Mason snapped to attention as the door opened, ignoring the twinge in his back. Pain was only momentary but respect lasted forever. Only one person was authorised to use that entrance.
Leader sat down and gestured for them to follow suit.
In no particular order, they all obeyed. The speed at which they sat was telling to Mason. This may have been a dimly lit room, they may be speaking in codes and they may wear masks, but you could always spot a soldier who knew how to obey orders.
Unfortunately Mason was one of the slower attendees and not for lack of trying. His body didn’t obey him like it used to. His injury was a constant companion these days and he was used to the pain, but it was times like this, when his body failed him, that really hurt.
Mason bore the embarrassment in silence. Just as he watched the other attendees, they watched him and today he was not who he should be. His comrades amongst the other admins began to acknowledge each other. But not him.
Leader spoke, opening the meeting before indicating to one of the attendees closest to him. The admin stood and began to give their report.
“No changes to announce. The flow is smooth, enough that I am considering expanding. My concern is with the downstream destinations.”
Mason listened carefully as the report continued. Just enough to pick up on any details or codewords that may concern him, but not closely enough to remember anything else. They may have been speaking in code but operational security was vital. No one should know more than their part. It was unlikely that he’d be able to pick up on anything anyway, the security protocols they followed were tight. Every meeting their positions around the table changed. Their masks were swapped on a random basis. By the next meeting, Mason could be wearing the blank faceless mask of the admin currently giving their report.
He hoped his mask would change soon. A blank slate would hide his failures. He would obey faster next time. His comrades needed to know that they were not alone.
“Begin your expansion Vain,” Leader replied after a moment. “Downstream will be ready.”
The admin with the faceless mask nodded and sat down, report finished. Leader indicated further down the table, to a figure wearing an elaborate headdress of feathers and ribbons.
“Leapfrog report. Operations have slowed as Current stirs. We have not been able to syphon off as much as expected and it has reduced testing ability. There is concern that Current is charging and our diversions are growing less effective.”
Leader waved him down. “Continue without change. You have the testing priorities.”
As the admin with the headdress sat down, Leader indicated to another admin. Mason’s face twisted into a grimace under his own cloth mask as he spotted who was next. His comrades needed to know they weren’t alone amongst criminals.
Ally-patty stood, her face brazenly on display with only a pair of overly large sunglasses on. The sunglasses were all Ally-patty ever wore to the meetings. She never swapped masks. Mason didn’t know if she received the masks and refused to wear them or if she was excluded from the protocol, but either way, he didn't like it. The way she flaunted the protocol however, was why Mason never granted her the respect of her alias. It was a breach and he didn't understand why it was allowed.
But Mason obeyed orders. He would not say anything until he was asked.
Ally-patty stood, in a slow, drawn out movement. Making a performance out of the act.
“All’s well between the plants,” Ally-patty began. She looked up as if pondering something before nodding and moving to sit back again.
Mason’s face twisted in fury. How dare she. This was beyond anything she'd done before. It was insubordination. He placed a hand on the table and prepared to get up.
Leader’s hand rose, stopping both Mason and Ally-patty in their tracks.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“Allelopathy, I believe you have something to report. The plants are shaking.”
Ally-patty sighed and with a toss of her hair, straightened back up. “There was a stubborn weed amongst the crop, I simply placed something to act as a repel. Keep the weeds from disturbing the crops.”
Leader inclined their head slightly, no other expression crossing his face. He showed no surprise or hesitancy. He never did.
Mason sometimes suspected that the man knew what they were going to report before they did. It never felt like this meeting was for him, only for them, the admins.
“Sometimes the cure can worsen the disease,” Leader replied, extending a finger to tap against the table. The sound was sharp and grating instead of steadying. “Diseases have a habit of spreading.”
Ally-patty shifted, crossing her arms and cocking her hips. “Sometimes you need to shake the bushes to find out where everything settles. Few weeds appear knowing that a repel is on the way and the crops have never been happier." Ally-patty paused, leaning forward and letting her dress slip. ”Power is gained through power. A demonstration of that power helps clear up.. misunderstandings and prove allegiances.”
Leader remained silent. Silent for long enough that once again, Ally-patty moved to sit down.
“Anything else?” Leader asked, flicking two fingers at her and stopping her in her tracks again.
For a second, a flash of anger shot across Ally-patty’s face. Not for long, only an instant, but that was long enough in this company. She took a second to adjust her glasses to cover up her slip. When her hand fell again, it revealed a sickly smile.
“Yes, it had nearly slipped my mind,” Ally-patty said, scanning admins around the table. Whatever she was looking for, she did not find. “I have been keeping a close eye on an asset. One that could change everything for this organisation. It is believed that they are in possession of vital information.”
Around the table, the admins started to pay more attention. Mason himself shifted forward slightly, though he hated the idea of giving the criminal any sign of support.
Ally-patty let that linger in the room before holding up a hand. Her smile deepened.
Mason stilled, his instincts screaming at him. That was not a happy smile, that was the smile an Arbok gave prey. Something was wrong.
“Now, credit where credit is due, we have to thank another admin for the foresight, the genius to identify this asset and…”
Mason’s hands curled into fists as his heart raced. No. She wouldn’t dare.
“..his Pidgey.” Ally-patty burst into laughter.
Mason stood in an instant, anger overshadowing pain and knocked his chair back. “How dare you!”
His hands were at his waist, fingers ready to release. In a few seconds he would have his entire team out and battle ready. They would be ready. Mason never stopped his drills. They would even this slight. Reporting his failure to keep his troops in order had been humiliating enough. The clean up was still ongoing. In one night, two idiotic soldiers had nearly destroyed his entire position. Two soldiers under his command.
That she would think to drag up his failures weeks after the fact as a joke?
“Ah! There you are!” Ally-patty said, pointing at him. “This is the man we need to thank. Only through his-”
“Enough.”
The word rang through the room and cut out all noise. Mason sat back down without delay, sitting rigid and at attention.
After a minute of quiet, Leader began to tap his fingers against the table again. “Rebel’s incident has already been discussed. The matter is concluded.”
All the admins, including a reluctant Ally-patty nodded, acknowledging the order.
Leader waited a beat before continuing. ”What of the rogue talent, Allelopathy?
For the first time in the meeting, Ally-patty seemed nervous.
“Unknown. We have been unable to uncover her background. None of the starters are unaccounted for. It appears to have come from nowhere.”
Again silence.
After five quiet minutes, Ally-patty moved to sit again but once again, Leader held up two fingers. This time it was accompanied by immense pressure.
Mason strained against it, forcing himself to stay upright in his seat as the world compacted around him. Ally-patty who had been standing suffered worse. She fell, her jaw knocking against the table on the way down. She slid back, near limp against her seat with her glasses askew, all grace and performance gone.
“A premature harvest is better than no harvest at all,” Leader said, quoting an old Celadonian phrase. ”Should you make such a move again without consulting me, Allelopathy, I am more than willing to test this for myself.”
The pressure released and in silence they all watched Ally-patty shakily push herself back up and into her seat. Blood dripped down her chin from her lips.
Leader indicated to the next admin and the meeting continued.
-.-
Mason left the meeting following the protocol as usual, but his normal watchfulness was gone. Today he was consumed with his thoughts. This meeting had proved to him that what he was doing wasn’t enough. To wash away his shame, he had to do more. He had to be more prepared. He had to be harder. Stricter.
War was coming and he’d be damned if he let it be fought by criminals.