Chapter 10: Corporations Suck (duh)

Let's take a step back for a moment. A lot has gone down and I'm sure you're thinking "wow. This got depressing fast, and my friend said this was funny!" But rest assured, it's getting back on track. Also if your friend didn't say this was funny, I would like to meet them. Alone would be preferable. Let's set that up yeah? Neat.

So Silvia and I stayed up on that roof all night, doing all sorts of spicy things. Like holding hands. And looking at the stars. In silence. Awesome. The next day we told Matt about our plan to go confront New Path Corp. He actually approved. Not that it would have mattered, because we'd have gone and done it either way. Though it's good the three of us can work as a team. More or less. Mostly less. And that's where we right at this moment. Flying towards Atlas. A little school ditching is always fun right? Right!

"Okay so how exactly are we going to get in?" Matt asks from the window he's brooding from. I should try and be like Matt. Here, let me give it a shot. 'Ohh I am so angsty, my life as a member of the White Fang was difficult and it has made me an angry S.O.B who doesn't know how to smile.' How'd I do? I forgot to look angrily into the distance didn't I? Shoot. Anyway Matt asked a question.

"I don't know actually, I figured we would just ask to see the man in charge." Silvia says. "Do you think that won't work?" I can hear worry in her voice.

"Guys-" I start before Matt rudely interrupts.

"Are you saying we didn't come with a plan?" He says.

"I had a plan!" Silvia says, voice raising.

"Guys…" I try again. Yet again, I fail! Son of a bi-

"Not a very good, Silvia I wished you had said something sooner."

"Gu-"

"Well you should of asked if you cared so much!" I'm getting less of my word out now.

"Well maybe if you-"

"SHUT UP!" I shout. Ha! Who's doing the interrupting now bitches. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have called them that. "I can get us in."

"How?" Matt says frowning. Well he's always frowning, so just sort of, frowning harder I suppose.

"You ever think you frown too much?" I just want to know what he thinks.

"Excuse me?" Now he just looks insulted.

"The frowning, you do you think that you do it to much?"

"I don't frown that often."

"You don't fro-" I look at Silvia in fake (Ish) shock. "He doesn't think he frowns that much." She just shrugs a light smile on her face, Matt looks between us in confusion.

"You guys, you think I frown to much?" He asks.

"Mmmhm, way to much, you do it constantly." I say, Silvia nods, still fighting to contain her laughter.

"Do you think I should smile more?" He says frowning in confusion.

"Look! He's doing it right now!" Silvia says pointing and laughing at Matt's confusion. I can't help but laugh as well, cut us some slack. It may not be funny enough for this reaction, but we've had a long few days.

"Fine fine, here, like this?" Matt says, then forces his face into a smile.

"That looks painful, is your face alright?" I prod him.

"What? No! Shut up! Just tell me how you're getting us in!" Matt finally shouts. Grumpy boy.

"Okay okay fine. I know some people at the company, through some um ways."

"What kind of ways?" Silvia asks.

"Um, hard to describe. Let's go with…. Ways."

"That's the same thing as before." Matt grumbles.

"Yeah well, you'll see. Like I said, it's hard to describe."

"I don't like this." Matt growls slightly.

"Neither do I." Sivia agrees "But if it gets us in, we'll use it." Silvia says looking over to Matt. They share a moment and he nods. I clap my hands and smile.

"Great! How much longer?"

"Two hours." Matt says with a look at his watch.

"Fuck!" I hate waiting! I could go on and on and on about something, show you who I am deep down, perhaps reveal inner thoughts. You know, that kind of thing. Instead of doing something boring like that I'm going to jump right to the meeting.

"Hey there! Names Azure Požar, tell Marlo Han that I'd like to see him." I say, flashing my most charming smile. The receptionist I'm talking to gives me a deadpan look.

"Do you have an appointment." He says in a flat dead voice.

"No, no, but he'll want to see me." Show them pearly whites.

"If you want to see Mr. Han you'll have to make an appointment. His next opening is in a year and a half. Would you like to schedule it for then?"

"What? No! Thats- you have to be- are you- too long!" Is this guy crazy? "I am not waiting a year!"

"And a half." Oh no he didn't!

"Just tell him, Mr. Hinkle's playmate is here to talk." That should do the trick.

"Will you leave me alone if I do?" Is that an emotion I detect in his voice? The emotion of hope?

"Yes, if you call I will leave."

"Fine." He says and picks up his phone and dials up what I assume is the right number. "Hello sir. Yes I have someone here who wants to see you…. No they don't have an appointment. Yes sir I do know they should have made one," I swear to god that guy just looked directly into my soul as he said that. "Well sir he won't leave…. No he said to tell you that Mr. Hinkle's playmate is here… are you sure? Alright fine… yes I'll make sure that is done. They'll be up soon." The guy hangs up the phone and looks back to me.

"So, I get to go in don't I?"

"Yes."

"Uh, guess I didn't need an appointment for a year and a half in the future!"

"No."

"Good. Bye now, hope I never see you again!" I call to him as I walk away. Silvia and Matt walk to me and join me at my side.

"What did you say?" Matt asks.

"A magician never reveals his secrets."

"You annoyed him into giving it to you didn't you?" Silvia says.

