TheIntern
2580 Words
“She cannot be assigned to him!”
The chairman was livid, breathing heavily on his seat with bloodshot eyes.
He scanned the room angrily, lingering on Dr. Meyer’s ashen face.
Eight men sat round the table in tailored suits.
This was the boardroom of Valemont Football Club. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls overlooked thousands beneath, a polished walnut table with gold engravings and the city skyline throwing natural lighting into the polished room.
Everyone seated here was very aware of what had just happened downstairs.
Dr. Meyer stood at the far end of the room in his signature white coat, looking like he’d been dragged in forcefully.
“He stabilized," Dr. Meyer said flatly.
The veins on the chairman’s forehead throbbed. “That’s not the issue.”
“With all due respect," Meyer replied, “that is exactly the issue.”
Silence settled in.
Across the table, the head of media leaned forward to ask. “How many staff members were present downstairs?”
"Just one," Dr. Meyer answered.
“And security?”
“Outside.”
The chairman snapped his fingers. “So just one witness, right?”
“No sir," Dr. Meyer continued. “Two.”
Everyone knew who the additional party was. He didn’t have to say her name.
The intern was the problem.
The media director slid a tablet across the table. A security footage was playing. Kairo Voss shirtless and sweaty, and a girl in front of him, fingers on his wrist.
The head of legal exhaled slowly and shook his head. “He hasn’t allowed physical contact like that in years without transforming into a mad man.”
“Exactly!” Meyer said.
The chairman narrowed his gaze. “This simply means a wrong narrative could form.”
He got up from his chair, scrapping its legs on the ground. “If any of these leaks, it’s going to become a huge story and that reporter is going to be swimming in money.”
The media director nodded. “Headlines are going to read: "Unstable Captain Needs Babysitter to Calm His Tantrums.”
Everyone started nodding.
Dr. Meyer added, “Sponsors, investors, everyone is going to panic, and the league would ask questions.”
Head of Legal added quietly, “and if they start asking questions, we can’t hide the old ones anymore.”
No one spoke for a while.
Finally, the chairman turned to Meyer. “Is she qualified?”
“Certainly sir.”
“Good," the chairman relaxed into his chair. “And, is she controlled?”
Dr. Meyer hesitated. “She’s competent.”
The chairman’s eyes snapped up. “That wasn’t the answer to my question.”
Meyer’s jaws tightened visibly. “She’s not one to back down easily.”
“In that case, that might be a problem,” the chairman said humorously.
Another executive leaned in. “Do you suggest we remove her?”
“And tell Kairo what?!” Dr. Meyer snapped. “That we reassigned her after he specifically demanded otherwise?”
The chairman leaned back into his chair. “It was simply a threat.”
Dr. Meyer blinked twice. “Kairo never makes empty threats."
The line hung in the air. No one doubted it.
“How long has it been since the last episode?” the chairman asked.
“Eighteen months," Meyer answered.
“And before that time?”
“Publicly?” Meyer held his gaze. “Never.”
The media director rubbed his temples. “We can’t afford another incident.”
Head of Legal added, “if footage from today surfaces and someone…”
“Enough!” The chairman cut in sharply. “And who is going to spread the footage?”
The room went dead still.
The chairman was livid, breathing heavily on his seat with bloodshot eyes.
He scanned the room angrily, lingering on Dr. Meyer’s ashen face.
Eight men sat round the table in tailored suits.
This was the boardroom of Valemont Football Club. Floor to ceiling glass walls overlooked thousands beneath, a polished walnut table with gold engravings and the city skyline throwing natural lighting into the polished room.
Everyone sitted here was very aware of what had just happened downstairs.
Dr. Meyer stood at the far end of the room in his signature white coat, looking like he’d been dragged in forcefully.
“He stabilized," Dr. Meyer said flatly.
The veins on the chairman’s forehead throbbed. “That’s not the issue.”
“With all due respect," Meyer replied, “that is exactly the issue.”
Silence settled in.
Across the table, the head of media leaned forward to ask. “How many staff members were present downstairs?”
“Just one," Dr. Meyer answered.
“And security?”
“Outside.”
The chairman snapped his fingers. “So just one witness, right?”
“No sir," Dr. Meyer continued. “Two.”
Everyone knew who the additional party was. He didn’t have to say her name.
The intern, she was the problem.
The media director slid a tablet across the table. A security footage was playing. Kairo Voss, shirtless and sweaty, and a girl in front of him, fingers on his wrist.
