Get Fred to Help

Fred was a simple man. Late 40s. Blonde. Fit.

He wasn't so serious that his co-workers were intimidated by him but he was serious enough for his co-workers to know to not pull any stupid shit around him.

Currently, he was nursing a cooler and regaling a small crowd with his opinions on the Trump presidency. Although it was well-known that Fred was strongly conservative--everyone in Corporate Law was strongly conservative--it was equally well-known that Fred did not feel that this president was fit for office. People were free to disagree with Fred--and he welcomed any and all challenges--but no one did. Fred could be _very _persuasive, even to a group of lawyers.

Fred was just about to launch into his thoughts on the Russia fiasco when Millie grabbed his shoulder. He jumped, almost dropped his cooler, didn't, and turned to see Millie nearly out of breath. Before Fred could ask Millie what the hell was the matter, she blurted out, "Tess is in trouble!" just loud enough for the small crowd which surrounded Fred to give her a curious frown.

"Trouble? Is it it legal trouble?"

"It might be for you."

Millie guided Fred to where she had seen Barry take Tess. Fred was a big guy. Not fat, but muscular and taller than most other men. People took notice when he moved, and they did so now. The party grounded to a halt as everyone made a pathway for Fred and Millie. By the time Fred and Millie arrived in front of what was presumably Barry's bedroom door, someone had shut off the music, and forty or so lawyers were staring at Fred.

Amidst the unexpected silence, it was clear that someone was using Barry's bedroom. Fred could just make out muffled moans. He hesitated, nervous to discover what he would be interrupting, but knew that he couldn't just walk away now. Not with everyone staring at him.

"Hello? Is everything okay in there?" He said, knocking on the door.

Fred felt embarrassed when the moans behind the door stopped. But then he heard someone--a man, by the sounds of it--scream in a tone usually reserved for pain. Then, another person, a woman now, screamed, "HELP!"

Fred was pounding on the door now. "Open this door immediately!" He didn't wait for whoever was inside to comply. He squared his shoulders and slammed his weight against the door frame, breaking the lock on his first try. Millie, who had given Fred some space, saw for the first time since she began working at this law firm the lineman Fred used to be in college.

The people from downstairs could hear a struggle, something being broken, and then nothing. Seconds--the type that felt like hours--passed. Fred reappeared with his suit jacket wrapped around the shoulders of a woman who had been inside the room. Only the people who had been around Fred when Millie first elicited his help could guess who the woman was. The others had no clue because Fred had put another jacket--one he had gotten from Barry's closet, the lawyers guessed--over the woman's face, and was guiding her downstairs.

Later, Fred sent out an email that no one was to go into the office for the remainder of the week. All work would be done from home. Salaries would not be effected.

Meanwhile, people tried to guess the identity of the woman who Fred had seemingly rescued. They could guess what had transpired--or almost transpired. Barry was a well-known sleaze in the office and no one thought that **** was above him. This theory was all but confirmed when work resumed the next week and Barry was absent.

Fred was in his office, finalizing some paperwork, when someone knocked on his door. "Come in," he announced without looking up from his work. Millie walked in, her hands folded in front of her. "Tess hasn't told me anything," Millie said after closing the door behind her. "She's acting like nothing happened."

"I'm sure she just isn't ready to discuss it."

"And I can respect that. But, I'm her friend. Her best friend. I--" she paused. Fred could almost read her mind.

"Don't blame yourself for what happened. You did the right thing."

Millie didn't seem convinced but she also didn't argue. "Is Tess going to sue Barry?"

Fred sighed and made a steeple with his hands. He realized that he would tell Millie the truth. She deserved that.