Chapter 7: The Boss's Hand
1005 Words
Dr. Umar's POV
That was a brilliant fight. Marvelous, almost artistic. I smiled—it had been a while since someone truly put me to the test. Shame they dragged me away before it could end properly.
I sighed.
The massive administrative building loomed before me, its glass face reflecting the sky like a mirror that refused to be cracked. I pushed inside, the blast of cold air from the conditioners biting against my skin. The lobby was spotless, humming with the low chatter of officials moving about their business, shoes clicking against polished marble.
"Good afternoon, Dr. Umar," a woman greeted as she passed.
"Hard to see you here, Doctor. What official business do you have?" another man asked.
"It's for the boss, Phil. Confidential," I said, not bothering to slow down.
The elevator groaned as it carried me to the fiftieth floor. When the doors opened, silence swallowed me whole. I lingered at the office door for a moment… then kicked it open.
Inside was the usual setup: a bookshelf packed tight, two extra doors, an open window spilling light, a desk cluttered with papers and a single computer. Behind it sat the boss.
"Hey there, boss," I said, dropping into the chair opposite. I threw my legs up onto the table, knocking over a neat stack of files on purpose.
There was no reply. Always silence with him and I hated it, I knew what he wanted. I turned instead to the three figures lined up against the wall.
The first was a bald man stuffed into a too-tight suit, his muscles straining at the seams. The second, a woman in a lab coat, bob-cut hair falling into her eyes as she toyed with some thought far away from here—medical, no doubt. The third was a mystery, shrouded head to toe, face hidden.
"Good morning to you lot," I said, giving them a lazy wave.
The bald one bristled immediately. "How unsightly. To come in here and disrespect the boss like that, you deserve an execution."
I grinned wider. "Says the dog who can't bark unless he's told to. Who wants to put me down? You? You're welcome to try...again." I said still facing the boss.
"You—!"
"You're early, Umar," the boss cut in at last, his voice smooth, unreadable. The file in his hands hid most of his face. He always held them at strange angles, like he didn't need eyes to see through people.
"What can I say, boss? I've always been punctual." I slid my legs back to the floor.
"Your report."
Straight to business, as always. No small talk. No wasted breath. I hated that about him, and the entire organization.
"Well," I said, unwrapping a lollipop and popping it into my mouth, "for starters, the exams went well. More interesting than I expected."
"I heard you won. Correct?"
So soon? Another reminder—he had eyes and ears everywhere.
"A stalemate," I admitted. "Take out the variables, and… well, who knows?"
The file dropped onto the desk. His snow-white hair caught the light, glinting like a falling star. His glasses rested at the tip of his nose. Handsome. Beautiful even, too beautiful. Dangerous.
"Explain these… variables."
I leaned back in my chair, twirling the lollipop from one side of my mouth to the other. Finally, his attention.
"That kid's got more pride than any of us. The restriction should've only hit instructors, but somehow, it touched him too. Not much—but enough. Makes me wonder why."
For just a second, I felt his gaze sharpen, then soften back into its usual unreadable calm.
"I'll investigate. What else?"
"He didn't use his ability against me, though I couldn't either. More than that, he never dodged, never blocked a single strike. Like he wanted to take them." I let out a slow breath. "And I'm fairly sure he was using his weaker hand."
The boss's lips curved into a faint, brilliant smile.
"Someone..." He lingered a little. "Has a bad habit of underestimating people and holding back. Still… vital information." His voice dropped, and the room stiffened as if the walls themselves tensed.
"Everyone, sit."
We obeyed without question. The atmosphere thickened—charged, because now he was serious.
"The lands of Caeloria and Obryss are about to go to war. Each seeks to unite their seven nations for it." He adjusted his glasses, the gesture sharp as a blade. "We stop it before it begins."
The bald man shifted. "What can we do? We're not strong enough to stop a war."
"You're right," the boss said simply. "We can't fight both sides. That's why we prevent it from starting. We have time… but not much of it. Here's what I want from each of you."
The ticking clock on the wall made my teeth itch. Every page of paperwork stacked on his desk felt like another coffin lid. I slouched deeper into my chair, letting the boss know exactly how little I cared.
And then came the long meeting. Too long. I hated meetings, especially the endless ones. Today's own dragged like chains across stone. Still, the pay of instructors was good, and I had no choice but to endure.
Finally.
I flipped a coin idly, cracking open a canned beer I'd smuggled in.
"You know, an instructor shouldn't be drinking," the woman with the bob cut and lab coat muttered. It was Nora.
"Well," I said, foam spilling over my hand, "with how much work I've got coming, I won't be having one for a while."
Tsssss
"Crap. It's all over me." I wiped myself with a cloth, shaking my head. "Maybe I should switch to coffee. Don't you think?"
"Yeah, sure."
I raised a brow. "So? What do you want from me?"
"Nothing much," she said, cracking open a canned coffee for herself. "But I have some information about her that I think you'll find… quite useful."
That made me pause. My lollipop clicked against my teeth.
"Now that... changes everything."
- Writer
