Lesly's Tales (5)
Proteros, SCJ building. A little later in the same morning.
Vanessa Valyer had just entered the high tribune and sat on her desk, when a letter swaying left and right fell on her desk to her left. Her eyes shook, and she looked up quickly out of instinct. She saw nothing, however, and gulped while still looking up, when a voice sounded before her to the left.
“You really need to better your game. Your money can only be gained if you try more, have you prepared anything yet?”
Vanessa snapped her head low and towards the voice, seeing a man with a full body uniform outlining his muscles and face shape, but hiding his hair in what seemed a forced baldness. The uniform was red and black, more black than red, and the red was of a life-like, bright bloodiness.
There were unusual, unfinished traces of what could be spirals or just circles made by the red color, with the black just being there like a background, yet also contributing to its eeriness.
“I have worked something-” Vanessa took a few deep breaths before the man interrupted her, “No need to report. Your actions are the best results. Do well, as we watch well. Take a look into it, and do good. It’s not being right what we need, but to win over the other side.”
“…” Vanessa stopped herself from muttering a ‘yes’ and nodding, not wanting to appear so weak again. After all, compared to the first time she was surprised and approached like this, she had been so judgmental and confrontational. Yet, she was like mice for the last couple of years.
“… Hmm,” the man hummed before walking away like he just worked here, passing through the door she just came from, slow and confident. Vanessa didn’t bother rushing out to ask the guards or anyone in the security room if they saw something. It had made her feel stupid back then, and it won’t happen again.
A few seconds after the man left, Vanessa recomposed her breath and reached for the letter. As she grabbed it, she realized her hands were trembling. She closed her eyes and tried relaxing, when something made her frown and then flinch, slightly shaking her head as if doubtful. It was just her mind doing nobody’s business, but that eventually made Vanessa calm down.
“Haa…” With one simple breath going out, Vanessa opened the letter, finding a cheap windows. It was thin and transparent gray, clearly only for a few videos at best. She took it out and watched it while using one hand to grab a small screen under her desktop, pulling it up.
She checked the thumbnails and frowned, already seeing it must be about a battlefield. Wondering if something big happened in Jaewim, Vanessa placed the window on the screen, letting its information flow into it before it played the videos one by one.
Her white face flashed with the numerous sparkles from the footage, with her azure eyes reflecting everything happening in the screen. From a dull, silent night in the hotness of Lýmoca’s early year, to the initial bombardment and incursion of Ly soldiers into the OCs camp. But there were also the massacres occurring here or there and even far, far away from where Fox was stalking a group of bandits.
The footage was disordered here, showing some of the corpses left so disgusting it made Vanessa’s hidden defenses activate, her face becoming expressionless. It was gruesome and horrible, but the footage also showed other ‘people’. Most likely, SAs of a similar level.
The rest were small snippets of footage from those new people in the forests bashing others to mangled, mashed, holed, and simply unrecognizable lifeless corpses.
After the footage ended, she looked into the distance, her blurry sight landing on the wall on the opposite side of the tribune. She wasn’t specifically thinking on what to do now.
Regardless, after a few minutes, she backtracked on her chair and pulled drawers before taking notebooks and other thick books out. It was time to study.
And just as Vanessa was a couple of hours into it, the door to the tribune opened. The Supreme Court Ministers entered the room, relaxed and unworried of anything else. Their lives were well, and the troubles of Lýmoca didn’t haunt them. Even with the operation against the OCs, the CMDC ensured the trading routes, national or international, remained wholly unaffected in the country. Even though it did scare some; it also came from the preparations of the government.
Everyone sat down and conversed, having their chats through their communications devices. Otherwise, with the distance between each seat, and the protective glass, it would be difficult to even see each other’s expression.
Seeing the Supreme Justice Minister engrossed in some work, they felt exited about a new project, and left her to focus. It wouldn’t be polite to interrupt her, and they didn’t actually want to annoy her just because of curiosity.
After 20 minutes of luncheon, Vanessa lifted her face and relaxed, reclining on her chair. And 2 minutes later, she sat straight before lifting a document she just hand-wrote. “I have received an important donation from a generous civilian. There is something that must be discussed, and quickly. We will all put our effort into this, so grab as many meals as you can from home, we’re staying here until this can be resolved legally, and for the country.”
“… … …” The 12 Supreme Court Ministers fell silent for a second. Then, with food still in their mouths or hands, they took their ‘legal instruments’ and prepared for the lecture.
***
Lydsetl state, Just a couple of hundreds of kilometers to the west of the capital. A few days later. It had been 4 days since the OCs zone turned into a living hell for bandits, and they fled for their lives.
Lesly was just exiting a program at 9 AM, wearing a brown toga dress with some transparent places in the right regions of her body to show an exotic sight of beauty without lewdness. Her collarbone, around her elbows, and sternum were slightly visible through.