"What? NO!"

"I think you're right Silvia, he probably did."

"Ugh, I hate you guys." I don't really, but they can't know that. Silvia laughs slightly and I think even Matt cracks a smile. Silvia has really started to lighten up. I'm glad. We're about to get into the elevator when a security guard steps forward and blocks us. We exchange looks and then look at the guard.

"What can we do for you sir?" Silvia asks.

"I need you to go through a metal detector. We'll hold your weapons until you come back." A metal detector? That's not good, I didn't want them to find out about my back. The guard leads us to the metal detector and has us remove our weapons, then Silvia and Matt go through it no problem. I hesitate slightly, there's nothing to do about it. Taking a deep breath I step through the detector. And of course it goes off.

"Before you flip your shit I have a back brace." I say.

"We'll need you to remove your jacket and shirt please."

"Hey now, I don't just strip for anyone!"

"We need to check to see if it's what you say it is."

"Couldn't you just believe me?"

"No."

"Azure, come on, show them." Silvia says. This will suck. I slowly remove my black jacket followed closely by my blue shirt. I avoid eye contact with Silvia, during my training and years as an assassin I've gotten hurt a fair number of times. That means I've got a crap ton of scars across my body. Its part of the reason I wear a high coloured jacket all the time. I turn around fully to show them my brace and I hear her gasp. I think even Matt makes a noise. Like a burp or something.

"Excuse me." He mutters. Yeah a burp.

"Alright put your shirt back on." I start putting my clothes back on as the guard explains some more shit. "You can pick up your weapons on your way out. I'll walk you to his office." And he does just that, we go up an elevator, through this hallway, and finally arrive at a doorway. I've been through a lot of these types of buildings, but I think this is the first time I've walked through the entrance. It would have been more enjoyable if Silvia hadn't been shooting me worried looks the whole time, and I mean the whole time. It was annoying, I mean just because I have a crap ton of scars doesn't mean she needs to worry. I'm a big boy.

Anyway when we reach the door the guard tells us to wait here and walks away. We stand there for a few moments waiting, Silvia giving me several long looks. And they still aren't the fun long looks (you know like when someone looks at you and it's all spicy... I just realized that that is probably creepy for guys to do. Never mind). The point though is, she won't stop looking at me! Then suddenly the door opens. We exchange glances and enter.

"Welcome. Why are you here Mr. Požar? And who are your friends?" The man behind the desk asks. Its Marlo Han. Silvia steps forward.

"My name is Silvia Danvers and this is Math-"

"I'm sorry Miss, but I was talking to Mr. Požar." The man interrupted. Alright, time I handled this. Gotta do ma thing boi. I hate myself. I walk forward and throw myself in the chair across from him, putting my feet on the desk.

"Well Marlo we're here because we found some of your stuff in the hands of the White Fang."

"It wasn't being used for good." Matt adds from behind me. Marlo looks between the two of us for a moment and nods.

"Interesting, a simple note to my office would have sufficed. But since you're here I want to warn you Mr. Požar, don't touch my company again." Marlo says, he's trying to be threatening. If I was someone else it would probably work.

"Oh come now, we both know you have a leak and he was apart of it, I just did my job. Not my fault you don't watch your little friends."

"Azure!" Silvia says, she sounds upsettie. Marlo sits forward and ignores her.

"It wasn't your business."

"You weren't handling it. Someone had to, and my employer agreed."

"And your employer was whom?" Whom? Who even uses that word, like what?

"Man named Zlo. My contract says I can't say more. Sorry buddy."

"We are not buddies. Now get out of my office."

"Excuse me sir." Silvia says, stepping forward again. "We would like to help you in following this lead."

"Why would you want to do that." Marlo asks.

"The people who had your tech killed our friend. We have a personal connection to this." Matt says from the back. Marlo considers them for a moment and then nods.

"You two can help me, you however," He says as he looks at me, "will not becoming."

"Sir, I mean no disrespect, but he's a useful part of our team." Silvia says.

"He's dangerous," to true. "He doesn't think before he acts," that's what I want you to think, "And I don't trust him." Well I can't blame him there.

"We need him." Silvia says.

"No we don't, if Mr. Han says we have to do it without him, we do it without him." Matt tells her. Silvia gives him an angry look.

"Matt!" She says, her voice raising.

"I'm sorry, but I still don't fully trust him."

"I do!"

"Excuse me, as much fun as listening to the two of you argue is, I'm a busy man. I would like to get this wrapped up as soon as possible. If you want to come, he won't. Not negotiable." I'm really starting to feel attacked. Like on a personal level, almost as if my constant killing as somehow affected my relationships with other people. Weird. I look at Silvia who looks very torn, then at Matt who's brooding, and then at Marlo who looks bored. Guess I have to do the right thing. Dang it.

"Guys, it's fine. Go without me." I tell them, I'm so noble and self sacrificing.

"But-" Silvia starts

"No, go. I can keep myself entertained." That sounded dirty than I intended.

"Good. If you can leave now, that would be greatly appreciated." Marlo tells me. Snob. But I do, I get up and leave, grabbing my weapon on the way out of the building and into the blue sunny sky. While they do boring team stuff, I'll do fun alone time stuff. I really need to start thinking before I speak.