The head of legal exhaled slowly and shook his head. “He hasn’t allowed physical contact like that in years without transforming into a mad man.”
“Exactly!” Meyer said.
The chairman narrowed his gaze. “This simply means a wrong narrative could form.”
He got up from his chair, scrapping its legs on the ground. “If any of these leaks, it’s going to become a huge story and that reporter is going to be swimming in money.”
The media director nodded. “Headlines are going to read: "Unstable Captain Needs Babysitter to Calm His Tantrums.”
Everyone started nodding.
Dr. Meyer added, “Sponsors, investors, everyone is going to panic, and the league would ask questions.”
Head of Legal added quietly, “and if they start asking questions, we can’t hide the old ones anymore.”
No one spoke for a while.
Finally, the chairman turned to Meyer. “Is she qualified?”
“Certainly sir.”
“Good," the chairman relaxed into his chair. “And, is she controlled?”
Dr. Meyer hesitated. “She’s competent.”
The chairman’s eyes snapped up. “That wasn’t the answer to my question.”
Meyer’s jaws tightened visibly. “She’s not one to back down easily.”
“In that case, that might be a problem,” the chairman said humorously.
Another executive leaned in. “Do you suggest we remove her?”
“And tell Kairo what?!” Dr. Meyer snapped. “That we reassigned her after he specifically demanded otherwise?”
The chairman leaned back into his chair. “It was simply a threat.”
Dr. Meyer blinked twice. “Kairo never makes empty threats."
The line hung in the air. No one doubted it.
“How long has it been since the last episode?” the chairman asked.
“Eighteen months," Meyer answered.
“And before that time?”
“Publicly?” Meyer held his gaze. “Never.”
The media director rubbed his temples. “We can’t afford another incident.”
Head of Legal added, “if footage from today surfaces and someone…”
“Enough!” The chairman cut in sharply. “And who is going to spread the footage?”
The room went still.
The chairman stood again, walking towards the window.
“Valemont is not just a football club. It’s a legacy, a global one and Kairo Voss is our most valuable asset.”
He turned back to the executives. “If he walks, we lose everything. The league, deals, sponsors. Everything.”
“And if he breaks, we lose everything as well," Dr. Meyer added carefully.
Silence followed.
“Can she control him?” the chairman asked solemnly.
Dr. Meyer shuffled on his feet. “He doesn’t react to her touch.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Dr. Meyer took a deep breath. “All we saw was that he listened to her.”
The boardroom exchanged glances.
“Then we don’t remove her.”
For some reason, Meyer didn’t like the sound of what the chairman said.
He continued, “We manage her.”
The head of legal clicked his tongue. “Non-disclosure agreement?”
“With urgency," the chairman said. “Restricted access, limited interaction with other players and she reports directly to medical and nowhere else.”
“And as for the captain?” The media director asked.
The chairman narrowed his gaze, “We make him believe he’s in control.”
“And if she becomes attached?” an executive asked.
The chairman didn’t hesitate. “Then she becomes useful.”
Dr. Meyer’s gaze suddenly darkened.
“She’s a child.”
The chairman stared at him blankly.
“She’s a student, and she’s leverage.”
The words settled like a verdict in the air.
Just downstairs, Amara had no idea that her name had just been engraved into something far larger than a training schedule, and at exactly eight a.m., she would walk back into it.
The chairman remained standing by the window for a while, staring down into the city.
He lightly rapped his fingers against the glass.
“Draft the agreement tonight," he said finally. “If she speaks to the press I’m the wrong way, she’s out.”
Head of Legal nodded. “We’ll include penalties for termination and breach of contract.”
“Severe ones," the chairman added.
Dr. Meyer shifted uncomfortably. “She hasn’t done anything wrong.”
“That is correct," the chairman agreed. “But she has done something significant.”
The media director leaned into his chair. “We also need to consider internal rumors. Players, even staff might start believing that he needs her to…”
“He doesn’t need her," the chairman cut in sharply.
Silence fell.
“He functions better with her present," Dr. Meyer carefully added.
“It is temporary," the chairman responded. “The captain is not dependent on anyone.”
Everyone fell silent once again.
An executive cleared his throat.
“What about the reporter?”
Everyone knew who he was referring to.
Lena Varga.
The chairman’s jaw hardened visibly.
“She’s been circling for months.”
“She’s just bitter," the media director said bluntly.
