CEO??

Chapter 10

Baker cleared her throat and stood, beginning her presentation. "Over the past month, the revenue on our new StarkPad line has been steadily increasing our profits." She went on to propose increasing the budget for certain projects. She passed me the files to review. I nodded and gestured for the next to go.

"The new prototypes meant to filter the air in New York have been working tremendously well. I propose putting them on the fast track for final completion, as well as the water cleanser for the ocean, which has seen similar results. Unlike what some companies might say, pollution is a large part of today's problems, and will impact the future in a significant way. We need to counter the problem as soon as possible."

I hummed in agreement. "I like your thinking, Mr. Long. What would your team need?"

"Well, to start with, a lab would be nice," he said.

My eyes widened in shock. "You're telling me that your department doesn't have a single lab?"

He nodded. "Yes. We have made do with what we are given, but we are limited in what we can do."

I frowned. "Mr. Brady, please make a note to scold Pepper and Tony later." I used their first names, despite the professional setting, to make it clear to the board where I stood. Yes, I could do politics too.

He nodded and typing out a note on his new StarkPad.

"It is impressive what your team has done with such limited resources. I will make sure you get a lab. Anything else?"

He thought for a moment before shaking his head. "Nothing. Our budget is large enough and we have enough people. All we needed was a lab."

"Very well."

By the end of the meeting, I was silently raging. Half the departments were understaffed and the other half didn't have enough resources to do their job to the fullest extent. I strode out of the room angrily, Darren scrambling to keep up. Noticing this, I slowed my pace.

"What did you learn from that, Darren?" I asked in a quiet voice. I was furious, but I wouldn't take it out on the kid.

He bit his lip. "It seemed to me that there was a major lack of communication before you became CEO."

"And how did you come to this conclusion?"

"None of the departments are working at their best. They all needed something, but didn't receive it."

"And how would you suppose that would affect our business?"

"Well, if the departments aren't working at their best, then they aren't working as quickly or efficiently as they could be, which cuts down on production and, consequently, profits."

"Very good," I praised.

"Thanks, Mr. Parker! Where are we going now?"

"Lab Seven. I want to know who made this project," I said, pulling the folder from my briefcase. "What's on the schedule for the rest of the day?"

He checked. "Umm... a meeting with Princess Shuri and working on a prosthetic arm for your father."

I sighed happily and redirected the elevator to my living floor. "Great. We can change out of these clothes."

"Sir? Aren't we meeting with a princess?"

"Well, yes, but Shuri is different. You'll see. I will have Friday direct you to where you can find a more comfortable set of clothing. Don't bother trying to be professional. No one will care."

After changing into one of Harley's hoodies that he left in my room, which were too big for me, and a comfortable pair of jeans, I found Darren in a pair of black skinny jeans and an oversized science pun shirt that I immediately knew was mine. I smiled and didn't comment. I grabbed the folder again and we were headed to Lab Seven.

The doors opened with a ding and I stared in shock at the scene in front of me. Papers were scattered in one corner of the lab, surrounding a young woman with blonde hair which was pulled back. She was eating a large bag of Cheeto Puffs. In another corner, a young male was typing away furiously on a laptop, muttering under his breath and occasionally calling out random questions that the others in the lab would answer. The rest were scattered about, sitting on the tables or floor, rather than the chairs provided (all of which were stacked in a corner), and working on prototypes assigned to them.

They all seemed to be working perfectly well in their own way. I totally understood that everyone works best differently and uniquely. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that there were a total of five people in the lab. Only five. In a lab meant for at least twenty. Five people were doing the work of twenty people. It made me upset to see the bags under their eyes and their unkempt state.

"Excuse me," I said quietly, causing them all to turn to me. Gods of Asgard, they couldn't have been more than 20.

"Oh!" the blonde woman said, hurriedly trying to pick up her space. "I'm so sorry, Sir."

I waved her apology away. "You're fine, Ms. Bishop. We all work differently. Personally, I like to work while hanging upside down. It helps me think."

She sighed in relief. "What brings you down here, today, Sir?" she asked.

"Yeah," a teenaged boy called from a table across the lab. "What brings the boss man to our humble dwellings?"

I laughed before sobering. "Well, first, I would like to know why there are only five people here."

"Oh, well, we're the only ones in the lab," Bishop said. She's the lab director for the group.

I saw red for a moment. "You're telling me that you five are the only ones assigned to this lab?" I asked. "Darren, make a note to hire more interns."

"Yes, Sir."

"Okay, you all are going to stop what you are doing, come upstairs with me, and sleep. You are obviously exhausted and when was the last time you ate a real meal?"

I got various answers, but overall it was approximately three days ago. "We have work to do, Sir. This new model has to be done by the end of the week and we've only just gotten to the second testing phase," Bishop explained. "We don't have time to sleep or eat."

"I'm postponing all of your current assignments," I announced. "Any priority projects will be assigned to another lab. You five need to recover."

"Mr. Parker, would you like me to send a request for food to be delivered?" Darren asked.

I nodded. "Yes, thank you." I turned back to the group of interns. "Now, come on." 

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Thoughts?