Our Mutual Friend

"So who am I meeting?" I ask The Voice as I check a sign on the wall for the directions to the administration wing of the building. Forward, then left, then straight all the way. Got it.

"Catriona Alley." The Voice rasps, "Head of the Administration and Personnel Department. You are going to be interviewing for the job of her deputy."

"Wait, hold up." I protest, "What does this job have to do with helping the Hero succeed? I have absolutely zero experience in this line of work and I doubt a bartender does either."

The Voice chuckles unnervingly, "I do not actually expect you to do any work for Mrs Alley. While I can spawn all the necessary identification for you, it does not solve the problem of the staff on campus not actually knowing who you are. Even if the identification is completely perfect, you will eventually be investigated and found out. Mrs Alley's position in the faculty will provide the cover necessary for you to operate. Also, I need you to pass a message along to her."

"And the Academy is completely alright with this? Hiring a Deputy Head of Department who does zero work and has no qualifications?" I ask disbelievingly.

"The Academy does not know about this vacant position. Such a position will only be determined as necessary after your meeting with Mrs Alley." The Voice responds.

Wow. Do you not realize how suspicious you sound Voice? I am willing to put down money right now that I am being pulled into committing a crime. Again.

Also I just realized that I have no money.

....

The corridor ends at a counter built into the wall with a small bell left on the counter top with a sign "Ring for service" left next to it. Next to the counter is a wooden door with the sign "Staff Only" barring further ingress. Another sign hanging on the ceiling overlooking this set up proclaims that, yes, I have indeed arrived at the Administration and Personnel Department. I hear the click of the door unlocking and enter the office.

"There is a trolley of documents to your left with a sealed package. Take the package to your interview with Mrs Alley." The Voice instructs.

Looking around, I quickly spot the trolley The Voice was referring to. On top of it is a bloated package, the kind you see courier companies deliver to offices. Hefting the package up, I mutter to myself, "This had better not be another bomb."

"Stop being ridiculous." The Voice admonishes, "That is the resume I have prepared for you. It is something that will impress Mrs Alley and demonstrate who exactly she is dealing with."

"Who exactly she is dealing with?" I whisper urgently as I walk towards through the open plan office space, staff falling victim to the effects of my condition whenever I pass their line of sight, "What exactly is going on here? Am I going to need to beat a hasty retreat?"

I finally reach the end of the room where another partitioned off area with a door awaits. The sign on the door announces that I have reached the office of Catriona Alley, Head of Department. The desk situated just beside the door is manned by a cat lady in a smart suit who would be considered attractive if she was not drooling while spazzing out in front of me.

"Tell the secretary that you are here on the recommendation of a mutual friend." The Voice says.

The cat lady secretary eventually manages to gather herself and focus her attention on me. Wiping off the drool with a tissue she asks, "How may I help you?"

"I am here to see the boss on the recommendation of a mutual friend." I reply.

The secretary's eyes narrow as she reaches for the phone, "Mrs Alley has no appointments set for today. She is in the office now though, let me check."

"Follow my instructions when you meet Mrs Alley." The Voice says.

I feel like screaming my frustration. Didn't you tell me that an appointment was set? Why can't anything be straight forward around here?

The secretary puts down the handset and regards me evenly. "Mrs Alley will meet you now." she says and gestures towards the door.

.....

When I walk into the room, I am confronted by a devastatingly beautiful middle aged human woman. Long fine auburn hair. Clear skin and green eyes. Tight hourglass figure with perfectly shaped globes that fit snugly inside a white silk blouse. As the hot babe spazzes out in front of me, I take the opportunity to admire nature's good work. Good thing she is not trying to avoid looking at me, this way I can get both barrels. Oh yeah.

Wait.

She is not shying away from me. But I don't see a spiritual field around her. The Voice hinted that something was up with this woman. But what?

Hot Babe snaps out of her trance and scowls in my direction. Her voice is low, dangerous as she addresses me, "I don't know if this was your idea young man, or someone put you up to this, but I have little patience for bad jokes."

Uh oh.

"Imagine, the cheek of someone to leave an anonymous message on my personal email with the most outrageous demands. Did you think I would actually fall for such a bluff?"

Voice. Please. I know that you cannot communicate directly with the locals, but this is really getting ridiculous. And you are calling her your "operative"?

"Now, you will tell me everything you know about this "mutual friend" of ours or you are not leaving this campus." Hot Babe concludes.

I feel waves of spirituality slam against me, several times stronger compared to when I was attacked by Eagle Claw. She's powerful. But then why can't I see her spirituality?

"Pass her your resume." The Voice instructs. I comply.

Hot Babe glares at me for a moment before accepting the package. A she tears it open, I see that it holds a huge stack of documents that Hot Babe starts reading through. Her scowl disappears as she goes through the documents and sweat start to bead her brow. She takes occasional glances at me, but instead of annoyance, her expression is now one of fear.

The pressure being exerted on me eases and for a brief moment I catch the sight of Hot Babe's spirituality field before it flickers out of existence. Instead of ogling Hot Babe, this time I try to focus on the spirituality field that I know is there. It flickers back into my sight once I begin actively looking for it, but keeping it there requires me to concentrate. It takes a while, but eventually the flickering stops and I can see the nimbus forming around her.

What I see next though, takes my breath away.

Instead of invading the surrounding area, Alley's spiritual field is focused inwards on herself. She constantly cycles the energy about, releasing it from her core into the surrounding and quickly pulling it back in, like a tide advancing and receding. Whenever she pushes the energy out, her face wrinkles up like a raisin, her tits sag, her figure bloats and her hair grows streaks of white. When the energy is drawn back in, she regains her previous hotness.

When I stop looking at the nimbus and instead look directly at Alley again like before, the shifting stops and I can only see the Hot Babe. The nimbus also immediately flickers out of my sight. So, an illusion generated by Alley using her spirituality? Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder.

The Voice rouses me from my reverie, "Ask her how Jacob is doing." I quickly comply.

When Alley hears my question, her face pales even further and she stays silent. She shuts her eyes for a moment before speaking cautiously, "What our mutual friend is asking for is not an easy thing to do. Can you come back tomorrow and allow me to think things over?"

"No." I reply at The Voice's instruction. This is some godfather level shit Voice. I have a really bad feeling about what we are doing.

Alley's face twists and the sternness in her voice returns as she shoots back, "You cannot do this. Not after so many years of silence. It's not fair to me and my family. Ask him, when will my debt be satisfied?"

"When he says it is. Or do you want me to go somewhere else with my resume?" comes the reply. Oh man. This whole thing is just so sleazy.

Alley collapses back into her seat, her expression downcast. "I understand." she finally chokes out, "I will instruct my staff to prepare the necessary documents now as instructed by our mutual friend. Please wait outside."

I hurriedly get up from my seat to leave. This is low Voice. Is this what you were talking about, sending her a message? But The Voice was not done yet with the instructions.

"Our mutual friend has given me your private contact number. I'll be in touch if I need anything else." I say.

Alley just nods in silence as I leave her office.