Corporate Man is called in to investigate reports of vile, unethical business practices at Great American Business Company. What he finds there just might destroy him (except we all know the ending to The Tragic Death of Corporate Man so it should be fairly obvious that it can't really destroy him, though it can come close).

Enslaved by the Bonus Whores is an all new Corporate Man Adventure Serial. Chapters will post every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

After nearly a decade of imprisonment, Corporate Man returns to find the economy in ruins and his deadliest enemies in control of all but a fraction of society's wealth. He embarks upon a quest to set right the wrongs of the business world; a task that will ultimately destroy him.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Chapter 4


1.d.
The small, spherical button on her office phone was blinking.  It never blinked.  Perhaps something was wrong with it.  She would have to call tech support.  Maybe they’d send out that cute techie again.
The phone chirped.  It was an impatient sort of noise, and familiar; occurring whenever she left someone on hold for too long.  She looked at the phone, puzzled.  Then she shrugged and pushed the spherical button.  To her surprise it depressed.  She was so enchanted at her cleverness that she nearly forgot announce her greeting.
“Incorporated Business Corporation Incorporated.”
“The bull is at the china shop,” a distorted, growling voice said from the other end of the phone line.
“I’m sorry sir, what was that?”
“The bull is at the china shop.”
“I don’t understand.  How may I direct your call?”
“Just tell him.”
“Who?  The boss.”
“Yes.”
“And tell him what?  That thing about the bull and the china shop?”
“Yes.”
“Now was the bull in the china shop because that’s how that saying actually goes?”
“At the shop.”
“The one in China?”
“No.  Not in China.”
“Then where?”
“Nowhere, just a china shop.”
“Hmmm.  Maybe you should start over.”
“Damn it to hell!”
“Ooooh.  Is Satan involved then?”
Click.
She shrugged, pressed another, more familiar button on her phone and said, “Sir?  That marble looking button on my phone blinked and I spoke to a spooky voiced man who had a message for you.”
“What’s the message?”
“Oh, well it was all very exiting.  The devil, who may or may not be Chinese, is concerned with the whereabouts of a bull.  Funny, I’d think a Spanish matador would be more appropriate.”
“Ms. Adams.  To preserve your position with this company it would be wise of you to state only that which the man actually said.  Are we clear?”
“Yes, sir.”
“So what did he say?”
“The first thing he said was, ‘the bull is at the china shop.’  Puzzled, I said, ‘I’m sorry sir, I–’”
“And he used the word at, correct?” said the bossman.
“Yes.  I questioned him about this as well and he–”
“Thank you Ms. Adams.”
There was a click.  Ms. Adams frowned.  Two hang ups in a row.  She shrugged and then tried to look busy.
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