"And earlier today, I saw three ducks in the pond by the convenience store, which is wild because yesterday I only saw one. I wonder where the other two were. Probably napping in a tree somewhere, couple of slackers. Do ducks go in trees? It seems like they would." Day had been narrating his entire day while sipping noodles, and Wen made no effort to stop him even though they had been together the whole time. It was their nightly routine, and Wen found himself eagerly looking forward to dinner every day.
"Slackers?" Wen raised an eyebrow, "you're one to talk."
"Me?!" Day asked incredulously, "I'm your best employee!"
"You are technically not an employee since you don't have a job you do."
"What?!" Day screeched, flipping over his half-eaten bowl in the process. "I have been working so hard every day, how could you say this to me?!"
Wen raised an eyebrow and calmly scooped the spilled food back into the bowl.
"I have!" Day continued, "In fact, I was going to give this to you today anyways, although now I feel like you don't deserve it!" He pulled a crumpled paper from out of his back pocket, and tossed it onto the table. Wen unfolded it, and found lines and lines of hastily scribbled words. After a moment he realized these were locations. Toward the bottom of his page, these lines turned into lists of names he recognized from outside organizations.
"What is this?"
"My job!" Day exclaimed, now standing proudly with his hands on his hips.
Wen looked again at the paper and the half-hazard writing that covered it. He spent several moments trying to make sense of it before Day became impatient and began to explain it himself.
"Each section is organized with the biggest threat at the top and going down from there. The first section is compromised locations with gaps in security you should address. The second section is people affiliated with rival groups currently monitoring or attempting to monitor people affiliated with you. I was going to put all this in a spreadsheet, but I don't know how those work."
Wen narrowed his eyes as he skimmed the list. At the last few locations, he froze. After a moment of tense silence, he coldly stated, "some of these are at Fleet Tower."
"Most of them, actually. You really should work on security there. It might not be your base, but as your family's official company building there is still enough information there connected to your…operations."
Wen clenched the paper in his hand harder. This was clearly a threat. Oddly presented, sure, but a threat all the same. This man knew about his family, and he had written out exactly how he could infiltrate them. No ordinary civilian would be able to access this information. Even his world-class security team hadn't been able to detect these gaps.
"I don't know who you are, or how you got this information, but you've messed with the wrong person," Wen stood, towering over Day.
Day tilted his head, confused by the sudden shift in atmosphere.
"Whatever your plan is," Wen continued, "it ends with you and everyone you care about dead. Tread carefully."
"My…plan?"
"I have been lenient with you out of curiosity. This was clearly your intent. You have gotten further than you should have ever been able to, and this was my mistake. But this is where it ends."
Anger radiated from Wen. Day unconsciously took a step back, stumbling into a wall. Wen tossed the crumpled paper in his hand to the ground, before stepping forward and crushing it under his foot.
"I'm giving you a chance," he growled, "to tell me who you work for. Do that, and I'll let you leave. As long as you never return you can live. If I ever see you again, you and every person you care about will die. That is the price of crossing me. Consider yourself lucky to have not paid it already."
Day's brow furrowed, "I don't understand. But you're stepping on my paper. I worked very hard on it."
"ENOUGH!" Wen roared. Day's eyes widened and his mouth dropped slightly open. Wen needed to end this immediately. "Your deception will not work on me! You are not helpful, and you are not needed. Even your act is pathetic."
Wen waited for Day to either fight back or surrender and admit his plan. To his surprise, the other man did neither. Instead, Day's eyes filled with tears and his breathing became increasingly heavy.
Wen suddenly became very, very aware of his position. He was more than a head taller than Day, and weighed significantly more in muscle alone. In his anger he had risen and pulled his body outward, appearing even larger. In contrast Day had pulled himself further in and was trying and failing to stop his whole body from shaking.
Wen had seen fear before. He had created it—many times, from some of the most ruthless men. This was different. Day was more than just scared. He was scared and sad.
This stopped Wen. This wasn't the look of an enemy being caught. This was the look of devastation. Wen had not expected this. Instantly, he took a step back and forced his face to soften. He opened his mouth to say something, anything, but before he could, Day turned the corner of the wall he had been backed into and disappeared.
Wen stood frozen for a moment, before following in a panic. There was no way Day could have vanished, surely he must still be in the building. At the sight of an empty hallway, Wen dialed security from his wristwatch, brought his hand to his mouth and growled, "Find him."