Episode of Jake (Rough Draft)

[Riley Oran]

His finger pressed the buzzer and it sprang to life as he grunted with another disinterested look on his face. "Johnson?" 

A perky male voice came from the little speaker. "Mr. Giffan?"

"Send in the next interveiwee."

"Sir, I don't mean to be rude but can you send the others down? One of them's mother is waiting her and she's pretty cross."

His face picked up. "Oh, goodie. Send her up too. Right away. Preferably with the next person." 

"Yes sir."

Jake was a handsome man with jet black hair and beautiful brown eyes. He had a penchant for business suits and a knack for being an utter prick, yet also had earned the title of smooth operator. A rich playboy with oodles of cash he rose to wealth and power seemingly over night, head of a failing medical company yet somehow still pulling in more money than should be possible, which he uses to keep his company's head above the water.

He straightened his papers absent-minded before he began shifting through them, shuffling the least interesting around to the back so he could start strong and finish with these later on in the restroom. A few moments and a knock came on the door. A smile crept across his face. "Come in," he called in a honey'd voice, inviting the duo into his office. The first was a young girl named Amy, who looked vaguely familiar to him. The second was the mother of the boy who had been in before Amy.

"Look, I'm sorry to be so curt about this but I need to take my son to the doctor soon. He's been up her for an hour!" The door behind the pair shut as he beckoned both of them forward. 

"In a moment ma'am. You'll be with him shortly, I just need to confirm something with...?" He bit the tip of his pen cap as he looked towards the girl expectantly. 

"My name is Amy," she replied to his sentence, "Amy Anderson."

His eyes widened and he grew a genuine smile. "The Amy Anderson?" 

She nodded shyly, seeing the recognition in his eyes while the other woman impatiently stood beside them. "Oh, your sister mentioned so much about you! I thought you had looked familiar but now the resemblance is uncanny?"

"Thanks," she laughed nervously. "She said that you were a fair employer and with her... you know... I figured maybe I should fill her shoes?"

A strange look of concern crossed Jake's face. "Now, that's very convenient," the concern warped into a snide smile. "Your sister gets put in an RPD slammer and you come to me for her job?" Before Amy could even process the accusation, he reversed the meaning. "Hungry like the wolf aren't you? You'll go far in the world." Jake already had figured Amy was up to something, but having her at arm's reach was a good idea. Madeline had a certain genetic marker that made her special compared to normal pawns. If researched, it could mean that his drug would be even more useful for his ends.

Amy felt a swath of panic and relief all at once. "Yeah, my sister... to be frank, I've always been better. I'm younger, I'm smarter, I'm..." she struggled for a word.

"Ballsier?"

"Yeah," she nodded eagerly, "that's a good word." He smiled and asked her, "But here's the deal breaker. Are you willing to be bound by a confidentiality agreement? What happens in this office can not be spoken about. Ever. What I tell you here stays between us. Your sister readily agreed to these terms and I made her life great. Will you?"

She nodded again, happily asking, "Where do I sign?"

"Oh, no signatures here. This is an informal procedure. I just need you to take your hand and give me your word." He extended his hand as a handshake. "I must say out of all the other participants you have the best shot at getting this job, miss."

"Th-thanks you," she said surprised. Was it that easy? The woman next to her was fuming by this point. 

"Excuse me," she finally interjected, "but you keep my son up here for an hour and he's not even in the running any more?"

"I didn't say that. Your son's qualifications were outstanding. Unfortunately, he wasn't as morally ambiguous as she is."

"P-pardon?" The woman looked confused and frustrated. "I demand you let me see my son! He needs to go to the doctor and I need to leave!" She stood from her chair and huffed. 

"He's in the corner," Jake explained while pointing, "there." He squeezed a little bit tighter on Amy's hand, and she suddenly felt something drop into the pit of her stomach. She looked behind her at the mother who briskly moved towards the corner of the room. They hadn't noticed it earlier as it was dark, but now it was clear that there was definitely a figure there standing and staring into the cornerspace. 

"Jagmize?" He didn't respond. "Jagmize, come on." She touched she shoulder and withdrew. "Jag, why are you so cold?" Her son did not respond to this, and she continued trying to force movement of somekind.

Amy began to feel a slight burning sensation in her palm. She looked from the mother to her hand and then into Jake's eyes. He leered with a maniacal smile and then whispered, "By the way, that last part about giving me your word?" She nodded slowly, terror mounting in her eyes. "I meant it literally."

Amy was seized by an intense and horrifying pain. Jake released her hand as she fell writhing to the floor squirming and squealing in pain. The mother whirled around in shock, but didn't even get a word out. Jake was upon her hand in her chest, though she didn't not bleed. He withdrew his fist just as quickly as he entered it, pulling a strang mass of energy from her body and releasing it into the air. The mass floated away and vanished through the roof, and the mother's body was suddenly in a similar state to her son's.

He looked back towards the writhing girl and grinned. "Wow, you really are better than your sister. She passed out within a few seconds but you? You're really hanging in there." He walked to her side and knelt over her. "Word of advice kiddo. You might want to just let it overwhelm you. You're going to feel sick after all this unfolds."