However, she walked out of the building with a confused, pensive frown in her visage. This time, Galan Piador didn’t come, but the program went as usual. She showed her views and corrected the ‘misunderstandings’, lies and blemish, others had towards her and the current government’s movement. There was just one strangeness to all of this in the program.
There was a lady who kept interrupting her, although to no avail. But this lady also said things that had nothing to do with the program or debating topic. Insinuating her relationship with her coworkers, especially Luis, and even drawing the Chief Secretary of Security, as Lesly calls Fox.
Furthermore, the other people around the table weren’t saying a thing. Although they did complement some of her views and helped her words transmit to more people, Lesly saw some pity in their twitching eyebrows and the flashes across their eyes.
Now, walking out of there with half her head cleared up, Lesly went to her car, where the White Blood waited for her outside. She nodded at him and was about to move around to the passenger row of seats, when the agent commented, “Ma’am, with the experience I have, from working or seeing others fall in the criminal world, I can offer you words now.”
Lesly stopped her footsteps and looked at him, her expression serious yet calm. The agent nodded in understanding before continuing, “Seeing how that Galan behaved yesterday, and his attitude in the last few programs after refusing another meal with him in the morning, his fidgety attitude wasn’t nothing. And with the recent ‘looks’ around your car with his own eyes or through other people when leaving, I’d say he is already finishing his scheme to throw you out.”
“…” Lesly wasn’t dumb, but she didn’t think that ahead. She breathed for a few times, patiently thinking about it and considering her chauffeur’s words while looking around before staring at him gain. “You’re saying he’s betraying me now? Even though we have 2 other days before our little tour ends? I even hinted at seeing each other later on outside of work, and…”
The agent nodded, noticing Lesly was getting the hang of it, even if she remained doubtful. It was also understanding, she had achieved her purpose already, but she wanted to show what else she could surmount to. “Ma’am, as I’ve said. These are the signs of it just happening. You’re not suspecting him now, while he’s moving. You don’t even wonder when, while it’s already happening. The next is to take you by surprise.”
“…” Lesly looked at the agent again and nodded. “Thank you. I appreciate it… I’m hungry, come. Let’s go to a Galapesos before the airport.”
The agent nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed for previously wasting almost 4 times the price of a beverage at the airport than if it was at the city or even a forgotten town. They went into the car for a drink to the Galapesos and drank it on their way to their airport.
… 2 days later, Lesly was returning to Proteros at midday after another rough day with the media. It seemed like she had slowly returned to that limbo where everyone not truly independent or ‘for the people’ hated her to the bones like she murdered their ancestors.
After the day at Lydsetl, Lesly’s programs were awful. People found the exact time and reserved airport zone when she landed, the hotel she stayed for just an hour or so, and the restaurants she was going to be at. Reporters and ‘citizens’ endorsing the well-being of the city and that of the OCs’ ‘innocent criminal people’ whose humane was denied on the massacres across Lýmoca.
Today, it became even worse, with the news anchors’ building surrounded by the reporters of all others, shoving her around a little and even trying to touch her, which one of her Blood bodyguard protected her from.
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Now, as she moved to another news anchor’s building with no bodyguard around her as there weren’t reporters everywhere, Lesly received a call. It was from Galan Piador.
“Galan?” Lesly asked out loud without worrying of someone hearing her, walking into the building’s perimeter. Galan’s voice sounded from the other end, “Lesly, yes, how have you been— look. I have given this tour thing a thought. Sorry for not showing earlier, I was having important encounters with some people.”
Lesly narrowed her eyes slightly. Galan continued, “I won’t participate with you anymore, there are so many things to do that I cannot split up, you know? Hahaha. Well, that’s my decision, I’m going for something more worthwhile my time, you see? There’s still that program in a few minutes you can show up to, but I won’t be able to help you more, or extend our deal. Good luck.”
‘Tsk, why so hurried?’ Lesly kept her phone after Galan hung up. Her face remained calm even though she sneered in her mind. She shook her head a little, arranging her hair around her shoulders, and looked ahead. The gates opened, so Lesly stepped forth. Immediately, reporters walked into her view from the sides, hidden and silent, and came out of some parked cars, which she was not given access to. It was supposedly full, although it looked pretty available right now, with more than half the spots free.
“Miss, miss! What were you talking about with Galan!?” - “Vice president, do you have any relationship with Galan?” - “What’s this to say of the single vice president of our nation? Does she move around?” - “What are the vice president’s intentions? Going after all the males in power who seem lonely, and those who don’t, is it moral?”
