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"I can take it from here, thanks." I assure, stoping the heavily built guy from following me any farther.

He grunts in response, letting me know that he'll be watching me until I enter the room.

I can already picture the angry red faced man behind this door.

I sigh as I pull the heavy metal door to reveal a large open office space. A lengthy table stretching almost from wall to wall in the middle, and empty office chairs surrounding it. All empty but one. Where he is seated.

He being the boss, the main guy here. The one in control of everything. He's wearing a crisp black suit, his hair gelled back as usual, and a cigar in his mouth that no doubt cost more than triple my whole paycheck. And I get paid quite heftily.

"Take a seat kidemónas" he instructs. Great, he called me "guardian" in Greek, which means he's angry.

I calmly take a seat to the right of him. As soon as I'm sat down, he leans back and crosses his arms "would you like anything to eat or drink?" He inquires.

I'm thirsty and hungry. I feel like I haven't eaten in days, but I know I can't ask for anything. If I did, It would be in front of me in minutes and he wouldn't do anything about it, but eating in the middle of a meeting is considered rude, and seeing as how I'm already knee deep in trouble, if rather try my best to stay on his good side.

"Not for the time being" I answer curtly.

Almost immediately after the words are out of my mouth, he goes straight to business, pulling the voice recorder out of his pocket and switching it on before setting it down on the hard wooden table.

"Now tell me exactly what happened" he instructs.

I take a deep breath, already knowing that I had screwed up bad and I would no doubt pay for it.

But there's no point in trying to stall it, telling him the story is inevitable, and I'd rather get it over with as soon as I can.

After telling him the story from beginning to end, only leaving out the personal moments Kamaria and I shared, it doesn't take mind reading to see that he's absolutely livid with me.

"You listened to the subject instead of following orders. Your first priority is to make sure the subject is safe, anybody else is not important. Do you understand what you've done? You obeyed the subject and now her life is at risk." He yammers, the anger ringing clearly in his powerful voice.

I clinch my fist, trying to hold back my anger every time he calls Kamaria "the subject"

I swallow my irate words and nod my head "I know sir. You're right. I should have put her first despite her protests. I apologize for my mistake" I confess, though in my head, I'm not so easily agreeing. I have yet to decide if I had made the right decision when listening to her pleads, I suppose only time will tell.

"I don't think you understand the urgency of this situation. This particular subject is more powerful than any other Eribissian I have ever studied, including Slyder. And now she's captured and in the hands of the one creature that could take her life" he barks, looking at me with a look I could only describe as disillusionment.

I feel my hands begin to shake and I quickly clinch them into fist to calm the shaking down. I knew this already, but hearing it makes it seem so much more real and dire.

"I-I know sir. And I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that she makes it home safe. I won't let you down sir" I assure him, though it's obvious he does not believe nor trust my abilities anymore.

"Very well. I trust you know what happens when you disobey an order?" He questions.

I know exactly what he's talking about. When you disobey an order, you must work out and exercise non stop for the next 24 hours. No sleep, only six fifteen minute breaks and six ten minute food breaks.

I nod my head, already dreading the excruciating pain you feel when doing it. "I completely understand the rule, and I know that normally you do it immediately, but I have no time to waste. Could It please wait until after I save Kamaria?" I plead.

"No" he firmly objects. "You are now excused. The cooks had been working none stop on making you a large buffet of food as gratitude for all the work you've put into the ESPP, but I'll inform them that you lost the dinner when you broke a rule, now go. You must fulfill your punishment" he informs me sternly.

I nod my head, getting up to leave "yes sir" I agree walking away. Just as my hand grasps the doorknob, I hear him call out "kidemónas" I freeze, not moving forward yet I don't look back as I wait for what he's going to say.

"Subject 01006 is just that, a subject. You will save her, and then move onto the next subject. Is that clear?" He asserts.

I instantly feel my heart drop as I think of the dreadful leave. After I'm gone, I'll never see her again. It's a lot to take in, but I know it's inevitable. So I swallow the dry lump in my throat. "Yes sir" I croak.

Swinging the door open and exiting. I'm immediately escorted by the buff guy from before.

I knew from the beginning that I'd have to leave, so why did I allow myself to grow so close to her?

If only I had kept my distance, held her at arms length like I always do. She could have just been another face in the crowd, another subject I saved.

But now it's too late, I let her in, I allowed her to reach in and take the heart that now belongs to her. I was naive and oblivious. I let one woman push past every barrier and place her sexy self right into my soul, taking away any chances of ever forgetting her.

I shake my head ignoring these thoughts. My main focus needs to be saving Kamaria, not leaving her.

I walk into the large dinning room and can't stop the wave of disappointment that spreads through my entire body when I see and smell the incredibly appetizing food covering nearly every surface of the humongous table. My stomach growls angrily, craving the food, if only I could have it.

Food is the thing that makes life worth living after all.

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