Did you put ketamine in the Coffee-Mate??

  The office park, fss buildings brushed with sad oaks and box hedges, waited for him like jail time. There was nothing around but the same old paved over prairie nd stacked with strip malls, restaurants, parking lots, clustered office buildings, and upper-middle-css housing units ked out like thirty caliber rounds. The nd was as smooth as if it had beeed the same moment as the highway and the sky slid across it all without resista made him miss the beaches of Thaind and the clubs of Ibiza. This kind of America felt like quid.

  Paul had stopped by a liquor store on the oured a quarter of the whiskey into a coke with a few sips missing. He shoved the bottle into his shoulder bag and walked towards the tallest building. An armed guard watched him from outside the front door. They had beefed up security after some guy came in with a gun. He had waved it around in the lobby g about something, then drove home and shot a few cars on the highway. He was watg porn in his living room when the cops broke down the door. Everyo work was crag jokes about it for a month until they sent out that email. " you bme him?" "A living legend." "I got one of his signed qualities. Think I'm gonna frame it."

  Paul felt he was being watched and looked around. His Uber passed a bck Mercedes SUV parked he edge of the lot. The driver had that ex-military or current cop look to him. He g Paul and then back down at his p.

  "Oh, what the fuck is this?" Paul muttered. After he was wanded, he saw another cop-looking guy in the lobby who made eye tact over a magazine. Paul looked away and got in the elevator.

  "I'll just go in my office, tell them to fuck off and e back with a warrant. Thehey're gone, I'll get lost." The elevator climbed. Did they need a warrant to search his office? Had one of the workers called in a tip or something? Was there even anything in his office? Stupid! Probably just some corporate guys. The reports must have finally set off arms higher up. Whatever. He could get another job.

  He stepped out of the elevator and saw his senior maodd, standiween the reception area and the call ter floor with a man he had never seen. The man was shorter than Todd but filled out his suit like the god damerminator. He looked like something out of an old mob movie. Short slick hair, sharp brown eyes, charcoal suit, and a striped aper tie. Paul turo go around the edge of the cubicles toward his offi the back, hoping they hadn't seen him.

  "Paul," Todd called. Shit. Paul looked around for a bit like no one would ever have a reason to call his name before making eye tad walking over.

  "Hey, did you call the attendance liodd asked.

  "Uh, no, I had kind of a rough m."

  "Ok, no problem. I'll take care of it. This is Robert. Mind if we go talk in your office?"

  Paul shook Robert's hand awkwardly, thehem both across the floor. He gnced around and saw Jeremy, his manager, watg like they were taking Paul to be executed and he was . Paul gred but couldn't really bme him. This didn't seem like something three grand a month could take care of.

  They all went into his office. Robert sat like the terminator too.

  "Ok, Robert's with NFG." Paul almost ran right then. Nations First Guard was the security pany brought on after the i. They had good retions with w enfort and hired a bunch of veterans. They were also the only reason Paul had been thinking of ging locations. Should have known this setup was too good to st.

  "Sir, I'll cut right to it. We've received some threats against your person, which we have reason to believe could be legitimate."

  "What? Like from the employees? What kind of threats?"

  "Some kind of retaliation. you think of ahat would feel like yed them in some way?"

  "No. I'm just a supervisor. I've never even fired anyone," Paul said. Todd shifted in his seat.

  "Well, we're going to be keeping a,” Robert said. “I'm going to leave you my info and if you think of anything, or if aries to tact you, just let me know." He got up, handed out cards, shook hands, everyone said goodbye, and he was goodd turo Paul with his hands up like he expected a freak out.

  "Now before you get all excited, Robert told me they think it might be just some guy off his meds. Maybe reted to that uy. I think he said something about an incel website."

  "Who the fuck called NFG?" Paul had fotten himself out of panic, but Todd ig.

  "I don't know, Paul, now just calm down. I don't think anyone called them, but this is serious. They said they might have to escate the case to the cops."

  Paul ched his teeth together.

  The case. Fuck me, I'm in a god damned file somewhere now. Notes being added. My picture in the er. This Paul character, I wanna know everything about him.

  "So, what? Am I just supposed to stay here for the rest of the day, waiting to get blown up or shot?"

  "No, Christ Paul! Nothing like that is going to happen. They're all over the pd this guy is probably just some nut. They did say they would prefer it if you stayed in the building.”

  “So I’m just supposed to sit here waiting to die!"

  "No one's gonna die, Paul! They said it's just emails right now. Probably some kid in a basement in aate."

  "How am I supposed to work like this? I 't leave?"

  "They said they'd prefer if you didn't. Look, there's no reason to panic. Just sit and wate videos or something."

  "What?!"

  "Well, I don't expect you to do arics or one-on-ones given the circumstances. But I did tell Robert I could get you to stay the rest of the day. It didn't look good for me when you came in te, I'll say that!" Todd had his hands on his hips and was red in the face. Paul wished he was in the mood to ugh.

  "All right. Fuck!"

  Todd wiped the sweat off his forehead a. Paul heard him murmuring to some people outside in a reassuring tone.

  He sat down and took out his phone. How was he going to get out of here?