Todd, the HR Guy

On our first visit to the Wellness Center we traveled up a twisty staircase that lead to the second floor. I had no idea there were more than two floors at the time. I have been told that it was in a different wing than the one we are venturing now. Part of me wonders if they build these additions while we are away. I'm just glad we get to use the elevator this time. I'm in no mood to climb stairs. Anything that can speed up this process makes me happy. The fourth floor hallway is bright and clearly labeled. It has signs pointing in the direction of HR. The signs lead us down the hall to a closed oak door. We knock. A moment later a man with neatly parted hair and a cardigan sweater answers. He looks like a John, or Mark, or - "Hello, I'm Todd." The man says, interrupting my inner monologue. "How can I help you?" "We have some legal troubles." I reply. His mouth becomes small. "Oh, come in." His office is neat and organized, yet quirky at the same time. On his desk is a bird that drinks water, and his walls are filled with cliche posters of cats that say things like " Hang in there." He has a coffee urn and mugs in the corner. He pours two cups , and hands them to us. "I apologize. I have no cream or sugar at the moment." "That's quite alright." Olivia assures him. Todd sits down behind his desk. He ushers us to sit at the two chairs in front of the desk. "Now, start from the beginning." I take a deep breath and I spill the beans. I tell him everything. Every last detail. When it was all said, Todd calmly folded his hands. He sat there for a minute in silence, taking in all the information. "Ok. First of all, I don't condone how you handled that matter at the museum. However, that part will be the easiest to deal with. There may be some lingering effects, but I'll have some of my guys go down there and put a positive spin on it." "What will they say?" Olivia asks. "Strange, violent occurrence that went away with money? My guess is mass hysteria." He says, confidently. "But there were multiple witnesses." Olivia says. "All the better reason for mass hysteria. Listen, as bad as it sounds , I wouldn't worry about that at all. What concerns me is the second half of the story." "I know." I say, sheepishly. "Hey, I'm not trying to lecture you. You did what you had to do, but when you did that thing with the hearts -" "Yeah, how did you do that? I never saw you shoot them like that." I ask, interrupting Todd. "I hadn't used the hearts in a while, so I had full energy, and I just concentrated." Todd coughs. We pier up at him. "May I continue?" We nod. "Thank you. Yes, that thing with the hearts... What happens to the person afterwards?" "They have a change of perspective." Olivia responds. "How long does the changed perspective last?" He asks. "It depend how strong their will is. It could be a matter of minutes, hours, or days." She says. Todd taps his fingers. "This is where my concern is." "What's the problem?" I ask. His jaw drops. "You have two teenage witnesses. You two are safe, but how do you know he won't go after them to get to you?" "We'll check up on them." Olivia says. "You better." He shouts . Todd takes a moment to collect himself. "I'll put in an order for a falcon. You know where to go from there, right?" We nod in unison. Olivia and I attempt to get up. "One more thing, and you probably won't like this." He says, quietly. "What?" I ask. "I want you to check up on the biker." "What?!" Olivia shouts. "If his change of perspective is permanent then his life may be in danger with his gang." "Why should we care about him?" I demand. Todd leans forward. "If you were aimlessly going about your own missions you wouldn't have to care, but you are technically employed by the Wellness Center. This will be a priority." Olivia and I begrudgingly agree. "If that man is trying to start a good, honest life, I will not have anyone harm him." Todd writes on a sheet of paper and hands it to us. "If you need me for whatever reason, don't be afraid to call. Good luck, and please stay out of trouble."