LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY adrift)

Asher wasn't a huge fan of his office. He was surrounded by false people and false ideas. He loved his work, had a natural talent for it. Still, it wasn't very pleasant at the offices of Westerveldt & Parrish and Asher wondered why he had taken the job with them in the first place.

Sure, the benefits package was phenomenal, the paid vacation was entirely worth it, and the pay rate alone was enough to say yes. But the associates were cutthroat monsters, the basement was entirely off limits with no explanation whatsoever and he had never once seen the partners.

So far as he could tell, the benefits barely outweighed the negative aspects of the job. He was starting to think about relocation, a climate that would be warmer throughout the year and an office with people who actually cared about their clients and not the bottom line. He wasn't certain such a place existed.

"Daydreaming again Mr. Wilmont."

He startled to find Margaret Caldwell looming over his desk. "Ah, no," he said, then decided Margaret certainly knew better. "A bit. Can I help you with something?"

"I have an assignment for you," she replied, sitting on the edge of his desk like a 1950's pinup.

He wasn't sure how she could negotiate such a position in such a tight skirt. "New case?"

"No actually." She smiled at him, a bit wolfish underneath the perfect makeup. "We're sending you on a trip. All expenses paid. There's a cruise ship leaving Manhattan this weekend and the partners want you on it. Your job is simply to enjoy yourself."

Asher truly didn't understand what this was all about. "Wouldn't that be considered a vacation?"

"It wouldn't count against your vacation time, if that's what you're worried about." She grinned again eerily cheerful. "If we require further services of you on the cruise you will be informed."

As much as Asher wanted out of the office and as delightful as a free-pass vacation sounded, he felt very uncomfortable with the idea, enough so that he was about to say no to Margaret outright. "I have to be honest with you Miss Caldwell, I'm not entirely comfortable with this idea."

Margaret frowned at him. In his time with Westerveldt & Parrish she had been very impressed with Asher's innate ability to argue his case. She had sensed, beyond that, a hidden nature that Asher himself didn't seem aware of, a nature which proved to be of interest to the higher ups. If there was anyone more perfect for this particular job it was only Margaret herself and there was no way she was going to leave Bernadette without a guardian. She knew (and wasn't about to tell Asher) that this cruise was a one way trip. So now it became Margaret's job to talk Asher into going. "Tell me Mr. Wilmont, when you signed your contract with Westerveldt & Parrish was there some magical clause that allowed you to be uncomfortable with certain assignments, enough so that you are welcome and able to refuse them?"

And this was the bit about his fellow associates that Asher didn't like, a glaring example sitting poised on his desk, barbed tongue working for that six figure salary. "I don't believe there was Miss Caldwell, I'm simply expressing my confusion about the task I'm being assigned."

"Well Mr. Wilmont, you do appear to be between cases at the moment and your contract states that you will take any assignment given that you are able to complete it." She eyed him up and down, her smirk growing deeper. "And you do appear perfectly able. I believe that crisp signature on said contract makes you liable for any task which is handed down from the partners."

"The partners?" The idea that the partners could take an interest in Asher and send him on a secretive errand such as this boggled him. It didn't take away from his suspicion and the way Margaret was simply oozing with condescending charm.

"It appears that they've finally taken an interest in you. I wouldn't waste the opportunity." She scooted off his desk and clicked her heels all the way out of his small office. She stopped at the door. "Please let me know if you'll be going." She turned to exit, but then turned back, dangling her arm along his door frame. "Or if you'll be cleaning out your desk."

His jaw might have dropped, but that sort of threat wasn't so shocking around here. Nor was it entirely idle. The answer to this special assignment would have to be yes unless he was prepared to leave his job behind.

He'd been thinking about it for some time now, but Asher just wasn't ready to leave behind all the perks of this job and start over somewhere new. He knew before he left the office that he'd be packing his bag and accepting his travel vouchers from Margaret before the end of the week.