The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm orange glow over the city. Inside the spotless office of Enigma's CEO, Thomas sat at his glass desk, his gaze distant as the skyline sprawled beyond the massive windows behind him. His hand rested heavily on his forehead, deep in thought, as if the weight of the entire world bore down on his shoulders. The soft hum of the air conditioner blended with the gentle rustle of papers, and the light made the clean surfaces shimmer.
"Knock, knock."
The soft sound echoed through the quiet room, pulling Thomas from his reverie. He straightened slowly in his ergonomic chair, his broad shoulders rising as he adjusted his posture. His eyes briefly closed as he took a slow, calming breath. When he opened them again, his expression shifted from one of deep weariness to a more composed, professional demeanour.
"Come in," he called, his voice steady though laced with a hint of fatigue.
The door opened to reveal Mary, his longtime secretary, gliding into the room with her usual air of calm professionalism. Dressed in a neat pencil skirt, black stockings, and a crisp white blouse, Mary's appearance was as impeccable as her work ethic. Her dark hair was neatly pulled back, and her kind eyes held both focus and a quiet warmth. She carried two files in her hands, the papers neatly arranged and her fingers gently tapping on the folders as she approached the desk. Opening one of the files, she began,
"Sir, these are the performance reports from team B1—"
Her voice faltered as she noticed the troubled expression on Thomas's face. His usual sharp and commanding gaze was clouded with something deeper, more personal. His eyes, usually bright with determination, now looked shadowed with worry.
"Sir?" Mary asked softly, her tone laced with concern as she tilted her head slightly, her eyes searching his face for hints of his inner turmoil. "Is something bothering you?"
Thomas exhaled a long, tired sigh, rubbing his temples with slow, deliberate motions before finally meeting her eyes. "Mary... you've been with me long enough. You can feel it, can't you? There is a storm coming. A dangerous one."
Mary nodded slightly, her expression grave. She glanced down at the papers in her hands before looking back up. "I may not have your instincts, sir, but I've been watching the news. Strange things are happening around the city... it does feel like something bigger is unfolding."
Thomas turned his gaze back to the panoramic view of the city. The tall buildings and busy streets seemed to whisper secrets in the dying light. His voice dropped, thick with dread, "They're rising again. And this time... we might not be ready."
Down on the ground floor, Joseph and Lopez stood near the building's entrance, where the fading sunlight cast long, stretched shadows across the sidewalk. The day was nearly over, and the cool evening air mixed with the soft sounds of the city beginning to wind down. The weight of their conversation hung heavily between them, visible in their tight postures and tense expressions.
Lopez, her tone cautious but serious, broke the silence. "Sir, I'm starting to think someone inside the company is trying to tarnish your reputation." Her eyes flitted around the quiet entrance as if expecting someone to overhear her words.
Before Joseph could respond, David joined them. His entrance was marked by a slight shift in his stance; he leaned casually against the wall, arms loosely folded, his confident eyes scanning the area. With a tone that cut through the tension, he said, "Someone? it's obvious who it is. It's that snake Adam. I saw him slithering into the building with Joseph this morning." His smirk was clear as he spoke, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a way that mixed amusement with accusation.
Lopez blinked in surprise, caught off guard by the sudden bluntness. "Adam? But, Sir David, why would he—" she began, her voice trailing off as she tried to adjust her tone.
David waved off her formality with a smirk and a slight roll of his eyes. "Please, drop the 'Sir David' nonsense. We're way past that." His tone carried a playful tease, though his eyes remained serious as they flicked toward Joseph.
Lopez's cheeks flushed slightly at the unexpected familiarity, the colour rising in her face as she stammered, "Um, well—"
Sensing her discomfort, Joseph cut in with his usual sarcastic edge, his lips twisting into a slight, knowing smile. "Yeah, it's Adam he's talking about." His voice was casual but the set of his jaw suggested he held more inside than he let on.
David rolled his eyes dramatically and crossed his arms, his face wearing an exaggerated mask of disappointment. "Really, Joseph? Way to kill the moment. I was building up to something." Even as he spoke, his tone carried a mix of teasing and mild reproach.
Joseph shrugged, still smirking. "Oh, sorry. Didn't realize I was supposed to read the room." His words were light, but his eyes flashed with a hidden pain.
In that moment, a flicker of something dark passed across Joseph's face. For just a second, his eyes clouded as he remembered a long-buried memory: his younger self clutching a blood-stained stone, the image of a child lying motionless on the ground, blood seeping from a wound on the head, and a dark shadow looming nearby. The memory was sharp and sudden, and it made his stomach churn. His tone turned icy as he said, "If that's all we need to discuss, I'm leaving."
