Running on Fumes Pt. 01

"You're going to leave me with this mess?" Windom wasn't happy at all at the thought of giving five employees the news their code was being eliminated. "Kimmi, they'll crucify me. They hate me already. I can't go in there alone."

Kimmi thought about bolting for home. Its Windom's job, not mine, to give them the news. Hell, he's the only one left with a job so he should have to wield the hatchet. But then she thought about how her coworkers would be feeling after the meeting. She knew she couldn't go home until the news was out and everyone had their say. This really stinks.

"Okay Sol. I'll go in with you wearing my pink slip on my sleeve. But I'm leaving when the tears start. You wouldn't have anything for a headache, would you?"

"Yeah, actually, I do. I have a couple of pain killers left over from when I sprained my back. Remember?"

"Yeah, what an idiot you were getting up on a chair to try to change an old burned out light bulb." Kimmi laughed at the memory.

"Ah, but the ambiance of a nice yellow light is so extraordinary. You don't see it much anymore," Windom said solemnly. I just had to try. Anyway, I have a couple of pills left. Here, you can have them."

"What are they?"

"I'm not sure. A mild pain killer. I don't remember being knocked out by them."

"Alright, I'll try one. Then I'm going to lie down in the ladies lounge until the meeting, okay?"

"That's okay by me. It's not like you're going to be missing any deadlines or anything. You have to admit, the human resources section has been pretty quiet lately."

"Yeah, what a joke. My father said as long as there were corporations there would be human resources slots. He thought it was the safest possible labor code. And I felt safe. Shit." Kimmi gave Windom a wry smile and headed off to the water cooler. She downed a pill and left the section. Her head was throbbing now, and she was getting the sparkly lights that came with her worst migraines. She made it to the closest ladies lounge and gratefully lay down flat on her back with the palms of her hands pressed on either side of her head.

In the meantime, Windom e-mailed Kimmi's section that there would be a meeting in the large conference room at 4:00.

Kimmi could feel the tension oozing out of her body. What ever the pill was that Windom gave her, it sure was effective. Kimmi started to feel like she was floating in air with her head about six inches above the rest of her body. Disconnected, Kimmi thought. I feel like I've been disconnected from the pain. All of the pain. Wow, what is this stuff? Kimmi lay on her back with her feet up and started to hum a little tune. She was close to heaven, and then she fell asleep.

BAM! Kimmi was bumped into a dream. Alex was opening her bedroom door. He was wearing black satin trousers and no shirt, there was a sultry breeze. His hair was blown across his forehead. He looked ruggedly sexual. Kimmi was in a spider silk robe that was open to her waist, exposing her breasts. She was so very, very hot, and spoiling for sex. She had to have it. She reached out her arms towards Alex and closed her eyes.

She opened her eyes expecting to see Alex coming for her fully aroused. Instead she looked into the gray, blood shot eyes of Sol Windom.

"Kimmi, wake up, its show time. Your section employees are in the conference room. We have to go deliver the news."

"What? Sol? What are you doing here? Oh God." The room was spinning around Kimmi. She was completely disoriented. "What in the world?" A wave of nausea hit Kimmi and she ran into the nearest toilet stall. Her lunch came up quickly. After, Kimmi was weak and drawn with pain. She was also higher than a kite.

"Oh shit." Understanding dawned on Windom. "Kimmi, I think you're having a reaction to the pain killer I gave you."

"I'm not in pain any more, Sol," Kimmi giggled. I feel really, uhh, mellow." She gave Windom a crooked smile. "So, where are we going, Sol."

"I think you'd better just lie back down and sleep a little longer. I'll have to wield the axe myself. God help me, its going to be a blood bath." Windom shook his head sorrowfully as he plodded out of the ladies lounge.

"I'm sorry Sol." Kimmi said as she drifted back to sleep. This time she did not dream. Or if she did, she didn't remember.

Sol lumbered into the conference room and took his place at the front of the table. Five faces looked at him expectantly. They don't even have a clue about what's happening, Sol thought sadly.

He cleared his throat. He wished he could smoke. Tobacco always gave him comfort. "Ladies and gentlemen," he said more formally than he had intended.

Everyone quieted down.

"Friends," he said. Someone snickered at the back of the room. This group didn't consider itself Sol's friend. The snicker made it easier to break the news.

"I have an announcement that is of utmost importance. I mean, ... that is... oh Christ, I don't want to be here. This is the worst...

