She had her gaze fixated on the floor, trembling at the thought of her answer.
Rayden's wry smile twisted his lips, his gaze faintly annoyed.
"I... I don't, it's not yet com–"
Crash!
Olivia's fingers tremble as she witnesses his once clutter-free desk turned over by Rayden.
Offering his hand to her, she stares at it, horrified by what plans he had for her.
Shaking his hand, he gestures with his eyes to his palm.
Reluctantly obliging, she had just placed her hand on his palm, but felt him grip her hand tightly and pull her close to him.
His lavender scent had an immediate calming effect on her, but it was short-lived the moment she stared at his glowing red eyes.
Blinking in shock and shaking her head, she stared back at his eyes devoid of the initial glow.
'Was that just my imagination?'
Pulling out a little remote from his pocket, he pressed the only red button on it.
Setting the tune to a traditional melody, he holds onto her waist.
Olivia furrowed her brows in displeasure at the number of spins and twirls she had to endure amidst her vision doubling.
Placing his hand on her lower back, he pulls her toward him in a swift motion, taking the opportunity to whisper into her ear.
"The more I get answers that aren't pleasing to me, the more the company loses the trust of the people and most importantly the funds from the government."
Gaining a bit of confidence, she whispers back. "I had been so blinded in love as a teenager at the time, I forgot why I had to carry out the task."
Letting go of her hand, Rayden's smile slowly faded into a grim look of disdain toward the topic.
"The anomalies are dangerous individuals and it is my goal to find a way to rid them of their abilities and return them to their families, safe and sound."
Olivia took a glance at the door, then back at Rayden. Running wasn't an option, she still had the elevator to deal with even if she were to escape.
Repeating a mantra in her head, she could feel the overwhelming calm that washes over her.
Exhaling, she put up a smile. "If they are dangerous, why hasn't there been a report of any disturbance lately?"
With his back against her, staring outside the casement window.
"Do you know why Hilden has been thriving for so long even with the government's strict watch?"
Choosing to stay silent and let Rayden blabber, Olivia shook her head knowing he could see her reflection in the window.
"It's because of my company..."
Cutting in with a cough, "your father's company."
Hissing at the reminder, he turns to face Olivia.
Taking a step forward, he stares at her with a stoic expression. "Old and useless things tend to fade away or be discarded. It's only a matter of time."
Flinching at the implications of his words, she takes a weary step back, her thoughts spiraling into panic.
If she might be of no use, she ponders on the thought of being discarded.
Raising his hand, he popped out three fingers from his clenched fist, "you have three months to give me a positive report."
Feeling cheated and her work rushed, she counters immediately. "Three months is too little to find the so-called cure that could negate their abilities."
With the anomalies gone, there was little she could do with the remaining blood samples in her possession.
"Three months." He firmly replied, leaving no room for any more deliberations.
Pouting her lips, she folded her arms in protest. "It would be best you just kill m–"
Gasp!
She let out a scream at how quick it was for Rayden to close the distance between them in a blink of an eye.
Pushing her against the wall, he pushes back his hair with a smirk. "Don't be too cocky, I might think you mean it, Livia."
Letting go of her neck, he scoffs at her trying her best to take in sharp breaths.
'Something isn't right.' Olivia thought, skeptical about his status as a non-awakener even with the etheel strapped around his wrist giving no beeping sounds.
Knock!
Knock!
Rayden's head whips to the door, awaiting a word.
"Mr. Hess." Maxwell's voice asserts his identity.
Olivia switched glances between the door and Rayden.
"If you would excuse me, I would like to speak to Maxwell alone. I will request your report every Saturday, make sure to make it here on time."
Making use of the wall to get to her feet, she had a smirk tug at her lips. "Much... has... changed... Ray."
"Huh?"
Shaking her head, she straightens the creases on her dress, flipping her hair before walking to the door.
Click!
"Miss Olivia, how did it go?! Wou–"
Rolling her eyes at how deceitful his upbeat words were, she was in no mood of getting riled up by his pretense, "save it!"
Flipping her hair, she brushes past him, walking down the hallway.
Stopping in her tracks when she heard his footsteps close behind her.
Turning around, she pulls on one of her black open-toed shoes, throwing and aiming at his head.
Catching the shoe mid-air, with its heel dangerously close to his eyes.
With his head tilted, Maxwell examines it with keen interest. 'As expected of a minister's daughter–an expensive brand.'
"Good aim." He commended.
He raises a brow to lock eyes with a fuming Olivia who had her other shoe in her hand, ready to test her luck again.
"Did you two plan this?!" She hissed, careful not to draw attention to Rayden.
