"Okay, okay... Enough staring, or she'll kill me.Let's start with the introductions. This is Mike, he's my secretary, and he's in charge of itineraries and field jobs," Locious said, pointing at the man who had spoken before.
Mike, who had given Rose a truly nasty look just moments earlier, had big brown eyes, and his curly hair gave him the appearance of a doll. He was certainly attractive and looked quite young, but he was currently glaring at her as if she were a demon incarnate. Completely clueless about his secretary's hostility, Locious continued.
"Next to Mike, we have Ron, our reliable accounts manager. He is incredibly strict and careful with the cash flow, bills and payments. Trust me, if Ron ever quit, we'd all be bankrupt by Tuesday. You don't want to mess with his system."
The man did indeed look very serious. He wore a black suit, his white shirt was fully buttoned, and his hair was neatly, almost rigidly, slicked back. Rose initially thought his cold look was directed at her for her outburst, but she quickly realized that was just his resting expression. He offered a small inclination of his head, and Locious moved on to the next person.
The woman sitting next to Ron was the complete opposite. She had short, disheveled black hair, and wore a purple hoodie and a pair of glasses that had clearly seen better days. She smiled timidly when Locious introduced her as Mila, the genius behind the technology department.
Then came the person who had intrigued Rose the most. On the opposite side of the table from Mila sat another woman who looked, without a doubt, wild. She was wearing a black tank top and cargo pants. Rose was certain she was also wearing military boots under the table, and her long red hair seemed to reflect her own fiery aura.
"Since you're looking at me that way, I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Sandy, and I'm your soon-to-be best friend. I'm in charge of the arms and tactics department, and I'm also the one who enjoys putting our pretty boy in his place," she said, winking, and Rose smiled. At least, there's one person in this room who is willing to be nice to me, she thought. Maybe my life here is not a lost cause, after all.
"Sandy, please... Don't start alienating people; it always ends badly for you," Locious said with a sly smile.
Sandy looked at him with squinted eyes, as if secret words were being said without a sound between them. Strangely enough, Sandy didn't wake up the same feeling in her that Ethel did. Rose could almost feel the deep and filial bond that Locious and Sandy shared, like a visible thread. There was something different about this girl, something that called to her but, at the same time, made her want to keep her distance.
"Next to Sandy, there's Ben, who's in charge of logistics, and then..."
"Hey, hold on! Why was my introduction so short?" Ben interrupted with indignation.
Rose realized the introduction had been brief, but before being able to form a question, she understood why.
"I'm Ben, and I'm the person you will find is your best ally in this place," he said, looking at her as if she were a tasty hot dog.
Rose managed an awkward smile but failed to notice the white knuckles on Locious's hands.
"If you give me your number, I will always have anything you want or need at your disposal, even my... ugh!"
Sandy didn't let him finish his sentence, punching him sharply in the stomach, which startled Rose. Okay, she has a short temper, that's for sure, but as Ben didn't complain and no one else in the room changed their attitude, she understood that what had just happened was normal—well, normal for them.
"F*cking moron! You're lucky I'm next to you," she whispered, rubbing his abdomen and helping him breathe again.
"I'm Carol, and I'm in charge of the Human Resources department. I handle holidays, salaries, and the workplace atmosphere. If any of your coworkers step on any of your boundaries, just come to me and I'll fix it for you," Carol stated, looking pointedly into the eyes of everyone else in the room.
Wow, Rose thought, and I thought Steven was scary. This woman just made everyone there, even the ones who seem ten times stronger than her, look down at their feet. She formed a silent thank you with her mouth. Despite Carol not answering, she saw her tilt her head as if accepting it, but still maintaining her formal expression.
"As we have all been introduced, everyone is dismissed," Mike said, jumping from his chair, adjusting his jacket, and turning to show Locious some papers, as if he couldn't let anyone else steal the attention from his boss. Such a peculiar dude, she thought, but she couldn't actually judge him as a few moments earlier, she also thought about having Locious all for herself. Don't go there; it was just a momentary insanity, she said to herself and watched Carol leave the office, followed by Ron after saying their goodbyes.
"Hey girl, I was being real; I think you and I can become good friends. He sometimes thinks he's all that and needs someone to... you know... bring him back to earth," Sandy stated with a genuine smile, looking at her.
Mila laughed, but when they turned to her, she quickly hid behind her tablet, typed something, and left the room without a word. Rose was about to ask who she was referring to when suddenly, Locious's arm wrapped around her shoulders.
"What did I say, Sandy? Don't try to turn her into your minions; she is a fresh bun from the oven, and if you try to mentor her, she'll end up rotten," he said with a mocking tone, and even though his words seemed harsh, there was a hint of affection behind the teasing that couldn't be hidden.
"Hey boss, why is it that when you touch her, no one thinks it's harassment, but when I say something nice, I end... ugh!"
Sandy connected her elbow with Ben's stomach once more, leaving him breathless yet again.
"Read... the... freaking... room!" she said with gritted teeth, leaving him spread in his chair, gasping for air to stand before Locious. How well do these two know each other that Sandy automatically realized he had something important to say before he even pronounced a word?
"We have a situation in town. Apparently, there are some people experimenting..." Locious began.
Rose turned around to listen better, but his profile hit her like a physical shockwave. He was speaking, his lips moving, yet she couldn't register a single word; the noise of the room, the voices of his team, the very existence of her surroundings—all of it collapsed into an insignificant black void. In that void, only one truth existed: a desperate, consuming need to touch, to taste, to claim him entirely.
He suddenly looked at her, and her heart skipped a beat. He was asking her something, but her brainfog hadn't dispersed yet, so she just nodded.
"Great! So, please Sandy, get her a Bo staff—that's her favourite weapon—one of those new ones that can fit in your pocket, and show her how to use it. I'll wait for you at the front door in thirty minutes. Let's get ready for our first mission," he instructed, turning around and disappearing with his secretary into another door she hadn't seen, probably leading to his private office.
Suddenly, understanding dawned on her, and she realized she had no idea what she had agreed to do. She had just accepted an armed mission without hearing the objective, the danger, or the required protocol. She couldn't possibly ask him to repeat himself without admitting the full, humiliating truth: that her mind was no longer her own. The terrifying, undeniable truth was that her own mind was actively betraying her, and she had to regain control before the mission started but.. How am I supposed to do that?