Darryl came in to the living room, the clock hit 3 AM the exact momento Alissa turned around on her chair.

"Well?" - She said looking into Darryl with a fierce look in her eyes.

"Darling," - Darryl said with a huge smile, "you won't believe the day I had, you remember my new boss? Ramy?"

"What about him?" - She coldly replied.

"We went out for a few drinks and he is like, amazing, he has such an interesting way of thinking, you really should meet him!"

"And no calls to your wife? No messages, not a fax or a rock at the window? Just a 'hey I might have died, good luck waiting worried'?" - She would've shouted, but kept her voice down to a snarl.

"I'm sorry, really, it was just... you had to be there." - he replied shyly.

"I am going to bed, you can have the couch." - Alissa turned and went to the bed, slamming the door.

-----------------------------------------

/A few days later/

The earlier event was nearly forgotten in the Koperfan home, Alissa and Darryl had made peace, except, in the strangest of happenings, Darryl who was a 'eat the rich' type, was always speaking well of his boss, he had even been invited to his house for a barbecue, Alissa included.

"Do I really have to meet your boss?"

"Of course! You will love him, he is a really cool guy." - He said with a fascination in his eyes.

"And the collar?" - She pointed at him.

"A gift from him, almost everyone is wearing at the office, he's great." - A thumb sized gem was at the end of the collar, with a few markings all around.

Getting at his boss house, Alissa noticed something really off about it, well, the fact that it was huge was one thing, but that it had so many people wearing the same clothes, a mix of a robe with a suit, and the same collar, was weirder.

"Are they... Servants? Employees? Was this a costume party?" - Alissa asked worriedly

"No darling, this is another of his gifts, actually, I got one too! But I decided to receive it with you." - Darryl said with open eyes. Grey eyes.

Alissa laughed awkwardly, following with the eyes the people leaving and coming in the house. She them remembered something, a weird message she received last Friday, a withdraw from the bank of 100 dollars, she was told to wait for a response. She looked at Darryl.

"Would you... give me a second? I want to reapply makeup."

"Sure dear, I will say to the M-... Boss, you arrived!" He quickly paused. "We are waiting!" And left the car.

Alissa waited for him to leave and picked up her cellphone, dialed the number of the company.

"Hi Janet, hey listen, what is the name of Darryl's new boss?"

"New boss? Ali, Darryl was fired Friday."

"... What?"

"Yeah he said he found something better to 'serve', right after a happy hour."

"... Thanks Janet."

Alissa looked at the huge blue house, two triangles entangled by a S like shape.

"Boiling frogs huh."

Alissa paused, thought and left. All Darryl found at his house was a letter.

"I tolerated the drinking, religion, the selling of the car and the betting, a cult is too much, last straw, you're a lost cause, goodbye."