Maxwell let out a chuckle at her tactics, gently placing the shoe on the floor.
"I didn't expect such a spontaneous reaction from the prim and proper lady of your class, Miss Olivia."
With brows twitching at his smooth method of evading her question, she flung the other.
Catching it without paying attention to its direction, Maxwell let out a sigh. "If you keep this up, you might as well strip soon."
Hyperventilating as the thought of Rayden choking her came rushing back into her mind, causing her to stagger and place her hand on the wall for support.
"My... shoe." She requests in between pants, stretching her hand to him.
Maxwell picked them up, walking over to hand them over.
Before he could get to her, she let out a sigh and walked ahead of him toward the elevator.
Once Olivia had gotten to the elevator, she looked to her side. "You're only accompanying me because Rayden told you to, and you are the authorization."
"Figures." Maxwell gives a half-shrug, squatting to place Olivia's shoes in front of her feet.
Reluctantly taking the gesture, she scoffs whilst slipping them back on.
She had wanted to question Maxwell on Rayden's eleceed, but not knowing who to trust, she switched to a different topic that could aid in her search.
"How long had it been since the anomalies escape? Any foot tracks?"
"Three days, as expected of those smart monsters..."
"They are humans, Maxwell. Special humans!" Olivia corrected.
Rolling his eyes, choosing to concede to her methods he tries his best to rephrase his words, "the 'humans' tracks all lead to a tree in the middle of the forest, not much is known afterward."
Nodding her head to the report, she stared at the elevator door, "if you don't mind."
Placing his hand on the fingerprint reader, the soft chine could be heard as the doors slid open.
"It would automatically open once you've reached the ground floor."
Replying with a grunt, Olivia stepped in and waved her hand, "run along now, it wouldn't be right to keep your boss waiting."
Giving a slight bow, Maxwell watches as the door slid shut in front of him.
His smile fades in an instant, replaced with a frown. 'She's onto something.'
Shoving his hands into his pocket, he walked down the hallway and back to Rayden's office.
–––––––––––
Click!
Closing the door behind him, he bows his head at the sight of Rayden leaning on the wall.
"What took so long?"
Adjusting the collar of his shirt, he responds with a joke, "I had to escape death twice."
Grunting in response, Rayden nods his head.
"Sir, do you think the mole would be able to carry out the task? There is still no word about the anomalies."
Rayden cackles at the words, unbothered by the report. "with the right incentive, anything is possible. It's only natural that I get my dues."
"Sir, why wasn't I selected to infiltrate?" Maxwell lowers his head in disappointment.
"A public face like you? Ha!" Rayden burst into a peal of laughter, patting Maxwell's shoulder.
"I needed someone who was in their age bracket, had no traceable background, could blend in, fool those around and push off any suspicion that could lead to me. Can you fit those criteria?"
Maxwell took a step back, shaking his head and lowering it in shame.
He had lost at the first criteria, and being in his late twenties negates any attempts he would have made.
Suggesting an idea, Maxwell hoped it would be considered, "tracing to the last report made by the mole should give us the location of the outlaws and the rest of the anomalies that were rescued."
Rayden rakes his fingers through his hair and lets out a laugh at the suggestion. "Do you feel I didn't think of that?"
He took yet another step closer to Maxwell, relishing the look of terror in his eyes.
Cowering in fear, Maxwell tries looking anywhere but in his boss's direction.
"The outlaws let go of what I want, why trace their location when I haven't gotten my prize?" Rayden suggests with a shrug.
He couldn't care much about the other anomalies. After the epic display of the possible prowess of Sylvester's mental awakening, he developed other plans he could utilize.
'He will seek out the outlaws, I just know it.' Rayden thought with a smirk.
He turned around and walked over to his upturned table.
Rummaging through the drawers, his lips curved in a twisted smirk as he pulled out a dagger, tracing its jagged edge to its tip.
Holding it with a closed fist, he locked his gaze on Maxwell. "Don't move so much, it's not like I would kill my favorite assistant."
'How the hell is that possible, sir?' Maxwell thought in a panic, slowly moving to his right instead.
"Give them someone to rely on, someone 'trustworthy and reliable', when their guard is down..."
Throwing the dagger in Maxwell's direction, he grins watching it swing through the air.
Shunk!
Ducking just in time, Maxwell's heart skipped a beat as the dagger impaled a chunk of his hair a few inches above his head.
"...only then we strike!" Rayden concludes with a sinister grin.
–––––––––––
Author's note
¶ Any thoughts on who could be the mole in the outlaws?
¶ Do check out the weekly auxiliary chapter[Bonus chapter task] to know how you can participate.