Alternate

Chapter 2

Rand popped the capsule in his mouth and washed it down with some cold water from a bottle. Free drinks had made him forget all about it being a work day the next day and he was now paying for it with a throbbing headache while being forced to sit in his little cubicle. The noises from the surrounding office grated his nerves and made the headache seem worse than it was. The text on his console seemed blurred at times and his shaky hands had so far caused more than one error, which was not a good thing when working on clients accounts.

He had staggered home late and gotten barely a few hours of sleep. The apartment had warned him of the high blood alcohol content and offered to prepare some remedies, but he had promptly ignored it. At the time of purchase it had seemed like a good idea; a complex system of monitors and sensors backed up by a computer system that knew how to respond to health issues, but over time it had grown into to something to be ignored. Who wanted to listen to your home lecturing about high cholesterol?

Then there had been the wife. She had been non too happy about the state he crawled into bed with. The nagging at the breakfast table had been almost enough to send him into a fit of rage. So he had left early for work. Having had some time to think about it during the commute he realized the wife had had a good reason to say words to him. He'd decided to make it up to her with some flowers and something good to eat.

"Look sharp, Rand. The boss is looking for you," warned Greg from the next cubicle as he popped his head up. He grinned at seeing the miserable state he was in.

"Shit," muttered Rand and fumbled to stash the container of pills in a drawer. He took a quick swig from the bottle of water before turning to his work and looking busy. Greg had never been a friend to him. He was a backstabbing bastard who'd smile at you face to face and then badmouth you as soon as you were gone. If he saw an opportunity to put you down he'd take it and if he could outright steal your work and take credit for it he would. Why he had bothered to warn about the boss coming only meant it didn't matter and he had wanted to see Rand sweat a bit beforehand. Though he was already sweating enough because of the hangover.

"Rand!" came the voice of the boss. Rand turned around to regard the man standing in the small opening leading to his cubicle.

"Yes, Mr. Jenchov?" asked Rand and gave the balding man an uncertain smile. The only hair on his head was fast slithering down from his head and towards his shoulders. He had a slightly pudgy build and a nose that was impossible to miss, but the worst part was his voice. It had the sort of all knowing whiny quality to it you'd expect from a nerd explaining his hobby to someone.

"Where's that report I asked you for? I was supposed to have it yesterday!"

Ah, the report, thought Rand. The one he had put off finishing because he had wanted to go Alternate. Good choice that had been.

"I'll have it to you by the end of the day," assured Rand.

"End of the day? That's still late! You'd better watch it, Rand. I'm not going to tolerate delays like this. One more and you're fired!"

"I understand, Mr. Jenchov. It won't happen again."

"Now I'm going to have to explain this to my boss. You're making me look bad!"

"I'm sorry," said Rand and bit down. How could someone have such an annoying voice? Ah, if only it was Kendle. There'd be a sword sticking through Mr. Jenchov's throat already. Or maybe he could have been knocked out and tied to a tree in the forest. The Shredgasp would have dealt with him. He couldn't help but smile a bit at the thought.

"What are you smiling at? This is no time to smile! Get back to work and finish that report! Work fourteen hours if you need to, but I must have it by the morning! If I don't, you're fired!" The pudgy man stormed away, his white collar shirt showing stains of sweat on its back. Rand grinned. That's what a leather chair would do for you.