The tempting smell of wine is just around the corner, waiting for her to savor. She filled her lungs with its smell—it is different from the ones they have.
“Have some if you want,” Lux offered when he noticed how she's furtively occasionally breathing its faint scent from his glass.
She defensively shook her head in embarrassment and sit properly. Lately, since the day they came back from their mission, he often calls her to his office. Same thing that he had always been doing to their late Captain.
“I am not drinking, Sir,” she refused yet still craving to breathe for more.
“If you say so.” The man put his glass away, leaving no more fragrance of the wine on the table—just his breath alone.
Eve cleared her throat to stopped her unusual behavior.
“I have watched the video recorded—the meeting, I should say. I must say that you somehow have managed to get along with the other Captains. Well, except for the ones that had always been envy to Captain Eulysis.”
She gets curious about it. Indeed, there are lots of reasons to get envy to the man, but she sees none for their envy to turn into grudge!
“Captain Eulysis had always been the most tactical. He was always that one who came up with plans. He made decisions intricately.” He turned to her after sending files on his tab.
“That oftentimes had led him to do whatever the task is. And he always had the chance to seat and speak in front. Things that only few of the organization’s Captains can.”
“May I know who else had the same chance to do that, Sir?” she curiously asked.
Lux smiled, being pleased by how she pays interest in the matter; amused by how she put her attention to all the details, from the tiniest ones to the biggest one.
“Captain Evan of Echo Group First Generation Team Five; Captain Gerome of Gamma Group Third Generation Team Four; Captain Jean of Java Group Second Generation Team Six, and your very own Captain Eulysis. They are the top most performing Captains.”
Eve castigated herself for judging the man wrongly. She really thought he remembers no name. Turned out he’s just often mentioning those who do greatly.
“If only you would renew your contract, I am certain, you will surpass all of them.”
She smiled awkwardly, doesn’t know how to acknowledge the praise she has received.
“But of course, a willingly staying is still much better than an obliged one.”
Again, that made her silent.
“About the favors they asked me…” the man paused and looked at her.
She held her breath, readying herself to get scolded. Somehow, she feels blamable for the others to not cooperate with the presentation.
“I can’t believe it. Captain Eulysis had really raised you all as potential leaders. It makes me wonder no more to see everyone treating you the way they treat him.”
“Sir?”
“They used the favor to ask the same thing that your late Captain Eulysis had asked me to grant.”
Suddenly, her eagerness to know about the favor drummed her insides in panic. She is tremblingly excited!
The man rests his back on his swivel chair and sway it slowly from side to side.
“Do you still remember when one of you had shutdown your facility’s system?” He eyed her.
“I-It was Eula, Sir.” She remembered why the woman has to do that, but she vaguely did.
“One of you had accidentally broken the expensive figurine I gave to your Captain out of curiousness right in front of the surveillance camera!” The man laughed that echoed in the walls of the room, making it last for a few seconds before it fades.
“And that one who fell Head Eulejius’ tab and the list goes on. It is part of the rules not to mess. If not for Captain Eulysis, you should have not grew up together, complete.” He glanced at the man’s picture frame.
“What did he do exactly?”
He became serious as he eyed her. “To keep you free from punishments—keep you safe. That is the favor he asked and now have asked by the others, too.”
She nodded. Any Captain who leads with compassion will surely do that too without hesitations, she thought.
“I see no wrong with that, Sir.”
“There is,” he replied short and seriously.
The wide room suddenly feels narrow for her. She can’t think of any wrong about it!
“You see, I hate disobedience. I don’t tolerate it. But granting the favor means I have to disobey—disregard my own rule!” he blurted.
“I am sorry about that, Sir. But you could have turned it down.”
He stared at her in the eyes. “What do you think Captain Eulysis had done to make me agreed? What do you think those Captains had to do to make me grant their favors?” he asked in a low, threatening voice.
She gulped, afraid that she might dismay the man if she gave him a wrong answer.
“I think I don’t have to tell you about it anyway.” He then smiled like nothing happened.
“So—”
“Why?”
“What do you mean why?” He raised his brow.
“Why you don’t have to let me know about it, Sir?” she uttered, looking at him without blinking her eyes.
“Because I believe that you’ll figure it out someday.”
She took a long, deep breath, trying to know what’s running inside the man’s head.
“I hope that I will.” She chinned up, accepting the dare to know the favor herself.
“Eulysis is surely proud—no, he has always been so proud of you. He is, ever since.” Lux stood up and opened the wall.
In an instant, only a clear glass is enclosing the room. Showing off the wonderful view outside; from the sky above, to the spacious space in between and the fineness of beauty below—the art of land.
“We’re already talking for almost an hour now, Captain Eve. You are really reminding me of Captain Eulysis. You both can make me lost in the middle of conversation. You’re making me forget what I have called you for,” he stated as he wandered his eyes on the comeliness in front of him.
“Go ahead. Let’s proceed with the matter you came here for.” He raised his right hand and motioned her to come close to him.
She stood up and walked towards where he’s standing; and stand meters away from the man.
“What a beauty,” she praised.
“Uh-hmm. Magnificent.” He agreed.
She rested her turmoiled mind and calmed down herself.
“So, what is your second favor?” he asked and glanced at her sideways.
She didn’t look back at him, even after seeing him glimpse at her in her peripheral vision.
“I want to hear your thoughts first about the favor that the Captains had asked you, Sir,” she requested.
“With all honesty?”
She wonders if he really has honesty in his veins.
“Yes.”
“It is selfless, yet selfish. It is selflessly selfish; selfishly selfless.”
“I don’t understand—”
“As of now, you don’t. But someday, you will eventually.”
She knows she can’t force him to tell her about it. If the Captains don't tell her, she has no other choice but to wait for the time that she’ll understand what he means by those lines.
“So, what is your second favor, then?”
She sighed before speaking. “For the second favor, we should not be conditioned before we leave.”
She stopped to let him say his thoughts. But then, she was just ordered to keep going.
“As for the second favor, I have to discuss it with the uppers first. That has never happened before—”
“Not just yet, Sir,” she corrected.
“Those who got released before you have actually preferred it. It is new and rare to meet few that doesn’t want to be conditioned.”
“We don’t want to forget what we have shared here, Sir. Don’t worry, we are all trustworthy.”
He chuckled. “Are you thinking I won’t allow it? Eve, not even your shadows can hide from the organization. But if you can tell me something important that I have to know, I will grant that one right away—right at this very moment.”
‘He had already expressed considering the uppers’ insights. Knowing them, they won’t agree with the favor,’ she talked to herself. She can’t tell if he’s playing tricks or he’s telling the truth. But, either ways, all she can do is to play safe.
“I am afraid I have no details to inform you, Boss. But you can ask me anything you want to ask. It’s just that I can’t guarantee you that I have answers for the questions.”
She gripped her fist as she waited for his query. It is risky and reckless, but allowing him to do it will give her ideas of what he’s aiming to know, she thought to herself.
“About Eulejius and Epharil…” he paused and turned to her.