The Alley Man

The Alleyman's Return

My boss is Valentina Antonova. A model who used her good looks to get into sales. Now she works as a marketing district manager. She doesn’t have a degree or a background in marketing except for acting as a model for some of the sales photos and commercials the company did 10 years ago. I am not sure how she even got the job that she has now. There are some rumors that she got in through some connections she had. When she first arrived it was a three way split between she slept with someone, she was the daughter of someone on the board, or the craziest of the three, her father is in the Bratva and used his connections to threaten someone into giving her this job. I am not sure about the first two but I am decently sure that the Bratva thing is because she is Russian and people have some serious imaginations.

Anyways I was hired into a creative position about a week before Ms. Antonova became the new manager so I don’t really know what it was like before that but some of the older people in the company say that there used to be no problems and everyone was treated well. I guess that is why most of them have since quit.

Working for Ms. Antonova is nothing like that and I mean nothing. She screams and yells at everyone. She expects us to be at work before she comes in and that could be anytime between 7 am and 11 am. Since no one knows which way the morning will go, everyone comes in at 7 am even though our work day isn’t supposed to start until 9. Then in the morning meeting, she gives a list of assignments that no one person could finish in a work day. On the off chance that it does get finished and you turn it in, she will reject everything and make it all be done from scratch. I should know it has happened to me twice.

Additionally, she has stolen at least 3 of my ideas for future marketing strategies. When I brought it up she returned all of my assignments back to me so I could redo them for nearly 2 weeks. I wasn’t sure I was going to survive it, but I did and things didn’t get better. I am to act as her personal assistant until a point in which she can begin to regain trust in me, my loyalty, and my work product. That was 8 months ago and I am still her acting personal assistant.

Back to the current situation. Ms. Antonova was screaming at the top of her lungs all the way from the other side of the room which is where she had thrown the item, which appears to be a mug, at my head.

“YOU STUPID WORTHLESS LOWLIFE, WHERE WERE YOU? YOU ARE LATE TO WORK, RUINING EVERYONE ELSE DAY! ALL OF YOUR COWORKERS MADE IT TO WORK ON TIME! BUT YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING RIGHT, I HAVE GIVEN YOU CHANCE AFTER CHANCE AND YOU JUST KEEP f*****g UP! WHAT IS THE POINT OF HAVING SUCH A WORTHLESS EMPLOYEE. NOT ONLY CAN YOU DO NOTHING RIGHT BUT YOU CAN’T EVEN BE BOTHERED TO SHOW UP ON TIME.” Ms. Antonova screeches at me.

“I am sorry,” I begin to explain.

“OH, PLEASE TELL ME YOU ARE NOT TRYING TO COME UP WITH SO STUPID EXCUSE FOR BEING LATE. QUIT TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR COWORKERS. AS YOUR BOSS I COULDN’T BE MORE EMBARRASSED."

“But, I,” I start again but before I can say anything else.

SLAP, directly across my face, I can feel the scratch from her manicured nails as she slaps me so hard I feel a sting across my entire face.

“YOU ARE SO LUCKY THAT I DON’T FIRE YOU. Fortunately for you I don’t have the time to deal with you because our bosses’ boss is coming in today and we will be making a good impression. YOU WILL DO NOTHING TO SCREW THAT UP OR ELSE.”

Before she can finish, a man's strong, demanding voice interrupts her and coldly asks, “Or else what?”

She looks up about to go off on the employee that dares to interrupt and question her but whatever she sees causes her to freeze.

Wait a second, I recognize that voice . . . It’s the man. The man from the alleyway is here; the absolute hunk of a man that I ran into, whose coffee I spilt all over him is here, witnessing this absolute horror show. I whip my head around to look with a speed that almost caused more pain than Ms. Antonova’s slap.

IT IS HIM, AND HE IS HERE! I am so shocked I don’t know what to say, it’s only been a few minutes since I last saw him, and yet I can feel my heart beginning to race in my chest. I feel like I can’t breathe. Is it possible that his godlike looks have gotten better; that has to be my imagination right?

He repeats his question, “or else what Ms. Antonova?”

It’s like ice water has been dumped over me. He knows my boss?

Who the hell is the alleyman?

Ms. Antonova’s attitude changed up so quickly, it was like she was two different people. She stands up straight, flutters her eyes, and says in the most sickening voice.

“I am so sorry you had to see that sir. Unfortunately this employee has been a serious problem for the company. I have tried so hard to keep her on, out of the goodness of my heart. I truly don’t want to have to fire anyone,” at this point her voice does a fake little tremble. “But if this employee can’t turn it around even with all of the extra support I have given her, I just don’t see how we can continue to employ her, sir.”

Alleyman continues to stare coldly at Ms. Antonova, “hmm, well maybe your support is the issue then. A failure to supervise and create success within a business is directly related to the skills of the supervisor.”

I try my hardest not to snort at that comment. The way Alleyman said the word skills to her, like it left a rotten taste in his mouth, means that somehow whoever the Alleyman is, he doubts that she has any. Which she doesn’t.

Her face begins to redden and her voice sounds shaky, “I understand sir, but a successful business man such as yourself must know that even the best supervisors can only do so much if the employee is unable or unwilling to do their job. The company can only do so much.”

“That is correct, Ms. Antonova,” he agrees readily. Ms. Antonova begins to smirk, knowing she has won. She won’t be getting in trouble, the tide has turned and, oh s**t I might actually be getting fired.

Wait, who is the Alleyman, how can he fire me? Why does Ms. Antonova care about getting his opinion before firing me? Wait, don’t I at least get to defend myself, I haven’t even been able to say a word in my defense. I just get fired based on Ms. Antonova’s word. Without any evidence, because there is none.

I start to explain the situation and at least make sure that Mr. Alleyman hears both sides of the story. Though I doubt it will help considering I ran into him and spilt coffee on his suit already.

“Wait, I didn’t” I begin to say but am quickly interrupted.

“Nobody is speaking to you,” Ms. Antonova hisses.

“That is correct,” Alleyman agrees boredly.

Why do I feel hurt by that? For the second time today, I stare directly into Alleyman's dark green eyes, this time pleading for the opportunity to explain, but his cold eyes give off nothing.

“You are fired, you need to pack your things and get out immediately you will not be receiving a recommendation from this company,” Ms. Antonova states. I can hear the glee in her tone as she fires me. I look down and start to make my way over to my desk, when I hear his deep cold voice.

“I didn’t say she was fired.”

I whip my head around. HE IS THE BOSS THAT WAS COMING TODAY! ALLEYMAN IS MY BOSS!

Ms. Antonova’s smirk starts to slip off her smug face, “I am sorry sir, I must have misunderstood when you agreed that employees such as her have no place here.

“That is not what I said.” Alleyman responds, “ I agreed that worthless employees that do nothing for the company and only cause problems, who have no hope of progressing or learning deserve to be fired.”

Ms. Antonova’s smirk quickly returns, “Yes, and that describes this employee exactly.

“Does it now well then, Ms. Antonova, Ms. Safina, let us take this into the office and see to it that any employee who lacks use is no longer in this company.” Alleyman commands before walking straight past us towards the private meeting room. He knows my name? How? When? I don’t remember telling him.

His tone leaves no room for argument or disobedience of any kind. It is clear by the way he holds himself that he has never been ignored when he demands something and we won’t be making this the first time. As he brushes past me he murmurs underneath his breath so quietly that I can barely hear him,

“Don’t forget your promise Zaika.”