Showing the Colors

  “A lot of discussion is made on how to sub-categorize types of heroes. Mystics compared to tanks, and the like. One fairly significant subgroup are the people providing support of non-powered or lower powered levels. Villains commonly call these ‘henchmen’.”

  “Heroes employ such people as well. While they frequently are called Agents, or simply referred to by job title, the traditional term for them is an Adjunct, a reference to the Adjunct Coast Guard Infantry Team that was the combat and non-combat support squad of the original Guardians during World War Two.”

  “Both Henchs and Adjuncts can be reached out to by the organization known as the Guild. The Guild is basically where villains and heroes both can employ assistants or even arrange for administrative services through certain shell corporations the group will create. Ironically, they are also known to have stolen technology from dead villains and turned them into their own revenue streams, at least allegedly.

  “Tailors are, as usual, the easiest way to track this down, though allegedly they deny the Guilds existence.”

  Solaris smiled as Alexi left. "So far I like everyone I've talked to, and that gives us the two pilots.”

  "Which weren't priorities but are good to have. And a benefit to being open to interviewing for just about anything."

  “You never know what you need.” the older woman said pragmatically. I expect I’ll do some informal interviews at the dinner.”

  "Well, looking over the preliminary interviews... Erica has a guy who is a qualified mechanic, so JDM specialist like you mentioned wanting to find. She says he seems solid. A potential administrative specialist who is looking for something 'safe' for a touch sensitive. She apparently is a touch clairvoyant, retrocognition."

  “A useful, if socially…difficult gift.” Solaris said.

  "I was thinking she would work well as a... let us say coordinating secretary between all the other assistants, at a central office, possibly in the same place as we set up our servers and IT department." She explained. "I have a few other admin types applying, but they haven't been interviewed by Anzy yet."

  “A coordinator. That makes sense, sounds like someone for your direct staff. I am sure more projects will present themselves.”

  "Agreed." She nodded. "We'll look at the admin potentials from here and the Europe office, for your and Penny's personal assistant. I claimed Bailey." She chuckled. "We have a few applicants who are... well... making assumptions. We have so far gotten six 'hero' job applications."

  Solaris sighed, “Makes sense, everyone expects me to build my own team to lead.” She rested her head in her hand. “Do you think we should build a more…. hero focused version of your griffin team? I don’t mind mentoring them. I’m just not interested in going out looking for trouble right now.”

  "Honestly? Boss, I fought a freaking Mole Maid last month and then chased a super-criminal stealing a Hypercar. And I'm NOT a full-time hero." She raised an eyebrow. "My question is, do you think you'll have a choice, given enough time?"

  “No, not really, and I’ll admit I assess the new hero’s I meet almost by instinct to see if I’d be willing to team them. I am pretty sure Sphinx and I are going to team up at some point.” She shook her head. What do you think El. Should I put together a…. Hero training team?”

  "We're dealing with people past basic training. Perhaps more accurately a Hero Apprenticeship. Field qualified but not trying to save the world just yet."

  She nodded, thinking of the capes she had known and trained and chuckled. “So I start the superhero trade school? Teaching young wannabes how to live as a cape. There are worse jobs. I guess I'm open to the idea.

  "Hero University. Home of the Griffins." El giggled. "Good you say that. I can stop hiding the prep I've been doing for the infrastructure it'd need."

  “Darling you are worth everything I pay you! Alright, I will meet the hero candidates maybe the day after the party. The fledglings can parse out the ones that are obviously not good applicants.”

  "Great. I'll bring you your jacket for dinner. They're really quite sharp." Elenore smirked.

  Solaris stood and stretched. “Well then let’s go. Interviews are going to take a couple of days.”

  "Very true. I'll read everyone's report on initial conversations tonight after dinner, or in the morning.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  "By the way, Cassidy hopes you like the ‘henchman' outfit she designed." Elenore smirked.

  “Oh? Did she do an adjunct uniform for us?”

  "Yep, had one made for us too. The 'field' version is synthetic spider silk/kevlar denim tactical pants, with a light utility belt, undershirt, and a jacket with a cut based on the G-1 military fighter jacket, but in a black synthetic leather, armored, with concealed plates. With other details of course."

  “That sounds very sharp. I’ll need to talk to Grayson and Talia… brain types need manpower from time to time. Grayson probably knows the guild, but I don’t know if he knows about white shoe versus black shoe members.”

  "To be fair, you yourself also have a strong history in research, and we have a substantial number of smarties."

  “True. Hmm.” She pulled her phone out. “Siri, remind me to call the Guild and make sure my account is still open.” She looked at Elenore. If you are setting up a super base you will need good Adjuncts, they handle janitorial work and such.”

