(writing) Have to share a small snippet, just because.

She nodded as he followed her down the stairs. “Yes, others. Did you really think I was working alone?”

“I hadn’t actually thought much about it,” Alex admitted.

“Foolish, Alex,” Nikki chided him. “You’ve really handled this badly, you know. Didn’t you ever read the evil overlord handbook?”

“Sorry. I’ll do it better next time.” He wasn’t sure why he was apologizing. The entire conversation had taken a turn for the surreal. “I didn’t realize I was going for evil overlord status.”

She laughed. “You were creating super soldiers, Alex! What else were you going for?”

“Profit?”

“Like I said, evil overlord.”