“What?”

  Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead, morphing around the cold rectangular object pressed to his ear. From it, a garbled voice whispered out in a cold tone.

  “Need I repeat myself, Mr. Schafer? Your branch is being cut. Select a few who you think have potential.”

  Pinching the bridge of his nose, Schafer gritted his teeth, “No… I got that loud and clear. Just… why?”

  Silence answered him. Then, a curt “Good day, Mr. Schafer" followed by a sharp monotone zing.

  Slowly, he lowered the phone from his ear, eyes narrowing at the anonymous caller ID. Heat surged through him, a sudden, scorching fire that made his arm jerk back. It hung for a moment, before thrusting forward, releasing its grasp.

  The object flew across the room, smashing into the wall with a crack. His nostrils flared, veins standing out on his forehead as he slammed his fists into the desk.

  Then his legs gave away. He slumped back into his chair, scooting away from the impact.

  What was he to do now? Simply tell everyone they were out of a job? He absolutely couldn’t mention that a few talented people might move on. He was certain that if he did, she would take advantage of that.

  Shutting his eyes, he drew a slow breath, bringing it under control as he ran a hand through his hair. No, this wasn’t the time to have any doubts. He had to face this like a man. Tell the facts straight. Thank them for their service.

  But… that also meant telling her. Of all people. How did she even get that managerial position anyway? She was talented, yes… But her work ethic was… something else. It didn’t matter. There was also a chance she’d get a call herself. Better to be upfront. Perhaps she could make things easier…

  He glanced at the broken phone across the room. Maybe he shouldn’t have been so hasty. It was a burner, yet it was still the only way he could have contacted her.

  Groaning, Schafer pushed himself upright and left his office. He’d do it the old-fashioned way.

  The halls were a maze, but he navigated them like always, returning curt nods to the waves and greetings of passing coworkers. Fighting the urge to wince, he scanned for his new assistant.

  “Oh, hey Mr. Schafer! What can I help you with today?”

  Pausing, an object impeded his path. A boy with a bright youthful face and striking orange eyes. A blue cap covered his tousled black hair, barely containing it as it spilled out at its edges. Besides that, everything else was up to code, his white coat buttoned up and freshly ironed.

  Schafer glanced down at him, “I don’t always need your help, Jacob.”

  “Oh, I know, sir,” Jacob beamed. “I ask just in case.”

  “In this case, then, have you seen Ashley around? I need to speak with her.”

  “Ashley? She went to have a chat with Ava,” Jacob replied.

  Schafer frowned. “Slacking off again,” he muttered under his breath.

  “What was that, sir?”

  “Nothing. Did she say where she was going?”

  “Er… I think she mentioned the IT room.”

  The IT room. Schafer’s brow furrowed. What could she possibly want there? He’d have to ask her himself.

  “Thank you, Jacob. Keep up the good work,” he said, offering a nod before moving on.

  His face brightened at the notion. “No problem, sir! Anytime,” Jacob exclaimed, practically glowing.

  Schafer moved on, leaving the boy behind as his thoughts closed in.

  If only Ashley had an ounce of that.

  And yet… he’d still choose her over him. A talent utterly wasted on her, but a talent nonetheless.

  Before he realized it, he stood before a door labeled IT. However, a bright sticky note crookedly clung to it, notifying him that everyone inside was out for lunch. Frowning, Schafer pushed the door open anyway.

  The room was dark. Machines silent. Chairs empty.

  That was odd. Knowing Matthew, lunch usually meant eating at his desk.

  Exhaling slowly, Schafer rested his hands on his belt. His only lead had gone cold. He turned to leave when a timid voice squeaked behind him.

  “Ah…”

  Turning, he recognized the girl as the one he had interviewed a couple months ago.

  “Madison, correct?”

  “Yeah…?” Her reply came unsteadily. She edged closer, stopping just short of the doorway. “I, uh… I left something inside.”

  “Where’s Matthew?” Schafer asked, his tone cooling.

  “He’s… not in.”

  “I can see that.”

