1.1 Anticipation

The lithe executive never actually decided to move. That was something all of her body and none of her mind. So she moved, discarding the tools of the position she was similarly abandoning. The window that she had stared out of so many times was blurred, and the world beyond it was only two colors...the black silhouettes of the buildings that housed millions of other dying people and the primal red of the sunset. A wicked expression stared back at her in the window; the blood red was familiar, and she was about to add just a little more of the color to the world.

"Shaen?" Glancing back to acknowledge the husk that would undoubtedly become her replacement in the following minutes, Shaen found her fingers moving without her permission, placed lightly on the unpainted lips, silencing her ex-assistant without any real effort. Turning to face the other woman properly, she started in on the so-called evil genius speech. Even this was not something of her mind really, not just yet. Oh, she would have to rework it a little bit in the near future, no doubt about it, but for now, it flowed naturally from the last time the words had escaped her lips. The only thing different was the addressee.

As she closed the speech with a particularly evil laugh, Joann nodded appreciatively. After all, it was a rare thing indeed to see one of the great masters in such fine form, let alone to be the recording vessel for the words. There was a pleasure that seemed to originate at her ex-boss, and Joann wondered if she oughtn't clap, now that the whole thing was tied up. Yet Shaen seemed to be pulling the cackle to a close, and really, it was a bit late to start clapping now anyway.

Fist closing in finality with the last satisfying 'ha,' the next ruler of New NewLosSan Tokyorkdonton radiated with the muse that had lit upon her once more. Bidding Joann adieu in far more words than worth recording, she made her way to the escape ladder, setting off the alarm as she swung the door open and slammed it behind her giving the cold air as little chance as possible to rush in behind her. After all, it was the warmth that had saved her...perhaps it might some day save Joann as well.

WC: 392