33rd Floor NexGen Technologies:
My brother burst into my cabin, practically shouting, "Come on, the Chairman summoned us."
"Us?" I exclaimed, puzzled.
He grabbed my arm, pulling me towards the Chairman's office. "Yes, us!
Stepping into the elevator, my mind buzzed with questions. Why would the Chairman specifically call for us? It was unusual for regular employees like us to be summoned by him.
Karun's voice broke through my thoughts, reminding me, "Finish work early today. Mom asked us to come home early. Don't be late like usual."
I nodded, recalling our mom telling us to be home early for a ceremony later that evening
The elevator ascended swiftly, and with each floor, my anticipation grew. We reached the top floor, the 50th floor, reserved for the Chairman and inaccessible to most employees. This only added to my curiosity.
As the elevator doors opened, we were greeted by the Chairman's secretary, Marcus, in a black tailed suit with a perfect smile. No wonder all the ladies keep talking about him.I wondered how could a company uniform look this good on him while I felt like a hapless creature from a zoo.
Marcus welcomed us with a nod and a gesture, leading us into the Chairman's cabin. It was evident that this meeting held significant importance, considering the exclusivity of the location.
As we stepped into the Chairman's cabin through the glass door, a rush of cold air enveloped me, causing a reflexive shiver. I blinked, feeling the chill settle on my skin and wishing I had brought a sweater. "It is freezing," I muttered under my breath, a tinge of annoyance coloring my tone. My brother shot me a disapproving look for my complaint, which I didn't care anyway.
I hastily straightened up and greeted the Chairman with a polite, "Good morning, sir."
The Chairman nodded in response, signaling us to take a seat while he focused on some documents.
I wondered why he had summoned us. The Chairman wasn't known for his casual meetings. This would be only our third encounter with him. The first was when we joined the company, and the second involved a crisis with a game our company launched. Meeting him again was unusual, especially for regular employees like my brother and me.
I sighed, anticipating the questions from our curious teammates once we left the office. They were always eager to know about our encounters with the Chairman. Karun, catching my sigh, whispered, "Can't you behave normally in front of the Chairman?" he frowned.
"Whatever," I replied lazily, uninterested.
He pulled his hand back abruptly, intending to elbow me, but I dodged. We were in the middle of a silent sibling squabble when the Chairman coughed, drawing our attention.
We straightened up immediately, sheepish at being caught.
"Are you two bickering even in my cabin? I heard that you do that a lot" the Chairman asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.
The Chairman's observation stung. We smiled awkwardly, embarrassed to be reprimanded by him. He was right; we did bicker a lot. Despite sharing a strong bond, our thoughts and ideologies differed in every aspect. Finding common ground in any task was nearly impossible. While some found amusement in our disagreements, my mom used to say she sure had her hands full raising us.
He continued, "My kids used to fight a lot too... before they were gone..."
The atmosphere in the cabin turned colder as he mentioned his missing sons.
The Chairman fell silent, and we dared not speak. His sons had been vibrant, especially the younger one, who was stricter than the older. Their sudden disappearance due to an accident had left the Chairman devastated. Rumors circulated that he secluded himself in his mansion, drowning his sorrows. However, he returned to work six months later, though his grief lingered.
Karun broke the silence, skillfully changing the subject. "They were lively," he said, attempting to lift the Chairman's spirits.
I also wanted to say something, but Karun's elbow stopped me. I glared at him, frustrated. However, the Chairman noticed my struggle and asked, "Do you have something to add?"
I eagerly nodded, seizing the opportunity. "Yes, as my brother said, your sons were lively, especially the second sir, who was strict but he always cared for us," I said, trying to contribute.
The Chairman chuckled at my honesty, lightening the mood. "Yes, he was strict, even with me," he admitted.
Karun facepalmed, while I smirked, silently relishing my small victory.
Karun then asked the Chairman why he had summoned us. The Chairman's expression grew serious as he explained, "I called you here for a crucial assignment— or to say - a dangerous mission."
We listened intently as he revealed the details. "This assignment involves the "Avikaranya" on Nir-Dweep Island. My younger son discovered something suspicious there, and he ran some tests and here are the results."