  She let out a nervous breath, “Then why ask?”

  Schafer’s eyes narrowed. She surely wasn’t this stupid. After all, he’d personally overseen her hire.

  “What’s wrong?”

  That did it. Madison averted her gaze, fingers knotting together. She was avoiding him. Why?

  “Madison,” Schafer said quietly, “as your supervisor, you need to tell me if something important is happening.”

  “Uh… I—” She was sweating bullets, the perspiration caking on her forehead. “It’s just…”

  “Does this have anything to do with Ashley?”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  At the sound of her name, Madison went completely still. Her eyes dropped to the floor.

  That was all he needed.

  “If you know nothing,” Schafer said evenly, turning away, “then I’ll be on my—”

  “Wait!” Madison blurted, “Um…”

  He pivoted back with a sigh, “Spit it out.”

  “She… she threatened him,” Madison said. Her voice shrinking to a near-whisper, “And…”

  “And what?”

  “She got your password!” she blurted, the words all tumbling out at once.

  Schafer froze.

  My password?

  The only thing that she wouldn’t have now was his rotating access code. Something that narrowed the list of possibilities to things he didn’t like. The armory. Volatile materials. None of it made sense. Why would Ashley need her hands anywhere near either?

  “Sir?” Madison asked carefully. “Are you… okay?”

  Jolted out of speculation, he turned back to her, “I’m fine. And I appreciate your honesty.”

  “How bad is it?” she asked, barely above a whisper.

  “How bad?” he forced a thin smile. “I’m sure it’s nothing that can’t be explained.”

  “But she threatened Matthew.”

  “It may have appeared that way,” Schafer interrupted. “They’ve never gotten along. You haven’t been here long enough to know that.”

  “Ah but—”

  “Don’t you have lunch to attend to?”

  Madison fell silent.

  Schafer strode off, his pace steady. Despite his own assurance, this was an anomaly even for Ashley’s usual shenanigans. Motives raced through his mind, yet nothing clicked. He’d have to just confront her himself.

  Now his search had narrowed.

  If she were after either of those things, both are housed in the northern wing. Which meant she’d passed through the checkpoint. That alone would give him more information. All he had to do was start there.

  It was easy to find, being only one of the two that were in the entire facility. A massive double sliding door dominated the hall, flanked by a small control room with a reinforced window. Inside, a guard sat watch. The moment Schafer entered his view, the man straightened.

  “How’s it going, sir?”

  Schafer paused before him, “Has Ashley been through here?”

  The guard nodded. “Yes, sir. A couple minutes ago.”

  “Did she say where she was headed?”

  “She said she was going back to double-check the new inventory.”

  “Back?” Schafer echoed.

  The guard chuckled, “Yeah. Guess she got nervous. Came through earlier, then returned and said she wanted to be sure.”

  Schafer frowned. He usually had a good read on her. Right now, it felt like he was chasing a complete stranger.

  “Alright,” he said. “I’ll check on her. And good work.”

  “Just doing my job, sir,” the guard replied, moving his arm out of view.

  Afterwards, the door began to slide open, emitting a loud metallic groan. Schafer stepped through, immediately coming face to face with his goose.

  For a brief moment, Ashley’s face flickered with surprise. Then it smoothed into something sly.

  “Oh hey~” she cooed.

  “Where have you been?” Schafer asked, arms crossing.

  “Checking inventory,” she replied easily. “Like you told me to.”

  Stating her alibi, Schafer could spot her eyes analyzing his features.

  “We need to talk,” he said.

  As his words settled in, Ashley clasped her hands behind her back and smiled, “Sure thing. Where to?”

  He gestured subtly and turned. She fell into step beside him, humming a slow, melancholic tune. She didn’t stop, not even after they entered a cramped side room and Schafer shut the door behind them.

  She glanced around, “Maintenance closet? Interesting choice.”

  “It’s private,” Schafer said, leaning against the wall.

  Her lips spread into a coy smile, “Oh~? Finally making a move? Sorry, but I’m taken.”

