Interview. (2)

"This moving company of yours – it takes clients from all walks of life, does it not?"

"Yes, we most certainly do."

"Then would you not agree that even in these times of peace, the threat of something happening to you and your employees is a real one?"

"…it is, yes." Sonny said as suspicion flashed across his face.

"And your other employees, do they not have any Powers?"

"They do, actually."

"So then, in a situation where I too was one of your employees and we were accosted by heinous, evil villains, who would be in the most danger between us all? Those with the powers, or the one without them?"

"I guess the one without the powers would be in the most danger." Sonny admitted with a shrug.

"In that case, my disposition and Alignment should mean nothing, should they? Because I am not only constrained heavily by the conditions of my parole, but am also technically weaker than your other employees. What then does it matter if I am more inclined to take a life than the next person, if that dopey looking guy behind you could stop me from doing so?"

The 'dopey guy' that Visuveus was referring to suddenly looked around before pointing to himself with a look of both surprise and mild annoyance, while a female coworker of his tried to hide her amusement and stifle her laughter. Sonny looked at Visuveus in silence at first, before laughing and nodding his head.

"You make some very valid points there, Vincent. How many times have you had to make those points?"

"This is the only time I have ever said any of this."

"Oho? Why is that?"

"I am seriously running out of time here, that's why." Visuveus answered honestly.

"I guess you really don't want to go back to prison, huh?"

"Incarceration is nothing – I care nothing for it. I did however make a promise before being arrested that I will be unable to keep if I go back. Look, I'm not going to beg, I'm not going to plead, I'm not going to do any of that. But I really do need the job, and the promise I made is so fucking important, that I continue to live according to the stipulations set by my parole. I can't guarantee that I won't lose my temper or scare a few people once or twice, but shit, I'm really trying over here."

Visuveus' fists were actually clenched as he spoke, and his voice even appeared to crack just a bit. Despite keeping a completely straight face, Sonny picked up on the ex-con's emotion, and seemed to be a bit high.

"I have a few more questions, Vincent. First of all, do you have any experience driving a truck beyond your test?"

"None whatsoever." Visuveus answered emphatically, drawing yet another sigh from Sonny.

"Well, you look to be in good enough physical shape that you can lift things at least." Sonny said with a shrug. "You can start tomorrow, right?"

"What?!" The group of gathered employees all shouted in unison.

"Excuse me?" Visuveus asked a little incredulously.

"I asked if you're able to start work tomorrow!" Sonny snapped as he shook his head.

"Absolutely!" Visuveus said almost instantly.

"Then come back tomorrow. We'll have to add some clauses to your contract and such, and I'm sure we have a pair of overalls that'll fit you, so…"

The tall man stood with his fists still clenched, and it looked as though he trying to figure exactly what to feel. It appeared as though every emotion one could feel was being felt by this man, with his facial expression changing ever so slightly every few seconds. Visuveus eventually settled on relief, and he bowed his head ever so slightly.

"…thank you." Visuveus said, his voice cracking again ever so slightly.

Sonny just nodded before turning around and beginning to walk off. Visuveus, as if suddenly realising something, stood up straight. His facial expression was had gone back to its default neutral, and he spoke while looking at his new employer.

"Sonny."

"What?" Sonny asked as he stopped walking.

"I need a favour."

"You haven't even signed the contract, and you're already asking for a fuckin' advance on your salary?!"

"What? No. I just need a letter confirming that you are going to hire me."

"A what? Why do you need that when you're going to sign a contract tomorrow?"

"Quite simply, the Judge handling my case likes to lean on me. The sooner I can get her off my case on one more thing, the better."

"So you want me to write this letter confirming the intention to hire you? Would you like me to sign it and write it in fancy cursive?"

"Having it on paper bearing the company letterhead as we as having the directors of the company in all sign it would also be greatly appreciated."

Silence filled the parking lot as everybody realised that Visuveus was being completely serious. Sonny looked at the ex-con with unblinking eyes, before sighing and nodding.

"Give me a second." He said as he walked into the office.

Visuveus quickly pulled his phone out of his pocket and looked at the time before speed dialing someone. The phone rang for an uncomfortably long time before whoever was being called finally answered.

"Listen, I have found a job! I don't have a copy of the contract to present to the Judge because my employer needs to have one specially drafted for an ex-con, but I do have a letter of confirmation stating that I WILL be hired. That bitch of a Judge will have no choice but to accept this as fact, and not some kind of fabricated story. Call the Judge and let her know we'll be there with this proof – there's still time!"

While Visuveus spoke on the phone, inside the office, Sonny was busy typing the letter himself. He wasn't alone as a woman around his age was sitting inside looking at him in silence. Sonny was doing his best to ignore her, but her unmoving and unblinking gaze was making him feel so uncomfortable, he eventually looked up from the computer screen and his eyes met hers.

"What the hell is it?! Why are you staring at me like that?!"

"You know why." The woman answered. "In the name of the Mighty One, why on Earth have you decided to hire that man?! He admitted to having killed more people than he cared to tell you, yet here you are, opening the front gate and front door for him!"

"Because he actually admitted to doing what he did."

"What?!"

"In fact, do you know what colour his breath was the entire time we spoke? Grey."

The woman's facial expression suddenly changed as her eyes grew wide and her mouth hung open just a tad.

"Grey? As in…"

"…as in he told no lies whatsoever. Everything that potential mass murdering ex-con, possibly ex Super Villain said was absolutely true."

"So you hired him because he was honest about being scum?"

"Absolutely." Sonny said with a grin. "Essentially, this guy is genuine in his attempts to live according to the conditions set by his parole – which means he's gonna be a model employee, will have no choice but to behave and listen to what we say and do as he's told. Don't you think it'll be interesting to watch him struggling to maintain his sanity while trying to be a law-abiding citizen? It's gonna be absolutely delicious."

Sonny had a look in his eyes and a grin on his face that prompted the woman sitting across from him to sigh at first, but then kind of reciprocate the look.

"This is why you couldn't hack it as a Hero back then despite having such a useful Super Power – you're just too twisted. But I can't say that I dislike that about you."

"Hmph." Sonny snorted as the letter finished printing. "Find me an envelope with our logo on it. That man wanted this letter to be as official as possible, after all."

The woman just smiled and nodded, before opening some drawers and searching. A few minutes later, Sonny emerged from the building holding the unsealed envelope with a smile on his face.

"Yo, Vincent! I have your letter here – go ahead and give it a quick once over."

"No time." Visuveus stated while taking the envelope from his new employer. "I have to go to court, and if I'm to make it in time, I must leave now. Thanks again, and I will be here bright and early."

Visuveus nodded his appreciation at Sonny once more, before actually turning around and sprinting away.