"Ivy," Kira called her as soon as she entered the room. It had been a tiring day yesterday with all the news related to David's death and they working overtime. Also, today Max had called them to report early to work as he had got a new assignment on hand. And as to what that assignment was only Max knew.

"Yes, Kira. What's the news?" Ivy looked up. She was currently working on a new topic which she had hidden from both Kira and Max. She did not want to reveal about it before she was one hundred percent sure about the news. She was still waiting for her sources to confirm the news before she could go and capture it.

"We have a problem." Kira sighed.

"What?" Ivy frowned. She was told that they had got an assignment. How did it become a problem?

"Someone in the management is quite powerful."

"So?" Ivy did not know what Kira was getting at.

"The entire team working under Max has been prohibited from working on any news from now on until further notice."

"What? Why?" Ivy exclaimed in shock. Until yesterday everything was working fine, they were fine. However, now they were asked to stop with their work. This was something incomprehensible.

"I don't know. They are not telling the reasons. Max has called a meeting right now." Kira said with a dejected look.

"Is the entire team on their list?" Ivy asked pinching her nose.

"I am not sure. Let's go and attend the meeting."

"Come."

Ivy and Kira went to the meeting room. As soon as they stepped inside, they saw Max, Sasha, Cedric, and Tim.

"Come inside and close the door," Max said, his voice low and sad.

"What is happening Max?" Ivy questioned as soon as she sat down.

"My team has been asked to go on a furlough indefinitely," Max answered clasping his hands together.

"What?" Everybody asked at the same time.

"Yes. The management called me today to talk about the same. I have been given the names of people who will not be working for the time being."

"Who?" Sasha asked taking a deep breath.

"Kira, Ivy, Sasha, Cedric, and me."

"What about me?" Tim intervened.

"You are a new employee here. So, they have transferred you to another team on my request." Max replied.

"Oh."

"Why did they sack us?" Ivy queried. She was angry that they had been removed from work without prior notice.

"They have not sacked us. We will be on leave until further notice and it will be unpaid."

"What?" Again everyone gasped in shock.

"Yes and I have been informed that if you are not happy with their decision, you are free to resign."

"Are they crazy?" Kira seethed. She was not worried about anyone listening to her curses. Her job was already at stake.

"Max you did not answer our question. Why are they doing this?" Cedric voiced.

"They did not give me the reason except that the content we are publishing is misleading the public."

"What nonsense." Kira gritted her teeth in rage.

"What is the notice period?" Sasha asked. If they were given some time, she can least find a part-time job somewhere until work resumed.

"No notice period. We will have to vacate immediately." Max uttered. He knew how devastated his colleagues were. Without any notice or prior announcement they had been removed from their job, this was an injustice to them.

"Bastards." Ivy spat, furious.

"So, what are we going to do?" Sasha asked calmly. Although she looked calm and composed, she was nervous. She had a little brother to take care of.

"I haven't decided yet. I'll take a break for a few days and then decide about it." Max responded.

"Ugh. I am going to go and blow off some steam." Kira stood up.

"What are you going to do?" Ivy asked looking at her.

"I don't know. Maybe eat."

"I'll come with you. I am hungry too." Ivy stood up.

"Me too." Sasha joined them.

"Ced, do you want to come?" Ivy turned to look at him.

"Sure." Cedric agreed.

"I'll join you guys." Max too stood up. The group proceeded to leave, but Max stopped suddenly on realizing something.

"Tim, won't you join us?"

"No, I am not hungry." He smiled at Max.

"Okay." The group of five walked out of the room leaving Tim alone. However, before leaving Max did not miss the small Smirk on Tim's face, although it was only for a few seconds.

After the group vacated the room, Tim sent a text message to someone, stood up and left as if nothing had ever happened.

Meanwhile, the group of five went to the cafe opposite their building and occupied a table. Each of them had the same thought in mind.

'What were they going to do now?'

However, Max had something else in his mind. He stared at his colleagues and tried to gauge their feelings through their expressions. He then looked around the cafe. After a long time of complete silence, he spoke.

"Guys, I have something to discuss."

"You still have more to say?" Kira asked bewildered. Was the blow not enough already that he had something else to tell them?

"Yes."

Everyone was silent, waiting for him to proceed.

"I am going to resign from my job." He declared.

"What?" The other four shouted at the same time. Their voice was loud enough to attract all the people's attention in the cafe. However, they did not care.

"Yes. I am going to resign."

"But why?" Sasha asked.

"I have my reasons, but I will tell you later. I have a plan in mind. If you want you can join me."

"Then I will resign too," Ivy said almost immediately.

"Why?" Now it was Max's turn to ask. Though he knew her answer, he still wanted to hear it from her.

"I trust you and I am going to join you."

Max nodded, while the others comprehended about it.

"I'll join you too," Kira added.

"Me too." Cedric too replied.

Now only Sasha had to make her choice. Everybody looked at her waiting for her reply.

"Will I be paid?" She asked timidly.

At once, everyone broke out into a fit of laughter. It was the first time they had smiled since the meeting.

"I am not sure about it in the beginning stages. Later, definitely." Max answered controlling his smile.

"Then I am in."

Suddenly, Ivy realized something and tapped Max's shoulder.

"Max, you could have told us about it in the meeting room right?"

"No. I am suspicious of Tim."

"What? Why?" Sasha asked.

"He is not what he looks like."

"What do you mean?" Cedric asked as he sipped his iced tea.

"There is something mysterious about him. If my intuitions are not wrong, he is somehow related to us being in this state."

"We feel the same." Ivy pointed at Kira, Cedric, and herself.

"There is something else. Has anybody noticed anything weird about him?"

"Yes," Kira answered.

"What?"

"I find him creepy."

"Not like that." Max sighed. He did not know how to tell them.

"Like how?" Cedric asked confused.

"I had kept an eye on him for the past few days."

"And?" Kira prompted.

"He started following me secretly after work."

"Oh my god," Sasha exclaimed loudly while stared at him horrified.

"Yeah. But he stopped after four days. However, I continued to keep on eye on him."

"Did you find anything else?" Cedric asked clenching his fists.

"For the past two days, he is following Ivy."