  “Stop the games, Ash,” he said flatly. “What did you do with my code?”

  Ashley exhaled and closed her eyes, “Nothing gets past you, huh? Look, I can explain.”

  “Let’s hear it,” he replied dryly. “Excuse of the day.”

  “You remember that weird item on the shipment list? Malitia?” she said. “Nobody knows what it is. You were busy, so I did some digging. Initiative. You like that.”

  “If it’s here,” Schafer began, “it was meant—”

  “That’s what I thought too,” Ashley cut in, lifting a finger. “Then I saw it.”

  “Saw what?” he asked, exasperatedly throwing out his hands.

  Her gaze drifted as she continued, “The container housing the material. It’s strange. The way it's structured and designed is much like… a scaled-up rodent enclosure. Except the glass is completely blacked out, not tinted. You can’t see anything. And then there were the sounds.”

  “S—” He stopped himself. “Sounds?”

  “The noises,” she said quietly. “It was—”

  "Stop. I’ve heard enough.” Schafer stepped forward. “I've had it. This isn’t the time for your theatrics. I don’t care why you did it; just be honest with me! Tell me the truth for once!?”

  “I am telling the truth!”

  “No, you’re not!” His voice cracked. “Lie after lie! Do you know how long I’ve put up with this? How lucky have you been? If we weren’t on good terms, I would’ve fired you years ago!”

  “Then why don’t you!?” she shot back.

  Silence crashed down between them, broken only by their breathing.

  Schafer gazed into Ashley’s eyes, and his own widened. She carried a look, one that he’d never seen before, or rather, one that she’d never had. It was a simple one, probably normal to many. But to her, it was like finding a rare gemstone.

  For once, in the entire span of the five years he had known her, she looked unsure of herself.

  He exhaled, “Sorry.”

  Ashley looked away, twisting a strand of hair around her finger. “So… why don’t you?” she repeated quietly.

  “Do you remember the day we met?” Schafer asked.

  “What does that have to do with anything?”

  “Do you remember?”

  She scoffed, “Yeah. I offered you a smoke. You said no.”

  “You still off them?”

  “Been off a while.”

  “How long?”

  She growled, “Do you really think I keep track?”

  “An estimate then,” he replied casually.

  “Four years. Why?”

  “Because you’re young,” he said, softer now. “And you’ve got a nice voice. Don’t ruin it.”

  She wrinkled her nose, “Shut up and get to the point.”

  “I trust you, Ash,” Schafer said. “Because you remind me of myself. You’re smart—brilliant, actually. I’ve read your work. You’re twenty-five and already clawing your way up. I admire that. Hell, you might outrank me someday.”

  “That… doesn’t make sense.”

  “It does,” he admitted. “Because I envy it.”

  “Why?” She stepped closer.

  “Because I can’t do it anymore… I can’t have the drive or the certainty to keep going. I keep wondering, is this it? Is this all there is? Is this what winning the rat race looks like? And shit… I still can’t stop smoking. I don’t even know how you did.”

  He ran a hand through his hair, eyes closed.

  Then he felt her hand on his shoulder.

  “Then why did you say no?” she asked quietly.

  A small smile spread on his lips as he gazed at Ashley’s face. Was that concern he spotted? So she could feel empathy after all.

  He smiled faintly. “What kind of boss would I be if I didn’t?”

  “That so?” she giggled. “You could loosen up once in a while.”

  He cleared his throat and stepped back, "That's the point. You can’t be pulling these stunts that get you in trouble. I’ll let this go. Once. But tell me honestly. Why did you take my code?”

  Ashley huffed, “Still on that, huh? I was just checking the Malitia thing, nothing else.”

  “You know the volatile bay isn’t a playground.”

  She gestured at herself, “I’m alive.”

  “Curiosity killed the cat,” he sighed, shaking his head.

  “No, but it's cute you think of me like that,” she teased, sticking her tongue out for a moment. “So why did you get all sentimental on me?”

  Cold set into Schafer’s shoulders.

  “Because our department’s being cut.”