Leonard continued journeying until he arrived at the boulevard where his apartment was located, and before he knew it, he was already in front of his apartment. He didn't waste time unlocking the door and entering. Entering, he balanced on one of the sofas in the parlor and began thinking about his little discussion with John.
'So after accomplishing my first quest and trying to accomplish my second. I'll have to make sure the first girl doesn't find out that I'm making my moves on another girl, if that happens, I'll die. Well, that makes sense a little, you wouldn't want your wife to find out that you are cheating on her. But this one, the price for it is death'.
He quickly shook off the thought from his mind, stood up from the sofa, and strolled into his room. Reaching his room, he undressed and dashed into the bathroom, it's time to freshen up. He took his bath and came out of the bathroom, then he dried himself and put on something casual. Then he sauntered into the kitchen, it was time to prepare dinner, he was feeling hungry.
He wanted to prepare noodles, but he remembered that he ate noodles for lunch in the company, so he decided to prepare something else. Losing the spirit to cook at that moment, he made coffee and ate it with slices of bread, and it was a nice meal, men...it satisfied him. Done eating, he sat on one of the couches in the parlor and began thinking about the work he was gonna handle in the company tomorrow.
Even if he works nonstop tomorrow, he wouldn't still be able to complete it...it was a lot. But the work that was given to his teammates, with two days of hard work, they'll be able to complete it...that's only if they are willing to work hard. He just hopes the manager was noticing his hard work, 'cause if he wasn't...it's just a waste of time. He was thinking if he should ask the system about the stuff John told him when she reminds him, but he decided to keep mute.
He put on the television and began watching whatever was being displayed on the TV screen, and at that moment, it was sport that was being displayed in it. He wasn't a fan of sports that much, so within some minutes of watching it, he got tired and changed the channel. He was watching a different program now, something related to music. In the middle of watching it, he heard the system's reminder,
[ One week and five days to go, complete your quest, or you die]
Leonard just kept mute as he focused his gaze on what was being displayed on the TV screen, he's got nothing to say to her. He had plans of asking her stuff related to what John told him, but he's already changed his mind. He just sat on that couch with his gaze focused on the TV screen until he got tired of watching the television. So he sauntered over to it and put it off.
Since there was nothing else to do, it's time to go to bed, early to bed, early to rise. He strolled straight to his room and landed on the bed, and you should have guessed what came next...he dozed off.
As early as possible the next day, Leonard was already up. Finally, this feeling, this feeling of waking up every morning knowing that you have somewhere to go to, you have a job. Leonard never felt that on his previous earth, you should know why, he's never got a job he could call his own. Well, he got up from bed and engaged in the normal stuff like taking his bath, brushing his teeth, and all that.
And now, he was already dressed up and was eating breakfast. Within minutes, he was done eating, he strolled to the kitchen and dropped the plate there, then he departed from his apartment. He journeyed until he arrived at the company, and there the security guard was standing in front of the company...he was back. Leonard smiled a little on seeing him, at least, the reason why he didn't come yesterday wasn't 'cause something happened to him.
He walked to the spot where the guard was standing and said to him,
"You're here. You didn't come yesterday, why?".
"Oh! That's 'cause I needed to handle some things, the manager was aware that I wasn't coming, I informed him on phone". The guard retorted.
"At least, now we can be sure that nothing happened to you, seeing you here looking healthy and sound is enough proof".
The guard smiled and uttered, "Thanks, man. Thanks for asking".
Leonard tapped him on his right shoulder and strolled into the company. And the rest of other events took place, he sauntered to the staircase, mounted it, reached the first floor, strolled to his desk, and balanced on it. And do you know what came right after that? Work...he began working. He started working on the job that was handed to him yesterday, there was a deadline...he needed to keep to it.
********
The first floor was all filled up, everyone had arrived. And to round it up, the company was all filled up, both the workers on the first floor and the last floor had arrived...even the manager had arrived. Everyone was all focused on their work, and Leonard was also focused on his work. Not until he felt what he felt yesterday, that feeling that someone from the last floor had mounted the staircase and reached the first floor.
He glanced up, and there Rita was staring at him. What was she here for again? Has she come for some banging again? Or maybe, she's come to give him the money as promised. She gave him that 'get over here' signal again, and Leonard made sure to glance around to see if anyone was staring at him, and no one was...so he sauntered over to meet her.
Reaching where she was standing, before he could speak, she spoke,
"Meet me outside the company". There was a brown envelope in her hand, that must be the money.
She was about to walk away, but he held her hand and said in a low tone of voice, "We can't meet outside, the security guard is there, he would get suspicious".
"Don't be a baby, Leonard, I just wanna give you the money and tell you some other things, that's all. Not like we wanna go bang outside". Rita uttered.
"OK, go. I'll follow suit".
With that statement, she began dismounting the staircase. Leonard glanced around before he began dismounting the staircase also. Getting very close to the last floor, just one more step and his foot would touch the surface of the last floor, he waited. He wanted Rita to step out of the company before he'll stroll over to the door and step out also.
Both of them stepping out together would look really suspicious. He peeped at her until he saw that she was out of the company, then he strolled over to the door, opened it, and stepped out also. Reaching outside, he didn't see the security guard in front of the company, where did he go to?
"Thinking of the security guard again?". Rita inquired.
"Yeah, you know, he came today, I saw him in front of this company when I arrived this morning".
"You wouldn't expect to always see him standing in front of this company? He isn't a statue? He's a security guard, not a soldier. He'll do other things apart from standing in front of this company. Maybe he's gone out to buy something. Come and get your cash".
Leonard walked to where she was standing, then she handed to him the brown envelope in her hand and uttered,
"As promised".
Just by holding the envelope, Leonard could tell that the amount inside wasn't small...he could feel it in his hands. He opened the envelope and peeked inside to make sure that it was real money that was inside, not papers. Confirming that it was real money, he glanced at her and said,
"So, you truly do keep to a promise, cool. This money is gonna go a long way for me".
"I'm happy to hear that", She walked very close to him, "Just keep doing what I want, and you'll get more of that".
Leonard pushed her back a little and stated, "Don't do this here, Rita, behave yourself. We've got to be very careful, who knows, the guard could just pop out of nowhere and catch us, I don't want that".
She listened, she moved back a little, then she said something that Leonard didn't really want to hear,
"Let's meet at a hotel tomorrow".