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, September 8, 2014

Addendum 13


            Corporate Man walked into the bosslady’s office and closed the door behind him.
            “I’m a little busy just now,” the bosslady said.  She seemed to be opening and closing programs at random.
            “What is this?” Corporate Man asked, gesturing with the bonus envelope.
            “Your bonus.  Like I said.”
            “Not the cash,” Corporate Man hissed.  He pulled the syringe from the envelope and said, “This.”
            The bosslady never dropped her gaze and said, monotone and slow, as if repeating herself to a stupid child, “Your bonus.”
            “What is it?”
            “Are you going to make me say it third time?”
            “Is it a drug?”
            “It’s not a vaccine or a vitamin shot.”
            “I don’t do drugs.”
            The bosslady shrugged.  “You do now.”
            “No.  I don’t,” said Corporate Man.  His heart was racing and it felt like time was passing a little slower, or perhaps his mind was operating in overdrive.
            “That’s odd.  Your eyes are dilated and–”
            “They aren’t dilated you crazy–”
            “How are you feeling?  Pretty good?” she said cocking her head slightly.  “Elevated heart rate, slight sense of euphoria?  Is the light behaving… unusually?”
            Corporate Man froze.  The light was more sparkly than usual.  And the colors a bit more vivid.
            “I’ll bet the colors, especially the greens, seem a little more… well, a little more.  And there’s a sense of confidence, almost an arrogant, unstoppable feeling that’s setting in.  Am I right?”
            Corporate Man took a step back.  The world… tilted.  Slightly, but it was there.  Everything was askew. “What have you done?”
            “Oh it’s not me, it’s the bonus,” she said.
            “I haven’t–”
            “You have.”
            No.  Had he?  Corporate Man looked at the syringe.  It was still full of greenish fluid.  An impressively attractive green fluid.
            “Oh, that’s for later,” the bosslady said.  She opened a desk drawer and removed a small emerald colored vial.  She unscrewed the cap, shook a small pile of powder onto her finger tips, and rubbed them together in that instantly recognizable sign for money.  The powder was almost white, veering in hue toward that familiar money green.
            Corporate Man looked at the package of cash.  He pulled the bills out, and shook the envelope.  A light dust sifted to the floor.
            “You can snort it too, and it’s designed to absorb quickly through the fingertips,” the bosslady said.  “Quite effective in its powder form, but the liquid state is the truer variety.  And it is wickedly addictive.”
            “I wasn’t sick.”
            “Nope.  You were unknowingly kicking your new habit.  It’s harder the second time.  Next to impossible now that you know about it and have access to the cure.”
            Corporate Man sat down.  “What is it?  Cocaine?  Heroin?”

            “It’s called Bonus,” the bosslady said.  “It’s the future of capitalism.”
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