  "Yeah, I know. By the way, since we're relatively close to it, did you want to do anything about the Hong Kong property and what is in it? There's any number of people we wouldn't want to take over there, but we could visit."

  Solaris paused, “I think Louise said I owned four floors and a private museum there. Is it wrong of me to think it’s not worth going? If Hong Kong was still owned by England it might be worth my time, but I don’t really want to support a communist country. It might be best to just sell it then invest in land that is more useful.”

  "Well... honestly, I've wondered what you wanted to do with it, it does generate a decent passive income, but it is a riskier real estate investment with China and how they treat Enhanced. Louise and I guessed you might want to get rid of it and did some math. Low ball estimate, the floors alone will sell for over two-hundred million dollars, assuming a bidding war doesn't start." She admitted.

  “That is considerable.” She was startled by the amount, she knew it had increased in value, her grandfather had only paid a few thousand pounds for the land in the 1800s, but the estimated value now was almost obscene. “More than I thought by quite a bit. Let’s sell it. I’ll have to figure out what to do with the museum, cause I certainly don’t want Grandfather's mummies in my house.

  "I'll reach out, and we can charter a plane to bring the contents to us. Alternatively, I suppose we could send the mummies to Egypt. They might like them."

  “They can have anything Egyptian there. Honestly, I don’t know what ended up there. It became a bit of a family attic. We can ship anything the Egyptians don’t take to the Summer Manor to go through with everything else. Maybe there are other things we can pawn off on someone else.”

  "Fortunately, the staff for that is very small, only one older gentleman and some part timers. I'll get the catalogue but have them start crating things and we'll send things where you say. We can start the sale process too. I'll call and find out who handles that on the financial side of things."

  “If the staff wants to relocate, I am sure their curation skills would be useful at the Manor, I’m sure some sort of family museum will happen, or to take care of the artifacts in the house.”

  "He's in his fifties. With your permission, I think a severance package would work better in his case, let him retire early."

  “Whichever he prefers, I'm fine with that. I just want to make sure my staff is cared for even if I don’t know them, personally.”

  Solaris walked out of the interview room she’d been using, “I’ll go change and we can head to the ballroom.”

  “I will bring your jacket and meet you at your room."

  A few minutes after they separated Elenore showed up in a simple rose blouse, jeans with light boots, and a charcoal flight jacket, with a ruff of what looked like fur, and rose piping. A bronze griffin was on the left shoulder. She offered a wrapped box to Solaris. "Here's yours." she winked.

  Solaris smiled, opening the box, “Oh, she pulled out the jacket, a similar gray with blue piping. It’s lovely! She darted back into her room and changed into a deep rose patterned sweater dress. She slid the jacket on and added a pair of grey ankle boots. “What do you think?”

  "Very nice. I messaged the others. I can explain why there's other colors later, but its kind of a future proofing effort. but they're nice and warm, and lightly armored, which let’s face facts, makes me feel better!" She chuckled.

  “I do understand.” She took Elenore’s arm and walked down to the lobby where the rest of her staff were waiting for the cars. How did your interviews go?”

  "I got slightly ill interviewing a speedster who couldn’t sit still. I mean, she was trying hard, but she just... vibrated. Screws fell out of the chair." Anzy sighed. She was also wearing one of the jackets, hers bearing a very fetching bronze piping. "She's in my b stack, interested in potentially being a hero, and secondary interest is a firm 'I don't know'."

  "I got an arrogant twerp who just also happens to be a baby Kreigsmarine. I mean, flying, tough, moderate energy projector, also wanting the hero role. And he looks the part." Mercedes, her jacket identical to Anzy’s, shook her head. "But man, did he strut."

  "I met a nice girl who was training as a secretary. She's not a genius, by any stretch, but she was cheerful, spoke English and Mandarin fluently, and was solid in Korean and French from what she claimed." Mei said. "And she does traditional archery as a hobby. We had a lovely conversation."

  “Well, we do need more secretaries, so she might be good to do another interview. I met a couple of pilots, and some production crew; a composer and editor, that I think are both likely to be offered contracts.”

  "I met what I thought was a nervous guy and his girlfriend. I mean, I still might be right, but she's apparently a sentient AI Gynoid...not sure what that means... and he invented her." Zoya said, shaking her head. "Is it healthy that the creation seemed better with socialization than the creator?"

  “From what I have seen it’s not uncommon with brain types. What were they interviewing for?” Solaris asked

  "He didn't know if you wanted researchers but due to St. Nicks and history thought you might. She is 'competent at many tasks, can learn new skills quickly, and has no particular goals due to not being sure how to develop them."

  “I can forward his info to St. Nicks. I am not really doing research right now.” They got in the cars and headed for the party. I’ll have to talk to the girl to see if she’s a fit and where.