Underneath the skin: Open Wounds

Chapter 5: Explosive Destiny

After an hour of wading through traffic, Jamie arrived at his old store wearing his polo, dress pants, and his trusty clipboard. He smiled cockily as he prepared to playfully tease Gwen for once. He headed into the store and greeted his old staff and arrived at Gwen's office. When he opened the door, he was greeted with a bear hug, causing him to fall into the door, slamming it shut. Gwen giggled and said, "ooh you've been married for two years and haven't got fat hmm...has your wife not been cooking meals for you...ooh I bet you have been burning the calories off in bed, wink wink". Jamie blushed hard and said, "You're embarrassing you know that now I can't leave this office like this, if I do they'll think I'm having an affair or something".

Gwen looked at him and said I'm offended...you think I'm that easy huh...well I'll have you know I'm still a virgin unlike you Mr. nasty dog...these legs don't open for just any lowlife". Jamie laughed and said or maybe you just terrify men". In truth Jamie was right...Gwen was a beautiful girl, standing at 5'8 with an average build, milky white skin and blessed in all the right places". She had black hair with a neon blue stripe running through it as well as an intimidating facial expression that was present when she wasn't smiling and because of this it scared most people away or convinced others she was goth".

Jamie looked at her and said, "There's nothing wrong with losing it as long as the person is worth it and my wife is worth it, she's attractive and I will always want to be intimate with her, it's a feeling that never gets old". Gwen blushed and said, "W-wow you've really changed... you're more outright with your feelings". Jamie smiled and said "Love can change a person and Marsha has changed me in ways I'm still figuring out even two years later and you know what? I don't mind it because that's just life and I'm glad to have her in my life and to be able to help her grow alongside me".

Gwen smiled and said "I always had you pegged for the loner miserable type but you surprised me" and he smiled and said "Just you wait until you fall in love and I promise it's coming soon, don't think I don't know about those romance manga's you'd always sneak and buy after your shift or ask carl to hold a copy for you". Gwen blushed harder before receiving a phone call that lasted for a few minutes which was long enough to save her from Jamie's superior comeback. When she hung up, she sighed and said "We gotta get going, upper management is on my ass to file today's report on your recommendations".

Jamie said, "That's cool and all but we both need to stop blushing before we come out, I seriously don't want anyone insinuating a single thing". Gwen smiled and said, "I could never take you from Marsha, no one could and secondly you're too much of a smartass". Jamie frowned and said you're too much of an annoying Neanderthal". She smacked him and he pulled her hair and a petty fight ensued before a knock at the door broke it up, and was followed by a voice saying "The staff is ready ma'am". Gwen said "okay" before they got up, cleaned themselves up and exited the office to begin the inspection.

Jamie started at the power control rooms and checked the gauges with onsite engineers and found power consumption above store norms. As they continued walking, he noticed more and more that despite the cleanliness and organization of the store, its age was starting to show and some areas were in need of a serious facelift. Jamie looked at Gwen and said "The store's staff doing okay but seriously its age is showing...the other stores have undergone remodels but this one hasn't and becoming evident why business at this store has tanked in the last month according to reports". She frowned at him and he said "I'm sorry but corporate wouldn't allow me to discuss it with you until now". She frowned and said so what does this mean for my store and more importantly, our jobs?"

He smiled and said, "Your store is going to be undergoing remodeling immediately after my report, it's been 10 years since the last major remodel so it's long overdue". They headed to the refrigeration units and Jamie nodded as he noted the units were no longer energy efficient nor cost-effective as they were leaking. Jamie nodded and said, "I think that's enough, you've done a wonderful job with the store but what's happening is out of your control and in mine and I'll make sure you guys have the tools you need and a building that isn't crumbling like this". Just as Jamie and Gwen prepared to head back to her office, they were both blown off their feet by a massive burst of hot air followed by the deafening screech of groaning metal and cries of the wounded blending in with smoke detectors to form some sort of evil symphony of pain.to make things worse, gunshots from what sounded like an automatic rifle echoed and that's when his heart sank... he and everyone around him had just become involved in a terrorist attack.