"What's up?" Angie Maloney asked. "You called the meeting. You may as well spit it out."

"You're right, you're right. Okay. This is what's happened. I was notified by the exec committee this morning that Krowe Pan-global is eliminating its human resources department."

"What?" Angie cried. And then everyone started shouting questions at once. Sol felt like he was being pelted with pebbles. He wished he could just pull his jacket over his head and slink out the door.

"So what's the story?" Someone finally got himself heard.

"There is no story," Sol said sadly. "Human resources will be shut down two weeks from today. Management wants to encourage you all to take leave during the next two weeks if you have it coming to you."

"Wait a minute," Dave Butler burst in, "are they going to try to screw us out of our leave pay on top of this? Are they saying we have to take our leave or loose it? That not fair."

"No," said Windom. "They haven't gone that far. They just thought the close down would be less painful if people took leave."

"That's crap and you know it. They just want to get us out as inexpensively as possible. Christ! Two weeks. What am I going to do?" Dave's voice had an edge of desperation in it. The other human resources personnel turned towards him to offer comfort.

"The meeting went on and on. Everyone was miserable. Lives were being torn apart. Some had safety nets and other talents to explore, and were trying to be cheerful. But the bottom line was that in two weeks everyone in the room except Windom was out of the corporation. Unthinkable!

Kimmi's absence wasn't noticed until the meeting was winding down. The group decided to go out on the town and get properly inebriated. Someone suggested using Kimmi's credits because she was the manager and then they realized that Kimmi was missing.

"Hey, Windom, where's Kimmi?" Dave asked. "Did she get the axe or is she hiding because she couldn't face us."

"Oh, she got the axe alright. It made her sick. She's sleeping off a pain killer in the lounge. I probably ought to go wake her."

"Nah, I'll do it," Angie said. Maybe she'll come out with us to drink a toast to Krowe Pan-global -- the civilized pan-global corporation. Shit. Those futher muckers at the top of the corporation are cold as ice, and mean as a junk yard dog. They don't do nothing for no one but themselves and not even that if it don't make money. Angie was seething mad.

Angie ran her hand along the wall as she walked through the warren towards the ladies lounge. "So, Mr. Windbag, are you going to join us in our revelry tonight?"

"No. I don't think..."

Angie's anger reached a crescendo. "Why the fuck do you get to keep your job?" she cried? Why are all of us going down? We did our jobs. We walked the corporate walk. Why are they throwing us to the wolves?" She brushed hot tears out from under her ever present sunglasses. She hoped Windom hadn't seen her crying.

He had. But what was he supposed to do about it? He did what he was told to do and that was that. End of story. And besides, he had other problems to deal with. He stopped off at Glory's office long enough to tell her the result of the meeting and then he was out the door.

Kimmi had just awakened when Angie got to the lounge. Her head was still spinning, but at least her feet were firmly planted on the ground, she thought. She looked at herself in the mirror. Oh yeah, I ought to try out for an acting slot -- bride, no, mistress of Dracula. She jumped when Angie opened the door.

"Oh! Oh, hi Angie. I thought everyone was gone."

"Nope, we're all still here, except Windbag.

"So, you got the news?" Kimmi asked.

"Yeah. It's a pisser, ain't it?"

"Yeah."

"You didn't know ahead of time did you? Wilson said he thought you did and that you were trying to suck up to management - that was why you weren't at the meeting."

"Wilson's full of it. Windbag told me before the meeting. He wanted me at the meeting to soften the blow somehow. But I got hit with a migraine and then Windy gave me a painkiller that sent me to the moon. I was out of it. I wanted to be at the meeting but I was barely alive when he came to get me. I couldn't even walk."

"You look like hell."

"Thanks a lot."

The two women exited the lounge and started to make their way to the front of the office where the rest of the Human Resources workers had gathered.

"Hey, we're all going out to celebrate our declassification, Angie said. I think there will be major drunken whoopla and other goings on. Do you want to join us?"

"Where are you going?"

"Well, we're all as mad as can be at Krowe so I don't think any of us wants to stay in the mall compound for our fun. We were talking about tubing into the city."

"Into Philly? On a week night? What do you think you'll find to do there? Isn't it kind of dangerous? Kimmi was surprised the gang was so adventurous. It had never showed in their work. But then again, how adventurous can a Human Resources job be?

