Rumors?

The office buzzed with the usual hum of keyboards and murmurs of conversation. George leaned back in his chair, eyeing his colleagues, Ed and Ahmed.

"I'm telling you guys," George said, leaning forward, "there's no way that 'The Troll' is eligible for hiring here. She doesn't know the programs. Sure, she talks like she does, but she's just offloading her work onto her staff. I saw it firsthand when I asked to help. I would gather evidence through my assistance and expose her. When I questioned why she refused my assistance, she told me to mind my own business."

Ed shook his head. "Going against the grain here is career suicide, but I wouldn't even let her feed my fish."

Ahmed nodded. "She hasn't crossed any serious lines yet, unlike the Fallen One. But she's close. If she does, we'll turn her in."

George chuckled. "Fallen One?"

"Yeah," Ahmed said, "pure evil. A Lamia or the Devil herself."

Ed agreed. "It's true."

"This place has gone downhill since the regime change," George continued. "The new senior executive hires her friends, who're not even qualified. Human Resources should be all over this, but Thea has the HR guys in her pocket. This place was my career. Now it's just a job. How's the Fallen One treating you guys?"

Ed sighed. "She lets the Troll run amok. It's like the Fallen One, the Troll, and Thea want people to be unhappy and leave. The Fallen One is also a racist."

"It's a wonder the Fallen One hasn't been fired," Ahmed added. "She has thirteen Equal Opportunity suits against her."

George shook his head. "How is she even eligible to be here? She bullies her subordinates. Yesterday, she told three young girls they acted like they were from the ghetto and said, 'This is my world now.' She pressures Howard every day, giving him tasks late in the afternoon with impossible deadlines. The man is past retirement age and still working. Give him the time to complete the tasks unless it is a rush job. Everything appears to be a rush job with her. Right?"

"Right," Ahmed agreed. "Leave the man alone. He hasn't been the same since his son died."

George's tone softened. "I didn't know that. That's tough. But we need to expose this abuse. This place has become hostile. Thea's cronyism is out of control. No agency would have hired Sarah Whitmore, the Fallen One, with unresolved Equal Opportunity complaints. It's unfair to other applicants."

"Life's not fair," Ed said with a shrug.

"Good point," Ahmed added.

"The critical question is, if person A worked directly for person B in agency one, and person B gets hired here as the Director despite her record misgivings, how many planets would have to line up for person A to get hired in the same agency, same office, and working directly for person B again?" George asked.

Ed looked at George. "We have some shady hiring practices here, like you said. Are you going to do anything with this information?"

"I'll need to be subtle, and it will take some time, but yes. I won't be blatant like the last guy who got fired for going directly to the Inspector General's Office. Did you know the Troll used to work directly for the Fallen One at the Department of Agriculture? What are the odds of being hired here to work for the same person in the same office as you did in Agriculture? It's astronomical."

Ahmed blurted out, "I want to know why we weren't considered for the position," pointing to Ed.

"The Troll doesn't know our programs even today, six months later. She made life a living hell for people who work with her, especially those who must report to her."

Later that day, George overheard a conversation in the break area and moved closer to listen.

"Have you seen TO's work? It's impressive," Samantha said, her eyes wide with admiration.

"Yeah, she's got some serious skills. I heard she's already streamlined a few of our processes," Mike replied.

George's lips tightened into a thin line. It was a sin for the Troll to take credit for others' work. As the conversation continued, an idea began to form in his mind.

Later that day, George chatted with a few colleagues in the hallway. The topic of the Troll inevitably came up.

"Have you guys noticed how quickly TO adapted? Almost too quickly, don't you think?" George said. His tone was casual, but his words were laden with implication.

"What do you mean?" asked Jenna, one of the marketing analysts.

"Well, I'm just saying... adapting that fast, maybe it's not entirely her doing. You know, sometimes people take shortcuts or have a bit of... inside and outside help," George suggested, raising an eyebrow.

Jenna frowned. "You're not implying she's cheating, are you?"

George shrugged, maintaining an innocent expression. "I'm not implying anything. But how odd is it that TO worked directly for Sarah in the Department of Agriculture? Just looking at the situation, how incredible is it for someone who came from Agriculture as a Director to be hired here as a director in this office?"

Jenna shrugged. "The odds would be high with the internal controls in place to prevent illegal hiring, but not impossible."

George nodded. "I agree, but how astronomical is it to have someone who worked for you in another agency, in another office, apply for a job here and end up in the same office, working for the same person as she did in Agriculture?"

An odd look came over Jenna's face. "That would be impossible."

"That's what I'm getting at. It shouldn't have happened. Are you going to tell me that TO is the most qualified out of 100 applicants from around the nation? Just something to think about."

As the days passed, George subtly fueled the rumor. In meetings, he'd make offhand comments about the unexpected ease with which the Troll handled complex tasks. In the break room, he'd speculate about her qualifications. The rumor began to take on a life of its own, morphing and growing with each retelling.

The Troll, oblivious to the undercurrents of suspicion swirling around her, continued pressuring her subordinates for increased work and suggestions for improvements. She noticed, however, that some colleagues seemed distant or avoided eye contact. The camaraderie she initially felt began to erode, replaced by a sense of unease.

One morning, TO was summoned to a meeting with the new HR manager, Linda. As she walked into Linda's office, she noticed George leaving, a satisfied smile on his lips.

"Good morning, TO. Please, have a seat," Linda said, gesturing to the chair across from her desk.

TO sat down, her mind racing. She had never been called into HR before and couldn't think of any reason why she would be now.

"I wanted to discuss some concerns that have been raised," Linda began, her tone professional but stern.

"Concerns?" TO echoed, her confusion evident.

"There have been rumors circulating about your qualifications and how you've been handling your responsibilities. Some of your colleagues have doubts about your integrity, leadership ability, and knowledge base of the programs you manage. Whether you're truly capable of performing the tasks required of your position," Linda explained.

TO felt as if the ground had shifted beneath her. "I assure you, Linda, I've done everything by the book. My qualifications are legitimate," TO said, her voice steady but laced with frustration.

Linda nodded. "The perception among your colleagues is affecting team morale. I need you to address this directly with them and perhaps provide some reassurance."

TO left the meeting feeling a mix of anger and determination. She knew she had to move fast and do something to cover herself. It had happened the same way at the Department of Agriculture. She thought, "I definitely have a way of using up a place." That afternoon, she called the Fallen One for a consultation.