacing around. "It's what he wants, it 's what Jose wants, it's what Elle wants… maybe I am standing in their way. Maybe I am being obstructionist and keeping the company from its full potential."
"What? Of course you are, you--" Cat spluttered. "Someone has to stand up to them, Jade, or else they'd wreck the company that you built, you and I both know that."
Jade whirled, and poked a thumb at her chest. "That's all I do is be a target, Kitten… no matter what I do, no matter how many fucking rabbits I pull out of my ass, no matter how many accounts I save, or how many points I made the stock rise, it's always still that damn bitch Jade West… don't you think I get sick and fucking tired of it sometimes? " Her voice rose to a yell. "Now I've got this buttfuck asshole you hired who does nothing but give me a damn hard time, and I don't hear you saying a god damned word to him, now do I? And I can't just fire him without looking like a vindictive bitch. The optics aren't good, Jade."
Cat stared at her.
"No no.. let's leave him to that bitch… she'll just give as good as he does, and shut him up, right?" Jade rounded on her. "Right? I have to stand by and put up with a blatant, personal attack by my employee, and you're telling me I can't walk away? Screw you, Cat!" Now Jade's temper snapped. "Why the hell didn't you bring him up on harassment charges? Or fucking insubordination?" She leaned over her desk. "Let me tell you something.. he's god damned lucky it was Tori that hit him, because if it'd been me, he'd have more than a broken fucking nose for it."
"Okay… okay.. Jade.. calm down." Cat held her hands out cautiously. "You have a good point there."
The dark haired woman turned and went to the window, leaning against it with one hand. "I know I do… I've been fighting all the battles here for so long, everyone else has forgotten how." She stated softly. "Well, you'll have to find someone else to fight for you." She let her head rest against the sun warmed glass. "I'm tired of it."
Silence. "So.. this is just an excuse, isn't it?" Cat asked, quietly.
Jade regarded thePacific Blue Bay in the distance. "Maybe."
A soft exhalation. "What happened to you, Jade?"
It was almost funny. "I found out there was more to life than the next email, Kitten." Jade snorted softly. "Unfortunately for the company." She turned. "I'm not going to stand by while that bastard attacks Tori, and since you won't do anything about it, I will." A pause. "I have." Even if Tori herself objected to her doing it. She just hoped the brunette woman would forgive her.
Cat leaned back in her chair and exhaled. "I know you think this is all my fault, Jade... and I'm sorry you think that." She looked up but the taller woman wouldn't meet her eyes. "Maybe you have a point… I should have jumped on him sooner... stopped some of that stuff when it first started. I just thought you had it under control, and if I interfered, it'd just get worse." She paused, to give Jade a chance to speak. When the other woman didn't, she sighed. "By that gauge, I should have also stepped in and separated you and Tori when I found out you were seeing each other."
Still no answer.
"But then, you should have done that yourself." Cat continued. "And if you had, we wouldn't be sitting here."
Jade's face didn't change expression. "Go on. Put the blame all on me." The dark haired woman muttered quietly. "I'm used to it." She turned her head toward Cat. "It's my fault, I fell in love with someone. So it's my choice to leave."
"Jade," Cat exhaled. "For Pete's sake no one holds that against you--"
"Everyone holds that against me," Jade cut her off, "Didn't you just say you should have stopped it when it happened?" She shoved the pictures across the desk. "That's what he wanted to put in the papers, that's what Michelle sent to alastair. Every goddamned person within a hundred miles of here wants a piece of my personal life, so screw it."
She turned back to the window. "It's my life. This company doesn't own me anymore," Jade exhaled. "So put the damn paperwork through and find someone else to take my place before I am forced to sell."
"You trying to convince me or yourself that you want out?" Cat asked, in a quiet voice.
She didn't get a chance to answer, because the door opened and Jose barged in. "What is this I hear? You are quitting?" Jose asked, his voice incredulous.
"Yeah," Jade answered, turning and going back to her desk. "You can cater the party, Jose... congratulations. You won." She typed a message into her mail program and sent it. "There… I just told Alastair, so he will tell the board… that should make it final." She stood, picked up her briefcase, sliding her laptop out and leaving it on the desk.. "I don't have much personal here. "She picked up her dolphins, and glanced at her fighting fish. "I'll see if Mariela wants those." She dropped her badge on the laptop,
"Wait... wait… " Jose held up his hand. "What do you mean, I won?"
Jade gazed at him. "Isn't this what you wanted? You hired a man you knew was an old enemy of mine, and gave him explicit instructions to find my weaknesses, and exploit them. He did. I'm gone, you won." Her tone was cold and mocking. "Congratulations, and good luck... I hope you don't screw up the company too badly, before I sell."
"I did not do... "
"You certainly did," Jade shot back "Want to see the email you sent him?"
The phone beeped. "Jade, Sinjin na linha número um." Mariela's voice floated in.
"Thanks, Mari...can you call a car for me, please." Jade asked, crisply.
"Si." The secretary sounded puzzled.
"Thanks. " Jade hit the button. "What is it, Sinjin?"
"Northeastern backbone's down." The MIS chief stated. "They can't locate the problem."
Jade drew in a breath. Fucking Technology… always breaking. "Find someone else to deal with it, Sinjin. It's not my problem anymore." She replied evenly. "Give 'em about an hour to choose someone to replace me."
Silence for almost thirty whole seconds. "Fuck," Sinjin finally replied, then hung up.
Jade shouldered her briefcase, and glanced around. "Well, I'm going home." She stated flatly. "Have fun with that." She limped over to the door and opened it, then went through. Mariela was standing near her desk, her face rumpled in concern. "Mari… "
The Brazilian woman came around the desk and approached her. "You are leaving? For good?" She asked, visibly upset.
"'Fraid so." Jade replied gently. "Thank you, for everything, Mari… you're a good person… and I appreciate all you did."
Mariela wrung her hands, then she stepped forward and gave Jade a hug. "God bless you, Jade… this place doesn't deserve you." She glared at Jose, who was just coming out of Jade's former office. "And you are a piece of cocô. I hope God strikes you outside with a bus." She went to her desk and picked up her purse, then walked out, slamming the door behind her.
Jade quietly followed, moving down the silent corridor towards the elevator, which slid open as she approached. She got in, and turned, leaning against the back wall as the doors closed and it started to move.