Lesly walked forth, nothing more, nothing else. Her pace was regular and unstoppable. She made some reporters, clearly attempting to stop her, blocking her way to bombard and shout at her, rapidly backtrack in their steps. Her mere walking made those stumble backwards, almost falling if not for others grabbing them in time.
This was unfortunately not recorded, with everyone too busy recording the same, serious, known to be hardworking features.
Some of the reporters said a few things, with one of them gaining a snap from Lesly’s head, who glared at the reporter, slightly stopping, before resuming her walk. When she continued walking, a male reporter moved his left hand to the lower hem of her bright gray coat, yet his hand aimed at her bottom.
Lesly frowned, feeling someone moving her jacket. Just a touch or slight pull would be insulting enough, but it didn’t feel like it would be one. Before she was groped, unbeknownst to her and less than half the cameras aiming at her, she turned around and gripped the reporter’s wrist, twisting it hard without a second thought.
“Ah!” The reporter frowned and flinched a bit, before realizing the vice president turned and gripped his wrist, stepping backwards with an extra loud cry. But he wasn’t the only one. More specifically, Lesly Rivera herself realized what just transpired.
Not only was this a bait, she was also almost groped. Thus, her grip on the man became vicious, with some twisting, leading to the man’s exaggerated cry. Lesly’s lowered chin and fixated eyes on the male reporter were cold. She stepped in front of him, pointing with her right index finger as her lowered voice became so firm, unlike ever before. “You think you can just attempt to touch me and I will feel sorry for hurting you?”
Slap! Lesly directly slapped the man’s face, making him jolt his neck backwards, eating it into his body. “Don’t think this will be over with just one slap to your face. If that’s what you were waiting for, a moment just like this, you’ll receive something better.”
With that, Lesly turned around and pushed a camera lens away. The person holding the camera wasn’t prepared, nor expecting that. The camera fell to the floor, helplessly shattering as Lesly continued walking forward, past the encirclement of reporters.
The reporters didn’t back the man caught red ‘handed’. After some silence, though, they moved out and chased Lesly’s back. She was walking at the same standard pace, however. The cameras and reporters slowed down but seemed agitated, walking behind her with urgent cries and callings, making it seem like Lesly was running away.
But she simply continued, not looking back at them again, while the reporters didn’t feel like telling her to stop or do something to stop her. Even then, anyone who could take a few moments of their day to carefully look at the distance traveled and the time to do so would notice it wasn’t a quick pace. But how many would offer such care for someone they didn’t know?
Lesly entered the building and was guided to the floor where the program would take place. She was checked for her appearance for a little too long, when she was finally given the green light to step into the stage.
“And look who do we have here! Our special guest has finally decided to show herself, hahaha…” A female news reporter remarked just before Lesly stepped into the cameras’ sight. Smiling and waving at the cameras, Lesly’s thin lips seemed comfortable.
She sat at the table and greeted everyone, who nodded at her in return. With this strange, slightly awkward beginning, just before Lesly started with something, anything, the same woman from before smiled and gestured to the large screen behind Lesly. Her short blonde hair and strange, ‘perfect’ white teeth smiled with sheer strength.
“But first, let us see what just happened!” After the woman’s words, the screen showed the recent events of Lesly’s incident. Then, it focused on only 3 images slideshowing. Lesly grabbing and twisting a reporter’s wrist for ‘no reason’, slapping the same person, and then fleeing away.
Lesly’s eyes drooped, slightly. The woman frowned in pity, looking at her, “My, Lesly! What are these actions for? The vice president shouldn’t act like that! Why did you harm this civilian just like this? I’m sure you are more than prepared to meet the people who want to convey to you their problems. Why would you do such reckless actions?”
“Ugh, who talks like that?” Lesly lowered her face and pinched her forehead for a moment. With the woman wearing an awkward expression, Lesly sat up and looked up at the main camera before turning to the woman. “Maybe you just like being grabbed…”
“Ah, haha- what…?”
“So, let’s not talk about you.” Lesly smiled, so charming, as usual. She faced the main camera, turning her head no matter how many times it changed as she spoke. “Whoever has a daughter won’t want her to become the pleasure of another person to objectify, so I’m sure I would have gotten into a brawl with that imbecile had he successfully touched me.”
“I would repeat my actions if it happens again, and again. I don’t let my bodyguards follow me this time, and what happens? You actually invite people to violate me!” Lesly exclaimed, still with a smiling expression, putting everyone at the table uncomfortable.
“So, are you going to listen and talk, or should I try slapping you too, in case you want to humiliate me for not letting myself be groped. Is that how it works, you, the opposition? What, ‘to let yourself be molested is to be with the people, you wouldn’t understand’, now? Don’t grow quiet on me now, I suddenly feel intrigued about this. So serious!”
