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.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Chapter 142




5.q.
“What’s this?  A conference room?” asked Senior Executive.
“I think it’s a convention hall,” said Business Woman. 
By this point the water was almost to their knees.  Progress across the convention room floor was hindered by the necessary exaggeration of their steps and the weak, almost limp form of Supply who was dangling on the shoulders of Senior Executive and Corporate Man.
A chorus of snapping supports and falling metal grates sounded throughout the grand hall, dropping dozens of sharks in the ever deepening water.  Makos and bullsharks and hammerheads and tigers and white-tips slapped hard into the shallows all around them.  The big fish seemed dazed after the long fall, but quickly regained their predatory focus and cut through the water in stuttering, wriggling spurts.  Some of the smaller sharks were almost fully submerged with only their upper back and dorsal fins jutting above the surface.
The sharks made darting runs at the splashing, frantic humans but arched away from the thrashing, stomping legs and feet when they were within a few yards.
A door to the Union’s rear exploded from its hinges as the Great White crashed into the conference hall amongst splinters of inexpensive hollow core paneling. The water was thigh-deep now and three quarters of the massive shark was beneath the surface.  Sheets of water sheered up and over its sleek back as it barreled toward them.
“Move!  Move!  Move!” Business Woman cried out.
The Great White slammed into a circling blue shark, knocking the smaller fish out of the water.  It flailed helplessly through the air then splashed down with a frantic slap. The Great White snapped at an approaching reef shark and then careened toward a hammerhead and bit down on the unwary fish’s tail.  Blood spurt from the hammerhead’s thrashing body and the water became a boiling froth of scarlet and panic.
“Blood in the water!” Franklin Buck screamed.  He tried to quicken his pace but the water was up to his waist and he couldn’t move any faster.  “Swim for it!”
He dove forward, kicking and stroking the water; fervent and mad.  Most of the sharks were busy feasting on chunks of the destroyed hammerhead, but the sudden thrashing from Franklin Buck drew their attention.  Corporate Man and Business Woman yelled for Franklin to calm himself; to stop. 
He didn’t hear them.
A mako shark cruised through the water, its movements agitated and quick.  Hungry.  It sped toward Franklin Buick and snapped.  The bite was exploratory and tentative but on the mark, ripping away a large swath of green jacket fabric and scratching a line of shallow cuts in Franklin’s side.
He screamed and flailed.  The fish circled around for another run and then shot through the water toward The Dollar Man. 
Fair Wage dove between the shark and his colleague, patting the water and humming a low warbling sound.  The shark flinched and lurched toward Fair Wage.  The old man pivoted and chopped at the water as the fish went streaking by, his hand clipping the shark’s sensitive nose.
“Get everyone to the door,” Fair Wage said.
“What about you?” asked Senior Executive.
“I can handle whatever Professor Inflation sends our way,” he said pulling a hank of his wet silvery hair from his forehead and then elbowing an aggressive bull shark.
The water in the conference hall was chest deep when the team arrived at the large metal door.  They pried it open.  The water level on the other side was higher and gushed out, nearly washing them back into open water.
“Hurry!  Close the door!” Franklin Buck shouted as they fought their way into the little room.
“Fair Wage is still out there,” said Business Woman.
“He’s as good as–” but Franklin Buck did not finish.  His eyes widened with terror as the great white shark barreled toward the door, cutting through the water like a u-boat.  Riding on top was a man in a brown suit.  When the big fish was a few feet from the entrance Fair Wage reached down and poked the shark in the eye.  The fish jerked to side, angling away and back out into the conference room.  Fair Wage leapt from its back and in through the door.
Corporate Man and Senior Executive muscled the door closed.