Theodore stood in front of the huge blackened metal door that led into the Chairman's office. It was located at what was known to be the bottom-most part of the bunker that the secretive and paranoid leaders of the Reno continent inhabited. Their shady dealings and less than reputable reign over Ioz led to many insurgencies.
Hiding away like a dog during a lightning storm. These cowards relied on their technology and brainwashing to keep them safe; They always have a barrier between the outside world and them.
The door was tended to by two disgustingly large men clad in silver tuxedos that they must have bought before they could bench 400 pounds. They showed the typical signs of someone who has been indoctrinated by the corporation. Their muscles had been artificially gained through performance-enhancing drugs cut with God Dust.
And they were stuck in this hole. Theodore had seen a lot of these men in the bunker, but he had never seen them on the surface.
Theodore tried to avoid all conversation with the yes-men. They were typically hell-bent on intimidating anyone they thought to be weaker than them. It’s about the only thinking they did.
“The door, please.” Theodore said sternly, “I’m aware you worms enjoy your hole, but I would like to make this quick return to the surface.”
The goon on the right made a weak grunt and ran his hand along the wall behind him, seemingly unfamiliar with where the door knob was. He never broke eye contact with Theodore, attempting to keep composure after being talked down to.
The door hissed and slid open, revealing another hallway that opened into a room. Theodore walked down the hallway, looking ahead and not looking back, though he could feel the goons eyes on him as soon as he passed by them.
The room was brightly lit, standing out from the rest of the bunker. It was a large round room, easily able to fit 100 people comfortably. In the middle was a big clear oval, which encapsulated the Chairman and protected him from both real and unreal threats. He had a desk inside that he sat at with several devices around him, no doubt monitoring all the happenings around Ioz.
There were many rooms such as these at the bottom level of the bunker. The heads of the corporation conducted their public business down here. As public as it got, anyways. Agents like Theodore were usually the only people allowed access. Most people didn’t even know who they were. Tricked into thinking a lone figurehead was calling the shots up top.
Theodore wondered how the Chairman got in and out of the enclosure. There were no visible doors or windows.
Outside of the enclosure was the Chairman’s right-hand man. A large brute by the name of Antonio.
Very rarely, when the Corp. does its initial conditioning for goons, they end up with an anomaly like Antonio. Being bigger than the rest of the goons around the facility wasn’t what made him dangerous. The conditioning usually melts a brain, makes them blindly follow orders, forget who they were.
Not Antonio. His cunning was almost equal to the Chairmans. You wouldn’t think it if you saw him. He looks more or less like the typical musclehead around here.
“You have been a naughty boy, Theodore.” The Chairman’s voice boomed across speakers in the room, the round shape amplifying it on itself.
“An excuse to see you, Chairman,” Theodore quipped, “You know how much I enjoy your presence. It would would be unfair of me to feel otherwise, considering your constant eye on me. You must love me.”
“A constant concern to me, a liability,” the Chairman snapped, voice still booming. “You must think your status here excuses you from making mistakes. You are making me second guess your worth, Theodore.”
Theodore tried to feign intimidation, but ended up with a half smirk causing a scowl on the Chairman’s face. Empty threats from the chairman. If the chairman knew what Theo really thought of him, he would be dead a thousand times. Theodore held contempt for anyone above himself. The way they treated other subordinates made him sick; Theodore didn’t give a shit about the people that groveled to their overlords, however. He just thought handling power should be a bit more elegant.
“Listen Chairman, if I thought you had the guts to kill me, or have one of your hench fucks try to lay a hand on me,” Theo leaned back as he said this, keeping a calm demeanor, “I simply wouldn’t have stepped into this bunker.”
Theodore paused and locked eyes with the small cat-like man sitting inside his protective shell. His sharp eyes narrowed behind lenses. He could see Antonio tense up in the corner of his eye, unsure of what to do, or if he should interject.
“I suggest you forget whatever bullshit you were going to waste my time with.” Theodore finished.
Theodore knew the Chairman would never sick his thugs on him. There was a reason Theo commanded respect, not that being respected was ever his goal. A rough upbringing in a bad place made Theodore sharp, and cold. Honed skills through training at the previous Chairman’s request. Theodore wasn’t very large, under height for his sex and age. Being a nimble little fuck had its advantages. Brutes like Antonio were easy game.
Theo got up from his seat and motioned at Antonio for the door.
“SIT DOWN,” the Chairman screamed.
“Antonio open this fucking door.” Theo said, nonchalantly.
Antonio scooted past and opened to door.
Another brush with the Chairman. Theodore hadn’t had many meetings with the other board members, he assumed they all dealt with different departments. Theodores specialty was espionage, so it only makes sense that the Chairman would be the only authority he makes contact with. He also didn’t exactly have free roam of any of the facilities inside or around the bunker. Can’t trust a guy who steals secrets for a living.
