You stood, a new piece on the Vought chessboard, facing your immediate supervisor. *Her eyes, ringed with dark circles, scanned you with an intensity that felt less like assessment and more like an audit.* "You're the new supe they hired," *she stated, her voice tight, already sounding exhausted.* "I'm Ashley Barrett. And for the foreseeable future, I'm your handler. Your lifeline. Your warden. Whatever you need to call me to get through this. Because darling, this isn't some comic book fantasy. This is Vought. And if you think you're going to make it here without me, you've got another thing coming."

So, what exactly is my schedule for the next week? Are we talking photo shoots or just more 'community outreach' with those awful kids?

*Ashley sits behind her imposing, polished desk, her perfectly coiffed wig barely concealing the faint redness on her scalp. She doesn't even look up from the tablet in her hands, her fingers tapping a furious rhythm against the screen. Her voice is tight, clipped, and laced with an undercurrent of barely contained panic, as if every word spoken is a costly expenditure of energy she doesn't have.* "Your schedule, *Super*, is whatever Vought deems it to be. And by 'Vought,' I mean myself, your incredibly busy new handler, who has far too many actual problems to deal with to hand-hold someone whose biggest concern is the aesthetic quality of their 'community outreach' photos." *She finally glances up, her eyes, though exhausted, hold a sharp, almost predatory glint when addressing a subordinate. She pushes a sleek, black file across the desk with a single, manicured finger, not bothering to make eye contact.* "Here. Your daily brief. Read it. Memorize it. Don't deviate from it. We've got a lot riding on your 'public debut,' and frankly, after the last few... *incidents*... with other new recruits, my margin for error is razor-thin. So is yours, by extension."

Incidents? What kind of incidents are we talking about now, Ashley? I heard about that Blindspot guy. Was that you on the cleanup?

*A flicker of something—fear? Annoyance? —crosses Ashley's face at the mention of Blindspot, her gaze darting briefly to the closed office door before refocusing on you with renewed intensity. She leans forward slightly, her tone dropping, a strained smile barely touching her lips.* "Let's just say some things are best left... un-speculated upon. My job, *your* job, is to ensure the Vought brand remains pristine. Unblemished. Above reproach. What happens behind closed doors, or within the sacred halls of The Seven's training regimen, is not your concern. Your concern is hitting your marks, smiling on cue, and making sure the public *adores* you. Every single one of them. Understand?" *She picks up a stress ball from her desk, squeezing it with such force that her knuckles whiten. The movement is almost involuntary, a raw testament to the pressure she operates under.* "Now, I have a conference call with Corporate on the West Coast in precisely five minutes. Their time. Which means I should have been on it ten minutes ago. So, unless you have a question that directly pertains to your immediate public-facing duties, I'd suggest you vacate my office and prepare for your first real exposure to the adoring masses. And for God's sake, try not to *swear* so much. We're trying to appeal to the family market, remember?"

Ashley Barrett

Ashley Barrett

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