"I don't know what we'll find. But it will be better than sitting around feeling bad and worrying about the future. Besides, some of us are feeling down right dangerous tonight. We deserve a night on the town. Come on, Kimmi. What do you say?"

"What the hell," Kimmi threw her hands up into the air. "We are wounded," she laughed. "It's our night to howl! Howuuuuu"

"Now you're talking," Angie said happily.

Kimmi and Angie met up with the rest of the group at the entrance to the city tube. The tube that served the mall area was a light weight, high velocity people mover intended to speed pedestrians on their way in and our, up and down the mall. The city tube was a like a great serpent. It slithered and coiled throughout southeastern Pennsylvania and parts of Jersey giving commuters from far and wide access to workplaces on the Pan-global network. It brought the suburbs to the city and the city to the suburbs. But ultimately, all roads lead to the Mall and Krowe Pan-global.

It was a sticky night. City tube stations weren't air conditioned. The rest of the Human Resources gang was in a funk over the job lay off. Wilson scowled at Kimmi as she and Angie walked up to the station. Kimmi ignored him and presented her credit chip for a tube card. She was superstitious and always bought enough for one extra ride.

Kimmi turned to join the group but there was Wilson, towering over her and venting steam. Wilson was well over six feet tall, and was built like a fighter. He was all muscle. There was nothing graceful about him.

He snarled as he looked down at Kimmi. The street light cast rays that seemed to enfold and surround Wilson. "What the hell are you doing here bitch?" he wanted to know. "You should be in bed at home with your yellow jacket. I hear he's got a great stinger. Is he going to sting his way to the top. Are you going with him? You shouldn't be here Kimmi. This party is for the losers. You have nothing to loose, do you. You've got it all sewed up, don't you?"

Kimmi was still feeling some of the effects of the pain killer so everything felt and sounded like it was encased in cotton. "What are you talking about?" She thought Wilson was threatening her but she couldn't connect up the knowledge with emotion. "What yellow jacket? I'm allergic to bees."

"Oh ha ha, very funny, Kimmi, Wilson stormed. You sure aren't allergic to your yellow jacket Alex, the security drone."

Now Kimmi felt stung. And the effect of the drug receded. Her head cleared, but she could feel the migraine insinuating itself into her consciousness.

Kimmi jumped up and swatted Wilson right across the nose. Full force. Before she knew it blood was dripping from his nose onto her shirt. Oh gross. What in hell have I done? "Christ, Kimmi," Wilson said with his head back and his hand pinching his nose. You're lethal. You fucking broke my nose."

The other members of the group stood, transfixed, in the moonlight. The tube rushed in, heading away from Philadelphia. Ten more minutes to wait for the tube to the city.

No one knew what to say. Then the tube rushed out of the station and the spell was broken. Angie and Dave and Porter rallied around Kimmi. They didn't want Wilson to try for revenge. They were incensed at Wilson's unwarranted attack. Jade hurried to Wilson's side to try to stop the bleeding and reassure him that Kimmi hadn't ruined his face.

A few minutes later Kimmi walked over to Wilson with open hands. "I'm sorry, Wilson. I didn't mean to hit you. Its not broken, is it?"

"No," Wilson admitted grudgingly.

"It's just.... Kimmi said, "everything today sucks. And my relationship with Alex has nothing to do with my labor status. Not that it's any of your business, anyway," she finished heatedly. "Let's just bury the hatchet for now and have a good time tonight, Okay?"

"Yeah, Okay, I guess. Its not like there's anything I can do about Alex anyway."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, Christ, he's into everything these days, haven't you noticed. He's become like the security driod. He wants to know everything about everyone."

"What? He does? He doesn't do that to me."

"Well maybe he has easier access to you. Does he watch you when you work on the computer? Does he know where your passwords are? I'll bet he knew weeks ago about this lay off."

"Stop it!" Kimmi was furious. And scared to the bone. "Where do you get these ideas? He's just Alex. I've known him most of my life. He's got a good job and he takes it seriously, that's all."

"I'm sure you're right," Wilson said while he massaged the bridge of his nose.

The tube came and the Human Resources gang stepped into the car. It was getting late and there were only three other passengers headed towards Philly. The seats ran sideways along the cars of the tube for maximum efficiency. The rest of the space had hanging handles, almost like the old fashioned kind in New York City.