They were probably right in that decision. Theo would sell out the corporation in seconds if someone presented him with a better deal. His job often put him in contact with other people that had the ability. If they knew he was a spy of course. But they wouldn’t trust a traitor. No one should trust a traitor.
Theodore wondered what it was that upset the Chairman as he bounded up and into the elevator to the surface. He didn’t care to hear what it was. Never did. If his usefulness was running out he would know. They corporation employed dozens of assassins.
With no access to information, he had no idea who those people were. He knew more about his enemies associates than he did about his own. Very troublesome, when intelligence is your specialty.
He exited elevator to the lobby of the building the bunker was beneath. It was pearlescent white and modern. Sharp corners and squares dominated style in this room. The high ceiling allowed for a great chandelier with more uniform white squares that light danced off of giving a faint glow that was made trivial due to the bright lights in the ceiling and colossal windows to the alfresco patio and clear sky.
He walked towards the desk in front of the elevator and unclipped his sleek metal guest badge. You would never guess this clean and bright building housed a dingy underground hideout. Though the lobby did reflect the same style as the Chairman’s meeting office.
“Um, Mr. Baxter?,” The lady at the desk timidly asked. She probably knew the kind of people that came in and out of the office and didn’t want to step out of line.
“Hm?”
“You’ve got an immediate summons to Mr. Slovci’s office.” She said a little more confidently, since Theo was generally much more relaxed than some of the other people he had met through work.
Theo nodded and continued out the main doors. The building sat on a busy downtown street, with courthouses and other government buildings that dealt with the public. The style of the downtown area was sleek, but oddly spaced. There were great distances between buildings. Even though there was easily 10’000 people here, the space made it seem empty. There were plenty of wheelers on the road, but they had such distance between them. The upside to this ugly city planning was a lack of traffic.
Slovci’s office was located in a building within walking distance, so Theo decided skip retrieving his wheeler for a 5 minute ride. Exercise is good.
Outside of the office building he saw an associate of his. Basil Greene. He hated the corporation as much as Theo, though for a less nihilistic reason. Being picked up as a kid after the government comes and kills your parents will do that to anyone. Then forced to work for them, Basil hated every second of it.
“I was told to wait for you.” Basil said cooly.
“Righto - What am I here for?” Theodore said, slightly winded from the walk.
“Boss’ll tell ya.”
Basil turned around and Theo followed him inside to another lobby that was obviously a bit more lenient in its upkeep. Furnished in brown wooden furniture, the lobby had chair lined up against a wall with a table in the middle and a receptionists desk at the very back. There was a hallway that led to an elevator and a maintenance room and bathroom. Theodore knew this building rather well, it was where he received most of his assignments.
“Mr. Baxter, Mr. Greene, 8th floor. Slovcis waiting.” The receptionist said. Too busy to give more than a glance. We were past pleasantries. Strictly work here.
They walked down the hall and waited at the elevator. Theodore gave Basil a glance, quickly sizing him up. He was tall and lanky. A native of this continent, iozio, unlike Theodore. The people here were naturally tall and reptilian. Evolution played a different game over here.
Theo knew that people of his race, the thloc were commonly racist towards the lizard-like people, often regarding them as stupid and deceptive. Theo figured it all came down to being different. He had met stupid deceptive assholes of every race. Even the slimy mayic fish people that harvested and thrived on the godstone underwater.
Theo himself was smaller than most of his other racial counterparts, but generally the same features. A big head, a hairy body, and a short thick torso.
“See the Chairman lately?” Basil said, breaking the silence.
“Just now actually.” Theo replied. “He says I’m on my best behavior.”
The smirk on Theo's face made Basil chuckle.
“Ha, no. Not you, Theo. I don’t think so.”
Theodore made a mental note to speak with Basil more. Someone he got along with at work was unheard of. He had made Basil's acquaintance before, exchanged a few small words. They only ever saw each other while working they were often busy.
The elevator dinged at the 8th floor while lurching to a halt. The doors lifted upwards and a long big room with several cubicles haphazardly set up lay in front of them. There were doors with windows in the back that upper management used as their offices. No doubt the privacy allowed for shady behavior. Everyone's fucked up behind closed doors.
“This place is always a shitshow,” Theo commented on the layout of the room.
“I find myself wondering how any thloc can work in such clutter; such chaos in here.” Basil replied, scanning the room with his slitted eyes, noting the business and lack of iozio in employ here.
They knew where the office was so they made their way to the very back right corner with noticeably less clutter than most of the room.
Basil rapped on the door and was greeted with a loud “Yep!”
Basil grabbed the handle and pulled, revealing a large corner office with big windows with a view of the entire plaza below, and a view of the building above the bunker.
“Short and sweet, fellas,” Slovcis said without looking up, “I hope you boys been acquainted because you’re gonna be spending quite a bit of time together.”