The sudden shift in his demeanour left both Lopez and David momentarily stunned. Lopez glanced at David; her eyes wide and confused, her mouth slightly parted in surprise. David's expression softened for a brief moment, as if he understood the source of Joseph's pain. Still, David forced a smile and tried to brush it off.
"He's probably just tired," David muttered, his voice low as he attempted to break the awkward silence. "It happens."
The trio made their way to the building's exit, their footsteps echoing softly on the polished floor. Outside, the afternoon sun was dipping low, casting the front of the building in long, golden shadows that stretched across the pavement. The earlier bustle of reporters had faded away, leaving the area eerily quiet.
"At least the vultures aren't here anymore," Lopez muttered with a relieved sigh, her voice carrying both fatigue and a hint of bitterness.
Just as they were about to step into the car, Joseph paused mid-stride. His head jerked slightly as he heard an unmistakable clicking sound, like the snap of a camera shutter. His eyes darted around, scanning the quiet street with a growing sense of alarm. There was no one in sight, yet the uneasy feeling gnawed at him.
"Something wrong, sir?" Lopez asked, her voice soft and concerned as she noticed his hesitation. Her eyes searched his face, reading the worry in his furrowed brow.
Joseph shook his head slowly, though his eyes betrayed a lingering paranoia. "Maybe I'm just overthinking things," he muttered quietly to himself as he slid into the car, his gaze lingering on the empty street.
Up on the third floor, Thomas stood by the window, watching Joseph's car drive off into the fading light. His eyes narrowed slightly, and his fingers tapped lightly on the glass as he pondered the scene below. The city lights began to twinkle on, and the room filled with the soft hum of the evening.
Mary, standing beside him, noticed his intense focus. Her posture straight and attentive, she asked in a gentle tone, "Is something about them troubling you, sir?" Her eyes were kind and earnest as she studied his face for any sign of distress.
Thomas didn't respond immediately; his thoughts were tangled and heavy. After a moment, he spoke in a low voice, "There's something... off about Joseph. I've given him time to prove his innocence, but he's hiding something. I can feel it." His eyes remained fixed on the city, but his jaw tightened as he spoke.
Mary, ever loyal and calm, offered, "Shall I look into him, sir? We could conduct a quiet investigation." Her tone was soft, and she took a small step closer, her hands clasped in front of her as if to steady herself.
Thomas shook his head, his gaze still distant. "No. Not yet. He's been given time to clear himself. Let it be." After a brief silence, he added, almost to himself, "There's an old Story my grandmother used to tell me. And seeing Joseph... it makes me think of that story." His voice lowered, as if the memory was fragile and far away.
Intrigued, Mary raised an eyebrow, her curiosity clear as she leaned in slightly. "A story?"
Thomas's voice turned distant, as if the memory was only half-formed in his mind. "The contract between humans and another species, to preserve their existence. An uneasy peace... just like now." He turned away from the window, his face becoming unreadable in the dim light. "We'll see soon enough what fate has in store for us."
Across the street, in the gathering twilight, a shadowy figure stood watching the building. The streetlights flickered on, throwing shifting patches of light onto the pavement, and the cool air carried a sense of quiet danger. His eyes were fixed on the building as he checked his phone, the glow from the screen briefly lighting his face. He answered quickly, his voice low and steady.
"I've got the photos," the man on the street whispered into the phone.
In a dimly lit room, illuminated only by the pale glow of a computer screen, another figure listened carefully. His face was partly hidden in shadow, but his deep, raspy voice came through clearly as he replied, "Good. Send them to the media as planned. And don't forget to attach the message."
The man on the street shifted slightly, his eyes narrowing as he spoke, "And the payment?" His tone carried a hint of greed as he glanced around the darkened street.
"Don't worry," the figure in the dim room replied smoothly. "You'll get your money. Just do as I've instructed."
The man on the street grinned, a slow, confident smile spreading across his face. "Consider it done."
As the call ended, the figure in the dark room leaned back in his chair. Suddenly, a stray ray of light broke through the gloom and illuminated his face, revealing Adam's sharp features for a fleeting moment before the darkness swallowed them again. A cold, satisfied grin spread across his face as he murmured, "Now... let's see how you handle this, Joseph."
The trap was set. But one question lingered: Why was Adam willing to go to such lengths to make Joseph's life a living hell? Was it just jealousy, or was there something much darker waiting to be uncovered?
As the dusk turned into night and shadows deepened, it was clear that this was only the beginning of a drama that would soon pull them all into chaos.