“She’s ambitious," the chairman corrected.
Dr. Meyer frowned. “Do you think she knows?”
“I know that she suspects there’s a story," the chairman said slowly.
The media director tapped on his tablet lightly, replaying the moment on the screen.
Amara’s fingers on Kairo’s wrist.
Seconds passed.
“He looks ….” The media director hesitated.
“Calm," Dr. Meyer finished.
Calm had never been used to describe Kairo during any one of his episodes.
The chairman watched the footage on repeat in silence.
“Does he know?” he asked quietly.
Dr. Meyer understood immediately. “About the footage? No he doesn’t.”
“No," the chairman clarified. “Does he know what she does to him?”
Dr. Meyer hesitated. “He feels it.”
“And does she?”
“She looked more shocked than anyone else.”
“Good.”
That was all he needed to know.
The chairman walked towards the exit and paused beside him.
“Doctor?”
Meyer looked up.
“Make sure she comes back tomorrow.”
still.
The chairman stood again, walking towards the window.
“Valemont is not just a football club. It’s a legacy, a global one and Kairo Voss is our most valuable asset.”
He turned back to the executives. “If he walks, we lose everything. The league, deals, sponsors. Everything.”
“And if he breaks, we lose everything as well," Dr. Meyer added carefully.
Silence followed.
“Can she control him?” the chairman asked solemnly.
Dr. Meyer shuffled on his feet. “He doesn’t react to her touch.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Dr. Meyer took a deep breath. “All we saw was that he listened to her.”
The boardroom exchanged glances.
“Then we don’t remove her.”
For some reason, Meyer didn’t like the sound of what the chairman said.
He continued, “We manage her.”
The head of legal clicked his tongue. “Non-disclosure agreement?”
“With urgency," the chairman said. “Restricted access, limited interaction with other players, and she reports directly to medical and nowhere else.”
“And as for the captain?” The media director asked.
The chairman narrowed his gaze, “We make him believe he’s in control.”
“And if she becomes attached?” an executive asked.
The chairman didn’t hesitate. “Then she becomes useful.”
Dr. Meyer’s gaze suddenly darkened.
“She’s a child.”
The chairman stared at him blankly.
“She’s a student, and she’s leverage.”
The words settled like a verdict in the air.
Just downstairs, Amara had no idea that her name had just been engraved into something far larger than a training schedule, and at exactly eight a.m., she would walk back into it.
The chairman remained standing by the window for a while, staring down into the city.
He lightly rapped his fingers against the glass.
“Draft the agreement tonight," he said finally. “If she speaks to the press I’m the wrong way, she’s out.”
Head of Legal nodded. “We’ll include penalties for termination and breach of contract.”
“Severe ones," the chairman added.
Dr. Meyer shifted uncomfortably. “She hasn’t done anything wrong.”
“That is correct," the chairman agreed. “But she has done something significant.”
The media director leaned into his chair. “We also need to consider internal rumors. Players, even staff might start believing that he needs her to…”
“He doesn’t need her," the chairman cut in sharply.
Silence fell.
“He functions better with her present," Dr. Meyer carefully added.
“It is temporary," the chairman responded. “The captain is not dependent on anyone.”
Everyone fell silent once again.
An executive cleared his throat.
“What about the reporter?”
Everyone knew who he was referring to.
Lena Varga.
The chairman’s jaw hardened visibly.
“She’s been circling for months.”
“She’s just bitter," the media director said bluntly.
“She’s ambitious," the chairman corrected.
Dr. Meyer frowned. “Do you think she knows?”
“I know that she suspects there’s a story," the chairman said slowly.
The media director tapped on his tablet lightly, replaying the moment on the screen.
Amara’s fingers on Kairo’s wrist.
Seconds passed.
“He looks ….” The media director hesitated.
“Calm," Dr. Meyer finished.
Calm had never been used to describe Kairo during any one of his episodes.
The chairman watched the footage on repeat in silence.
“Does he know?” he asked quietly.
Dr. Meyer understood immediately. “About the footage? No he doesn’t.”
“No," the chairman clarified. “Does he know what she does to him?”
Dr. Meyer hesitated. “He feels it.”
“And does she?”
“She looked more shocked than anyone else.”
“Good.”
That was all he needed to know.
The chairman walked towards the exit and paused beside him.
“Doctor?”
Meyer looked up.
“Make sure she comes back tomorrow.”
- Writer
