Joseph exited the meeting room, his shoulders sagging as he exhaled a long, weary breath. The tension of the past hour clung to him like a second skin, heavy and suffocating. He ran a hand through his slightly disheveled hair, muttering under his breath, "Huff… That man truly has an aura. Remarkable for a human, really."
The corridor was alive with activity—agents moving briskly, phones ringing, papers shuffling—but Joseph barely noticed. His focus was elsewhere, his mind replaying the events of the meeting and everything that had led to this point. Shaking his head, he made his way toward the break room.
When he pushed the door open, relief washed over him. The room was empty. For the first time that day, silence greeted him, broken only by the faint hum of the air conditioning. He let out a quiet sigh, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips.
"Finally," he murmured, heading straight to the water dispenser. As he pressed the button, the cool trickle of water hitting the cup seemed to soothe his nerves.
But just as he brought the cup to his lips, footsteps echoed behind him, faint at first but growing louder. He didn't bother turning around, assuming he knew who it was.
"Not again, Adam," he groaned, his tone rising slightly in irritation. "I'm already stressed. Can you please—"
"It's me, sir. Lopez," came a soft, familiar voice.
Joseph froze mid-sentence, nearly spilling his water. He turned abruptly, his eyes widening. "Oh. Ms. Lopez. Sorry, I thought…" He trailed off, shaking his head as if to clear it. "Never mind."
Lopez gave him a small, understanding smile. "I get it, sir. After all that's happened, you must be exhausted."
Joseph nodded, his expression softening. "Thanks for understanding. And thank you… for keeping last night's events under wraps. It couldn't have been easy, especially for someone…" He hesitated, searching for the right words.
"For someone human?" she finished with a playful grin.
He chuckled lightly. "Exactly."
Lopez tilted her head, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "To be honest, it was a shock at first. My grandmother used to tell me wild stories, and now… I've lived one of them. But…" She paused, her smile growing wider. "I think I'm more excited than scared now."
Joseph smiled back, genuinely pleased by her resilience. "That's good to hear, Ms. Lopez."
But Lopez wasn't done. Her curiosity bubbled over, and she leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Sir, do you have more powers? I mean, what else can you do?"
Joseph smirked, sensing the rabbit hole she was about to drag him down. "That," he said, his tone teasing, "is a secret for another time."
Lopez pouted, crossing her arms like a child denied candy. "Come on, aren't we comrades now? Why keep secrets from me?"
Joseph raised an eyebrow, his smirk turning into a mischievous grin. "Comrades, huh? Are we?"
Her playful demeanor faltered, a flicker of doubt crossing her face. "Wait… So, we're not?"
Joseph let the silence stretch just long enough to make her squirm before softening his expression. He reached out and patted her lightly on the head, an affectionate yet playful gesture. "Of course we are. I was just teasing."
Lopez's face lit up, her smile returning tenfold. Before Joseph could react, she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around him in a tight, impulsive hug. "Thank you, sir! Thank you so much!"
Joseph stiffened for a moment, caught completely off guard. But as her words tumbled out, her joy infectious, he found himself smiling.
Realizing what she'd done, Lopez quickly pulled back, her cheeks flaming red. She cleared her throat, straightening her sweater as if to regain her composure. "Ahem. I mean… thank you, sir, for considering me a comrade."
Joseph chuckled softly, shaking his head. "I'm glad too, Ms. Lopez. You always manage to keep things… interesting."
Her blush deepened, and without another word, she spun on her heel and practically bolted out of the room. "I'll… I'll be going now, sir!" she called over her shoulder.
Joseph watched her retreating figure, his smile lingering as he turned back to the water dispenser. "She's quite something," he muttered, taking a long sip of water.
Just as he settled into a chair, the door creaked open again. Without looking up, Joseph called out, "Forget something, Ms. Lopez?"
The response wasn't the soft, cheerful tone he expected.
"No," came a voice laced with mockery. "It's just me."
Joseph's head snapped up, his expression darkening instantly. Standing in the doorway, coffee cup in hand, was Adam.
"Oh," Joseph said flatly. "It's you."
Adam smirked, stepping inside with an air of casual confidence. "What's with the sudden change in tone? Were you expecting someone else?"
Joseph leaned back in his chair, his gaze cold and unflinching. "Let's just say you're the last person I wanted to see right now."
Adam chuckled, though the sound was devoid of humor. "Always so blunt, Joseph. I admire that about you."
Joseph's eyes narrowed. "Save the flattery, Adam. What do you want?"
Adam shrugged, taking a slow sip of his coffee. "Just thought I'd check in. See how you're holding up after last night."
Joseph's lip curled into a sardonic smile. "How thoughtful of you. It's almost as if you care."
Adam's smile faltered for a split second before returning, sharper this time. "Of course I care. We're all in this together, aren't we?"
Joseph's voice dropped, low and cutting. "You and I both know that's a lie."
The tension between them crackled like static electricity, the air growing heavier with unspoken accusations. Adam finally broke the silence, glancing at the clock on the wall.
"Well," he said, his tone light but his eyes cold, "I have a meeting to attend. Let's hope everything goes… according to plan."
Joseph's smirk widened; his words deliberate. "Yes, let's hope."
As Adam turned to leave, his grip on the coffee cup tightened, the plastic creaking under the pressure. He tossed it into the trash, muttering something under his breath as he walked out.
Joseph watched him go, his gaze lingering on the door long after it closed. A chill ran down his spine, and he frowned deeply. "Was that… demonic energy?" He shook his head, dismissing the thought. "No. Maybe I'm just imagining things."
After a moment's pause, Joseph stood and made his way back to his office. As he entered, he found David and Lopez huddled together, their faces tense with urgency.
David waved him over immediately. "Joseph, you need to hear this."
Joseph's eyes flicked to Lopez, who was avoiding his gaze, her face unusually flushed. He raised an eyebrow but decided not to comment. "What is it?"
David's voice was grim. "The demon from last night. Its body… it's gone."
Joseph froze, his eyes widening. "What? Are you sure it was dead?"
David nodded firmly. "Positive. I checked myself. There's no way it could've survived."
Joseph began pacing, his mind racing. "Then how did the body disappear? Did someone move it? Or…" His voice trailed off, the unspoken possibilities hanging heavy in the air.
Lopez shifted uncomfortably, drawing their attention. "Maybe it's connected to… their bigger plan," she said hesitantly.
Joseph stopped pacing; his gaze sharp. "David's right. They're planning something. Something big."
He turned to face the two of them, his expression grave. "And we don't have much time to figure it out. The CEO wants a full report in ten days. That means answers, resolutions… everything."
The three of them turned toward the large window, where the entrance below was swarmed with reporters and protesters. Their demands for answers echoed faintly, a constant reminder of the chaos waiting for them outside.
The three of them turned toward the large window, where the entrance below was swarmed with reporters and protesters. Their demands for answers echoed faintly, a constant reminder of the chaos waiting for them outside.
Joseph's gaze hardened as he stared out at the sea of cameras, the flashing lights almost blinding in their intensity.
"And now," he murmured, the weight of the situation sinking in, "we have two fights to win. Prove my innocence in the case from last night, and… clear my name in front of the public and the media."
Lopez's face darkened, but she nodded. "The media won't care about the truth. They'll just care about the views. And they'll twist everything they can to make a story."
Joseph's fists clenched at his sides, his eyes narrowing. "I know. And that's the part that scares me most."
The storm is far from over.