Lesly frowned seriously, looking adorable and still charming. She nodded a few times, as if to reaffirm her interest in this ‘matter’. The table grew more silent, more awkward. An old man among them, who was the producer, said with his fingers supporting a side of his head, “Maybe- Lesly, I think I would like to invite you out of the set-”
“No, you don’t.” Lesly firmly stated. She smiled and looked at the producer, flashed a look to the woman with now an ugly, resting expression, and stared at the camera. Her breathtaking black eyes shining and dulling with incredible charm. “Today, I will talk of the opposition. Oh, I dare you stop me, guys, and I’ll sue you of being silly. Now, the party of Lýmoca’s Vanguard has used only about 3 million credits of their 58 million in their rallies and preparations, even though they claimed their budget ran out before the campaign was over…”
***
A few hours later, with her driver bringing her for a few loops around the city, Lesly returned to the feeling of having all cameras ready to hurl insults at her. At last, she went to the presidential precinct. Earlier today’s morning, she received a notification that Luis might be there at night, so she wanted to see if that was the case.
Step, step, step, step. Walking through the hallways, Lesly checked her WID, which would be evolved soon, like Luis’s and Fox’s. She was just about to turn for the presidential office’s doors, swinging her head around with some relaxing, upbeat music, when they opened.
Lesly didn’t notice and bumped into a chest, with a variety of scents and feeling to it. A manly chest. A scent she well remembered, and it wasn’t to her liking just because it was manly, making her instincts prop up. A feeling she slightly knew but treasured so many times until it felt she’s been experiencing it for thousands of repetitions.
Stepping back one and a half steps, Lesly looked up, her eyes already shining upon seeing the clothes and shape of the torso. Her breathtaking eyes became breathless themselves when they reflected Luis’s countenance in their blackness.
“Welcome back,” Luis greeted her and grabbed her left wrist, keeping her from further stepping away. Then, he asked, making her face grow pink from her neck to her forehead and ears. “Any chance you might know why my bed smells a bit of you?”
‘Ah, he recognizes my scent? So well?’ Lesly thought before innocently drawing her hair behind her left ear, smiling at him with her canines showing, “You returned from a 2-states flight? I bet you’re tired.”
“Hm… You know, I heard and saw what happened today,” Luis didn’t push and asked, looking directly at her, his eyes ever so slightly below his eye-level to look into hers, losing himself in them. “In fact, I have seen it all, since and before it began. Your journey, I mean.”
“Really?” Lesly’s eyes turned breathless with his words. Luis nodded, “Mhm, I have seen enough.”
“Do… you trust… I am… okay?” Lesly had trouble speaking about it, words slowly leaving her mouth after the atmosphere turned a bit solemn, but good-natured solemn.
Luis lifted his hand, grabbing her left one and pulling her to stand just 1 step from him. “If I couldn’t believe in you, would my wife have ‘chosen’ you so long ago? Would you be standing before me twice in a row as my beloved vice president? You know, I need more skill than relationship advantages in my role, and I’m dead serious about it.”
“Yes, I know all about it… you…” Lesly murmured. Then, she smiled, teasing with her charming, breathtaking eyes, “Chose me? So, we still into that topic?”
“Ey, I trust my wife’s decision, and… I couldn’t help but think about it all these days. I agree with it, so much, Lesly.” Luis turned a bit serious, looking down at those breathtaking black eyes sincerely. Lesly blushed a bit more, even her nose showed a reddened tip. “But… your wife? Would she have really thought out of something like… this happening? From so long ago?”
“I would know my wife, of course,” Luis barked in a good mood, making Lesly curl her lips up at him. “She had the most amazing heart. And she knew how to read them, perfectly at that, Lesly. But she wasn’t clairvoyant. Her… ‘plans’ weren’t about ‘what if’…”
“Oooh…” Lesly lowered her gaze, becoming so meek and shy… Luis wanted to grab a bite, but she lifted her chin up and said, blabbing on, and clearly in a great mood. “And I believe you, Luis, but if this is as you say, then what? You’re saying you’re too good for both of us? Huh? You’re telling me you would have gladly taken us both at the same time, or wha-”
“Mmf…” Luis shut her up with his lips, sealing her mouth with a quick peck, slightly intrusive. As they separated, and Lesly threw a cute ‘You!’ yelp at him, Luis turned around and closed the door, holing back in his office. “You dare hide in front of me? Aaagh. We’ll meet again, Heartez, I know you can hear me!”
“Nope! This is my encouragement. Any further will be spoiling you…” Luis’s muffled voice came from within. Lesly smirked, feeling so great. She harrumphed cutely before walking away, knowing she could do great things, and only she could stop herself, or Luis.
Indeed, as Luis fled to his desk, he touched his WID, turning the ultra soundproof of his office back on while still walking to his desk with a stupid smile on his face.
…