Essex Corporation Building, Miles's office.
A deep blue portal appeared out of thin air, and Miles stepped out of it.
"Wow, look who's back?"
Behind the massive desk, in what had originally been Miles's seat, Esme lounged lazily in the office chair and said casually, "Was the outside world fun, boss? Oh, and who was that big guy you just left in the special containment unit? Some rare Mutant you brought back from another world?"
"He's Evan Sabanur, a Mutant born in this world."
Miles waved a hand and closed the portal. "I originally wanted to leave him at the community college, but there are too many kids there, and he's too powerful, so I could only bring him back for now."
"That certainly sounds like a gentle way to put it."
Esme snorted and set down the financial report in her hand.
"How touching. Our dear boss went out for a while and actually learned to consider other people."
"I've always cared about these things."
"Is that so?"
Esme gave him a professionally sweet smile.
"Then I'm sure you won't mind explaining why, over the past few days, I had to chair seven management meetings for you, reject investigation requests from two government departments, and explain to those idiots why Essex Corporation's highest-ranking executive was always missing."
"Aurora knows where I am."
Miles defended himself.
"That's wonderful."
Esme clapped her hands. "Next time someone asks, I'll tell them that our great supreme executive, Mr. Miles, hasn't gone missing. He's simply attacking alien fleets at the edge of the Solar System, breaking into vampire palaces, investigating ancient corpses, and holding private meetings with certain queens of dark magic whose danger level cannot be quantified."
She paused, then added:
"Of course, these are all perfectly normal business activities."
"You know quite