4
787 Words
4Tearing my gaze from the window, I scanned the room. The administrator meets here with instructors and trainees.
Both groups pick up mud during training. They bring it indoors.
The corner desk, wall storage unit, and chrome-legged visitor chairs were all formed from lacquered particleboard.
They were the same brown-black shade as the free-range pig farms I’d passed.
The furniture was carefully chosen to conceal mud until a cleaning crew showed up.
Synergy’s twin obsessions with damage control and hiding dirt dictate even minor decisions at Caprock.
Jeff lifted a visitor chair off the three-high stack and centered it in front of the desk.
“Have a seat,” he said to me.
He turned the swivel chair. When he sat, we were face to face.
Leaning forward, he put his elbows on his knees and sighed.
His lips turned down.
His gray eyes flicked to my face and away again.
Jeff’s expression combined sorrow and regret. Exactly what I’d expect to see if he was about to fire me.
My neck itched but I kept my mouth shut.
I could be wrong.
I let Jeff speak first.
“Wish you’d made it here last night,” he began.
He shook his head mournfully. “I’d feel a lot better if we’d stuck with the original program.”
I waved my hand to signal no big deal.
“I heard through the grapevine that my days with Caprock are numbered. What, you expected that my being at last night’s party would make it easier for you to give me the axe?”
Jeff’s laugh was sour. “Nothing could make this easy. Getting Ramsey to honor you in public was the best send-off I could arrange. Unfortunately, he wiggled off my hook.”
“Clapping me on the back before he gives me the golden handshake?” I folded my arms. “Whole thing was a farce. I don’t need that crap.”
“I disagree.”
The gravity in Jeff’s tone unnerved me. What had I missed?
Shaking his head, he added, “Public praise from the Synergy CEO would smooth out some bumps in the road ahead of you. I’m afraid you’re in for a rough ride.”
I hugged my arms closer to my chest. “I guess you better tell me about those bumps.”
Sitting up straight, Jeff brushed his hands together, as though dusting away grit.
“You remember those nondisclosure agreements we all signed when Caprock went under the umbrella?” he asked.
Registering my nod, he added, “Ramsey reminded me that those NDAs apply to your departure. If anyone from outside inquires why you left Caprock, I’m allowed to repeat only the official line.”
He paused and his mouth pursed like he’d bitten into something sour.
“Spit it out,” I urged. “Officially, why am I leaving?”
“You did what we hired you to do. We no longer need your services.”
I blinked. Plucked a key phrase from the speech Jeff drafted.
“Guess he didn’t think my performance was stellar.”
I frowned. “Why do I need the CEO to praise me for what I accomplished?”
Jeff sighed. “Word has filtered down. Nobody in leadership will object if employees disclose negative information about you.”
Startled, I dropped my hands to my sides. I flattened my spine against the chair back.
“Some of my colleagues don’t like my style. You’re saying that anyone who calls them will hear their line of bullshit?”
“That could happen.”
Jeff lifted a shoulder. Let it fall in a half-hearted shrug. “You mentioned golden handshake. Your contract has a good termination clause. You can retire with no financial worries. An attractive option for you.”
He chose his words carefully but I got it. I shouldn’t bother hunting for a new job in private security.
My soon-to-be-ex-colleagues were going to make me unemployable.
I puffed out air in a derisive snort.
“Those people will destroy my professional reputation? And I should just walk away without a word? That’s your advice?”
“I’m not giving advice. Just pointing out that you have the luxury of not working.”
I lifted my chin. “I also have the luxury of correcting anyone who slanders me.”
“In reality, you don’t. If you try to counter negative remarks about your performance at Caprock, you can be sued for violating your NDA.”
His elbows went back to his knees. His head closer to mine, he lowered his voice.
“Unfortunately, you gave your detractors a strong argument that your termination is justified.”
He was referring to the incident last year in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.
I felt my fingers forming fists.
I kept my hands out of sight. Jeff couldn’t see how much I wanted to punch somebody.
I spoke slowly, emphasizing every word.
“I was fully cleared. I have no black marks on my personnel file.”
“Sure, your personnel file is in fine shape.” Jeff sighed again.
“But Ramsey believes your continued presence is interfering with recruitment,” he added. “Ramsey told me that HR is finding it difficult to persuade talented ex-military personnel to work for us.”
I didn’t bother pointing out that we had five applicants for every job opening.
Ramsey had fabricated a reason to get rid of me.
If I badmouthed Caprock after I left, the CEO would make sure nobody took me seriously.
If that threat didn’t shut me up, he’d ruin me financially.
- Writer
