"Pathetic, Paul. Pathetic."A woman was facing another man through a gla.s.s screen. They were in the police department.
"I"m sorry, ma"am."
The squad leader, Paul, who was arrested on charges of a.s.sault against Karma was trembling in his chair. His boss"s secretary had come on his behalf to see Paul.
""Sorry" isn"t going to cut it," the secretary said, pushing up her gla.s.ses. "You lost to a high schooler. A child. And you think just saying sorry is going to make us forgive you? In this organization, as the Boss says it, "it"s do or die". There are no second chances."
"Please! Just give me another chance! I have to get him back. I will kill him. I need to!" Paul said, getting up and putting his hands on the gla.s.s screen.
"Didn"t you hear me? There. Are. No. Second. Chances. We can"t have you embarra.s.sing us again. And besides, this job isn"t about revenge or personal affairs. This is about fulfilling our client"s requests, which in turn, if done successfully, boosts our reputation. Not you." the secretary said firmly. "At least, that"s what I would say. But the boss wants to see you for another chance. A redemption, if you will."
"Really? Thank you...thank you..." Paul said, weeping.
"Thank the boss directly later after you get out today," the secretary said.
"Today?" Paul asked, looking up.
"How will he talk to you if you are still stuck in prison? He is no a man that will be bothered to come here to talk to you. He doesn"t go to you. You go to him."
"Yes...Thank you...Thank you," Paul said.
"Again...thank the boss, not me," the secretary replied and left.
*That kid...He will regret not dying when he should have... He will face something scarier than death!* Paul thought, smiling maniacally.
After a few hours, Paul was released. A black car was waiting outside the police station. The driver opened the window.
"Get in quick. The Boss is a busy man. You don"t want to keep him waiting," the driver said, unlocking the pa.s.senger door.
Paul got into the car. As they went, Paul"s thoughts exploded.
*What does the Boss want?*
*Why does he want to talk to me, even though he fired me?*
Paul was strong, but the Boss was on an entirely different level. He isn"t someone to take lightly. He had never gone to see the Boss personally. He always sends commands through the computer, never once showing his face.
The car stopped at a family diner. There were a lot of people coming in an out. It was quite busy there.
"Get out, "the driver said to the leader.
"Wait, what?" Paul asked confused. He didn"t see any giant building. Fancy hotel. Or anything that would indicate "IMPORTANT".
"Just follow me. Don"t ask questions," the driver replied. Paul complied and got out. They went into the diner.
"Welcome, table for 2?" the receptionist asked.
"Table for 3," the driver replied. Then he handed the receptionist a card. He took a look and handed the card back to the driver, along with a piece of paper.
"Go on," the receptionist said.
"Come on," the driver said to Paul.
"I still don"t get what"s going on...How is this the Boss" Headquarters?" Paul complained, but followed.
They went the counter. There, a curly-haired lady was sitting on a stool.
"Welcome," the lady said when she saw them. "What can I get for ya?"
The driver handed the paper to the lady. She looked at it and stuck it in a drawer.
"The stairs on the right. You should know the pa.s.sword," the lady said, pointing to an open door. Paul and the driver went in the direction the lady pointed.
The two went to the open door and went down the stairs. It was a long walk down. As they walked, the smell of dirt became apparent.
"Are we going underground?" Paul asked, looking around. The driver just ignored him and continued walking. After a long while, they came across a door. It was metallic with a small window. There was no k.n.o.b or handle.
The driver pounded on the door. But it wasn"t just regular knocking. It sounded almost rhythmic
-BOM. BOMBOM.BOM.BOM.BOMBOM.-
After the last two consecutive knocks, a voice appears from the door. It was a man"s voice
"Who goes there?" the man asked.
"Agent #4587, sir," the driver replied. "Bringing Boss"s request to door."
"Pa.s.sword?" the man asked.
"45784587," the driver replied. Then the door opened. A tall, slender man was standing there. He wore a black suit with a blue tie, accompanied by a pair of stylish gla.s.ses.
"The Boss is getting impatient. Please make haste following me," the man said,
Upon hearing that, Paul and the driver scurried along. The room beyond the door was a sight to behold. There was an abundance of advanced technology. Big monitors. A myriad of switches, b.u.t.tons, and levers. There were tubes full of liquid of varying colors.
"The Boss works in a... lab?" Paul asked, confused. He always thought the Boss worked in a tall building, conducting operations from behind the desk. A mysterious and strong man that looked down upon the city.
"Yes, it"s for reasons that are cla.s.sified. Just know this is what the Boss wished. And what he wished is not for us to question," the tall man said.
The tall man led them to what seemed to be an elevator. He pressed a b.u.t.ton and a robotic voice came from the elevator.
"To where?" the robotic voice asked.
"Top Floor. To the Boss," the tall man said.
"Voice recognized. Location Confirmed. Prepare for opening," the robotic voice replied. Then, the elevator opened. The three stepped inside and the door closed. The mood was tense among the three, but no one said a word. After a while, the door opened and a hallway stretched in from of them. There was only one door- a door at the end of the hallway. The sign on it read: Princ.i.p.al Department.
The tall man opened the door. A rush of intensity filled the air. It was like going into a completely different world.
"Boss, he"s here," the tall man said, bowing.
"Good, leave us be," the Boss said. Compared to what can be heard from the monitor that Paul gets his orders from, the Boss had a rather scratchy and deep voice. His tone was of authority, as every word send shivers through everyone present.
"Yes, sir," the tall man and the driver replied. They bowed and left. The tension got greater as only Paul was in the room with the Boss.
"I heard you lost to a high school student," the Boss said suddenly.
"E-er..." Paul started to say, but his words got stuck. Talking to the Boss face to face was harder than communicating through a monitor.
"Was he that strong? For you to have fallen, it is quite rare," the Boss asked.
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"Y-Yes...But don"t worry! I-I will defeat him! I swear," Paul said nervously, but will confidence. "I will make him pay for embarra.s.sing me and this organization."
"Tell me about him. What exactly transpired in that fight?" the Boss said, turning in his chair. He had smooth black hair, brown eyes with a scar on his right eye. He wore a black suit and a white tie. His demeanor was ten times scarier now that he"s facing Paul.
Paul, struggling, told the Boss the events that led up to his arrest.
"Interesting... A sudden change in att.i.tude, leading to an unexplained boost of power..." the Boss said to himself.
"B-But I will get him! I p-promise!" Paul said.
"I"m glad," the Boss said. "But before you go, let me ask you something. If I could make you stronger, what would you say?"
"I w-would be h-honored! I will do anything to kill that brat!" Paul said eagerly.
"Good," the Boss said standing up. "Come, I want to show you something."
The Boss opened the door and Paul followed, ignorant of the big plan that is in store, and that he was just a p.a.w.n to a bigger goal.