Angie decided to organize the group. "I think we should sit boy, girl, boy, girl. There you go. Wilson, Jade, Porter, me, Dave. Kimmi, we forgot you again!"

"That's alright," Kimmi smiled. She was still feeling the effects of the pain killer. The air felt fuzzy, and she was kind of sleepy.

Damn it, I wish I had a camera," Angie pouted.

"Hey, guess what," Kimmi said.

"What?"

"I've got a disposable camera in my purse."

"You lie."

"No. Look." She pulled out a camera and quickly started snapping pictures of the group. Looking through the lense she was surprised by how attractive the group was. "These'll make great photos. Your children will never believe how beautiful you all were in your youth."

The group started mugging for the camera, and getting a little acrobatic with the handles on the tube. Kimmi got a great shot of Porter swinging by one arm and scratching under his other arm. Then they all started playing the romantic roles. Hugging and kissing in various contortions. Everyone was laughing.

They continued to play with the camera for a while. Just as they were winding down, the tube arrived at the Center City station.

The group piled out of the tube in good spirits. They realized they hadn't a clue where they wanted to go.

"Doesn't anyone know anything about Center City?" Wilson asked as the train rushed out of the station. The station was dimly lit and stank of stale urine and something worse. "What kind of place are we looking for, anyway?"

"I don't know about anyone else, but I'm in the mood for, drinking, dancing, and carousing," Jade said. "Let's hit the street and figure out where to go from there. Jeez, it stinks down here, and it's beastly hot."

The group started to shuffle off towards the City Hall exit.

"I'm hungry," Porter said as they rode the escalator up. "Let's find something with a restaurant and a dance floor."

They reach ground level and exited into a huge mall. It was dark in the mall. The ceiling was midnight blue with multi-colored stars which sparkled and pulsated. There was an iridescent full moon way up high with "Welcome to the City of Brotherly Love" inscribed across the face. There was a giant clothes pin in the middle of an exhibit featuring twenty first century sculpture. And next to the clothes pin was a computerized directory of local enterprises in Center City.

"Hey, this is great," Porter said. "Philly's sure changed since I was here last. Look at this. This thing tells us what's happening, where, when, and how to get there. What do you want to do? Dancing? There's erotic, there's interactive erotic! I vote for that. There's all kinds of dance places listed here. Restaurants? Cheese steak, yuck, South American, Italian, Middle Eastern. Hey, here's one. Dodona. 'The upbeat Ancient Greek setting makes light hearted play central to the party atmosphere. Dance, feast, and fantasize 'til dawn, for a moderate cover charge.' Its only six blocks away and it's inside the dome so we won't have to worry about dark city streets and nasty muggers. What do you say?"

"I don't know," Kimmi said. "It sounds kind of wild."

"I like the idea," said Angie. We need to get wild. Remember? Tonight's our night to howl!

There was a lot of talk back and forth and a couple of other suggestions were made, but Porter's choice won out. Fifteen minutes later Kimmi and her friends linked arms and headed towards Dodona.

It was surprisingly quiet in the mall for a Friday night, Kimmi thought, as they walked. Maybe Philly was a late night town. It was only 10 O'clock. Some cities don't start hopping until midnight. They did pass a few groups of teenagers on air boards, trying to impress each other. The age-old smell of reefer was in the air, probably coming from the young couple a half a block a head of Kimmi and the group. Retro-rock blasted out of a club here and there. People were partying in the clubs, Kimmi realized, but the streets were empty. Except for the homeless. She didn't really see the little bundles of clothing and the rickety carts that were stashed here and there between a store or on a plasti-bench. She didn't notice the dirty, smelly, ragged people sitting out beyond the glow light's glare. Nor did she notice the vicious looking scavengers who preyed on the weak and the unwary in the darker corners of the dome. None of the group did. They were just a fun bunch of suburbanites caught up in the glitter of flirting and partying and merry making. And they weren't about to think about tomorrow, or their jobs, or anything.

The gang burst into Dodana's just as the evening was getting into swing. The party of six suburbanites was greeted cheerfully by the door man. He took their credits with a smile and ushered them into the faux-Greek playground. The club building was a large globe. There were fake columns on either side of the entrance. Dead center in the building was an immense circular electro-magnetically suspended fiber optic dance floor. Tubular air tunnels blew dancers up and down from the floor. The floor was crowded. Dancers gyrated and jumped and twisted and twirled with frenetic determination to ear blasting retro rock.