“You’re fired.” “Don’t bother coming back tomorrow.” Richard Carter hadn’t made the decision on impulse.
He’d been watching Rudy for months.
The janitor wasn’t some criminal mastermind.
He was simply the kind of petty opportunist everyone had met at least once in their lives.
He cut corners, pocketed anything that wasn’t nailed down, and happily took advantage of other people’s patience.
Most of the newsroom had grown tired of him long ago.
Richard knew it.
Everyone knew it.
The problem was that Rudy’s offenses had always been small enough to ignore.
Until today.
Unfortunately for Rudy, he’d picked a fight with someone who had absolutely no interest in letting things slide.
The new reporter looked polished and approachable at first glance.
Spend five minutes with her, however, and it became obvious she was a lit fuse waiting for a spark.
For the first time since Rudy had started working at the Daily Planet, someone had called him on his behavior without backing down.
Watching from the sidelines, nearly everyone in the office found themselves rooting for the newcomer.
About time.
That was the common sentiment.
So when Richard stepped in and fired Rudy on the spot, a wave of satisfaction swept through the room.
Nobody applauded.
But judging by the smiles, they certainly wanted to.
Even the new reporter looked surprised.
She’d expected management to side with the longtime employee instead of the woman on her first day.
Since Rudy had already lost his job, her anger evaporated.
She released his wrist.
“As far as I’m concerned,” she said, “we’re done.” Rudy wasn’t ready to let it go.
He ignored his aching arm and hurried toward Richard.
“Boss, I swear I didn’t steal her lunch!” Richard looked at him expressionlessly.
“When did I ask whether you stole it?” Rudy froze.
“I’m firing you because I decided I don’t want you working here anymore.” “Do you have a problem with that?” “…” Richard glanced around the office.
“Show’s over.” “If your articles are finished, bring them to me.” That emptied the room almost instantly.
Every reporter in the building understood the hidden danger in those words.
Richard almost never reviewed articles personally.
That responsibility normally belonged to the editors.
But whenever he did ask to see a draft…
The unlucky reporter’s day was effectively over.
His standards bordered on terrifying.
He would return an article with a page full of corrections.
The revised version would somehow produce another page of corrections.
Then a third.
People often wondered why he couldn’t find every issue the first time.
Nobody dared ask.
Within moments, the office returned to its usual rhythm of ringing phones and clattering keyboards.
Richard turned toward the newcomer.
“You.” “My office.” Jessica Jones followed him inside without hesitation.
She didn’t look nervous.
If anything…
She looked mildly impatient.
Richard sat behind his desk and opened the personnel file Stephanie had delivered that morning.
He hadn’t gotten around to reading it before now.
His eyes landed on the name.
Jessica Jones Richard slowly looked up.
“…Jessica Jones?” She blinked.
“Yeah.” “Should I know why you’re saying it like that?” Richard’s expression remained carefully neutral.
Of course I know who you are.
Years before arriving in this world, he’d watched the television series centered around Jessica Jones.
He hadn’t finished it, but he remembered enough.
Superhuman strength.
Extraordinary durability.
A private investigator with a talent for finding trouble.
Blunt.
Stubborn.
Quick-tempered.
And considerably stronger than she looked.
Now that he studied her more carefully…
She was unmistakably the same person.
Just younger than he remembered.
Which made sense.
Those events hadn’t happened yet.
One thing still puzzled him.
“If I remember correctly…” He stopped himself.
“I mean…” He glanced back at her résumé.
“You worked for a magazine before this?” Jessica nodded.
“Fashion Weekly.” Richard looked impressed.
“That’s a respectable publication.” “What made you leave?” Jessica answered without changing expression.
“A creep at work kept harassing me.” “I shoved him.” Richard chose not to ask exactly what shoved meant when Jessica Jones was involved.
He had a feeling the man had probably met several walls before reaching the floor.
“…Fair enough.” He continued reading.
“Then you worked at a radio station.” “‘Trish Talks.'” “That’s a popular show.” “I imagine the job paid well.” Jessica shrugged.
“I knew the host.” “She got me hired.” Richard remembered the connection.
Trish Walker.
Jessica’s adoptive sister and closest friend.
That explained the recommendation.
“So why leave that job?” Jessica’s tone remained perfectly flat.
“A fat sponsor kept trying to grope Trish.” “I taught him a lesson.” Richard closed the file.
For several seconds…
He simply stared at her.
Then he sighed.
“I’m beginning to notice a pattern.”