Record playing on repeat, an old song that she used to hear from Eulysis, the tic-tac of the clock, smell of freshly brewed coffee, and thoughts have kept her awake and never did she yawn—not even once for the whole night.
She can still hear Lux’s echoing, making her remember what happened to their conversation.
“Captain Eulysis indeed can push some just to pull the others. He can sacrifice one or two just to keep the rest unharmed. With no other choices left, sacrificing few is better than loosing everyone in his team. Do you really think they have just chosen death themselves? I doubt that is what happened, Captain Eve. Knowing him, he can put all of his important pieces in the front line to make good use of what he has. He keeps those what he thinks someday can stand up for the positions of the ones he has sacrificed, which makes him uneasy to deal with. He doesn’t just sacrifice for nothing. If he does, his opponent should be on guard. Because…” He stopped after his lengthy speech.
“The rest of these pawn behind these officials and the rest of his knights are capable of being the next leaders of his team. Check!” He ended as he dropped his queen piece in front of her king.
“You two are both so open, Eve. But, he is more cautious. He knows when to do sacrificing and when he can still think of something else to do. In a team, everyone is essential. Everyone is equally important.”
She stared at him and think about the late Captain. Truly, he has never made them feel they are worthless. He has always believed that they are more than who and what they think they are. She’s getting nervous as Lux tell her more. Like he’s telling her she is still an amateur and far from being a pro, as if he has seen through her.
“Hmm, that is a good move,” he praised after she moved away her king piece.
“That is what I am expecting for you to do, Captain. That is how a leader leads. He is someone who doesn’t just sat in his comfy couch. Instead, he’s someone who is always moving in front—showing his subordinates what they are supposed to do. That is what Eulysis have done to your team. He led to make leaders. That is what true leaders do, Eve. Check!”
“So, are you saying I am doing the other way around, Sir?”
“I am not. What I am saying is that…” He smiled as he glanced at her before placing his next move.
“You are good but not yet good enough. Protecting your team is sacrificing them. They will not learn to be tough if they’ll just depend on your goodness. Put them in the front line.”
“Captain Eulysis had always been caring for us, Sir. He never did that,” she contradicted.
“Do you think so? Why do you think he had given you all the privilege to govern tasks during the mission if he could just assign his Heads to take the leading?”
She gasped. That is true. She—they have never thought of doing that! They had just accepted the work given to them.
“Because—”
“Because he knows you are capable, and he thought about the worse.”
She nodded. Now she understands that she’s the only one in their team who didn’t understand that.
“Check mate!” She forward.
The man laughed. “I can’t wait to see you surpassed Eulysis. Such a shame that the organization has to let you go in few days from now. Why not stay a bit longer? What do you think?”
She didn’t reply, trying to internalize what he’s implying to say. She smiled as she realized he’s trying to trick her.
“Sorry, but I will say no to that, Boss—”
“That is not what I mean. I am asking you to stay for a few more days not to lure you to any of my traps,” he cut her off.
“You know, money doesn’t matter to me. I have tons of it and even if I have a life that will exist for eternity, that immortality can’t spend it all. But, I hate it when I pay millions and billions to people who are working not worthy of the payment I have given them.”
She took a one nervous breath. Afraid that her team might be one of those people he’s referring to.
“I will set a date for you to present to the other teams what happened and what did you do during your mission. I, myself, feels ashamed for not knowing it. I am sorry for the malfunctioning of the programs we have given you.”
She almost got choked upon hearing his reason. If only he knew the Programs have sided them, she is sure their team will be annihilated.
“I want you to set an example for them to look up to. Are you sure you don’t want to renew your contracts?”
“My team can consider a few more days of staying, Sir. But I doubt we would like to spend another year here,” she agreed and declined politely.
The man raised his brow as he conceived defeat—both in their game and to the offer.
“Okay then. Three days, Captain. Would that be okay?”
She stretched her hand for a handshake, letting him know who has the upper hand at the moment. “Deal.”
‘Captain? Captain?’ Anne’s calling pulled her back from thinking deeply.
“What?”
‘Is there any problem?’
“We have lots of that, Anne.”
‘Do it one at a time. You won’t solve any of those if they are not meant to be dealt at once.’
“Tell me, Anne, am I making things complicated?”
‘I don’t want to put it that way, Eve. I suggest you should consider consulting your Heads more often. Afterwards, whatever decisions and plans the three of you come up with, pass it on to your members. He might really look like a secretive man, but he’s actually an open book—easy to understand yet complicated looking. That is why people often think he never showed his trues. They find him complicated. I am not comparing you to anyone. What I am trying to say is that leave yourself wide open but keep everyone wonder what mysteries you’re hiding under your sleeves. Gaining trust and respect are the foundations needed to let the people around you put their guard down.’
She gazed at the program. Slowly, she has finally got what Lux is trying to teach her. But on the other hand, that made her feel pity for their late Captain.
“So, for little access to the organization, I have to do dirty works?” she confirmed.
‘Yes.’
“That means?”
Anne grins and showed up next to her. ‘That means, if the situation is obliging to taint your hands, you will have to.’
Her eyes widened as she tried to imagine how many nights Eulysis had to stay awake because guilt is haunting him just because he wanted to provide his team full protection that the organization could ever grant to their personnel.
“P-Please tell me I got it wrong, Anne. He didn’t kill anyone, right?” she whispered, almost not breathing while she waited for her response.
‘Captain Eve, he was a Captain, but he became more than that for your team. Why do you think you have never been put into laboratory rooms and be experiments’ subjects after violating some of the rules?’ Anne stated slowly, enough for her to grasp every word she said.
‘He has a backup, of course!’ She then concluded and faced her.
“But that backup wasn’t from the uppers, right?” she queried.
‘Who knows? That person might be the boss himself. But if not, who else can back him up?’
That leave her speechless.
'Only Lux and the uppers have the power to halt activities.' She thought.
“But if there is, then that person should be assisting us now!” she blurted out, putting aside the idea.
‘Why would he? If he owes one person from your team, that is no one but just Eulysis. He might have been considerate with the Captain, but that is because he worked for every favor he asked.’
“So you’re saying I need to have some kind of compact with an officer? No way, Anne! I won’t do that! Those people know nothing but to be involved in heinous doings!”
‘What do you want to do then?’
“What we have is already enough, Anne.” She rubbed her hands as she shook off her fear.
‘How many more days will you have to stay here then?’
“Three days. That would be thirteen days in total.”
‘Almost two weeks. I can keep you safe within our vicinity but not outside our area, Captain. Out there, all you can rely on are those bodyguards to be sent to fetch you whenever you’ll be called for a meeting. Make sure to befriend them.’
As she listened to her warn, Eve had already known that their building is the only safe place they could be. That might be the reason too why teams have different programs, and they have to stay inside their area of responsibility unless summoned.
“I understand. Worry not about me. I can take care of myself.”
‘Trust no one outside, Captain.’
She shut her eyes and cleared up her mind. Her title is slowly consuming all the innocence she has left, and she hates it.
“Tell me, Anne. Who is H.Y.?” she asked when she remembered the initials that was mentioned in Eulysis’ journal.