Sliced Bread 2: The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread

We do get mail in here every day. Generally it's my job to deal with it, assuming I'm not out running some errand. Anything I can handle, I handle; anything that needs Greyghost's or Cruickshank's attention goes in a tray over by the big aquarium.

So today I'm going through the mail and there's a largish heavyish courier package in the bundle. It's from Itzhak, who's always sending Greyghost helpful little gadgets. I open it, revealing a baton or billyclub or something. It's matte black and rubber-coated and has a few rotating doohickeys on it that promise inobvious kinds of functionality. I give it a couple of test swings and put it in the tray.

Later that afternoon Greyghost comes in. The first thing he does is check the tray. He picks up the truncheon, or whatever it is, and looks at it. Then he looks at me.

"What?" I say.

No response.

"Sorry. Were you expecting that? Should I have called you about it?"

He turned and stalked into his office, closing the door softly behind him.

I don't understand the man. I don't know what makes him tick. I don't know what he does in his pitch-black office for hours on end. I certainly don't understand anything about his and Ingrid's relationship. It makes it hard to work for the guy.

So I've done a bit of reading. This job doesn't give me a lot of time to get to a library or bookstore, but I made some time. As far as the popular press can tell, Greyghost started out as a superhero in 1989. Mostly in Empire City, but occasionally elsewhere in the world. Founding member of the Special Auxiliary Association in '92. And then a lot about the various crimes he's foiled. Plus, in one little paperback tome called The Pow! Magazine 100 Coolest Heroes, I came across this helpful little chart:

Name: Greyghost
Secret Identity: Unknown!
Look: Lots of dark gray!
Toughest Villain Beaten: He totally kicked Madshadow's a** in Global Exchange Plaza on New Year's Eve '94!
Powers: Scaryness!

(Unfortunately Greyghost walked through the office as I was reading this and I didn't hide it in time. His only comment was, "Which did they say is my favorite boy band?")

So I still don't know that much. Well, that's not entirely true. I figured out his secret identity the other day, so that's one thing.