Chapter 36

The weekend of the Gala was drawing near and everyone involved were growing antsy.

From Breccia's end, she was confidant that the Lab's invention was ready to go. They had a few small devices that would fit perfectly into the cuff of a suit jacket.

Despite her confidence, she kept stressing over every minor detail.

Adding to that was her need to stay in contact with Sanchez's lab.

Being that the Lab in Birtan was smaller and less experienced, Breccia had to deal with the Head Lab Coordinator in Hoenn, who was an ass on the best of days. Every decision she made, every change, was questioned.

When she wasn't working, she was struggling (and failing) to get decent sleep. Her anxiety kept her up at nights, and it was during those long nights she caught herself reflecting on her conversation with Ethan.

I'm not running.

I'm stuck here.

She'd kept her promise and didn't say a word about his presence, even to Riker.

She hadn't been back to see her father, but once all this nonsense with the Gala was done, she'd make it a weekly occurrence.

"He'll be out in a minute." On the other side of Aurora, Stotler shut the door to Riker's office. The other Executives were waiting in the hall to greet him. "He's on the phone with his secretary." With the Gala growing near, preparations were in order. The Boss had to be relocated (something Sanchez took sole responsibility for), Kelly had to wrap things up with Dixon (who would be meeting them in Travessia when the time came). "He knew we were on the way, you think he'd be prepared." Sanchez scoffed, turning to leave. "I have more important things to focus on." He continued past the elevator, not caring if the others followed.

"What's crawled up your ass?" Kelly asked, the last one to enter the stairwell. Tossing her ponytail over her shoulder, anyone with eyes could see the faded red stains on the back of her neck. Stotler made mention on the ride to Birtan that she had just dyed her hair weeks prior. Her response was to sneer at him and comment on his receding widows peak.

"I don't see why we had to come out of our way to meet him." Sanchez snapped. "He had no issue coming out to Cerulean last time."

There was audible exhale of annoyance from Kelly. Once they reached the lobby, she sent the guards outside to give them privacy. "Okay old man-" She started. "Ever since you and Riker went to see the Boss last time, you've been at each other's throats." She was getting sick of the tension. (Stotler was too, but he hadn't been as vocal). "We have enough to worry about without you acting like a child. You had no problem when the boy was promoted to Executive, what's the issue now?"

Before Sanchez could complain further, Stotler interjected. "You know about the Boss's intentions for him."

"And?" Kelly said. "Don't tell me you two morons are questioning the Boss." There was a second of silence; both men refused to look in her direction.

"I'd never question." Stotler finally said. "I trained the kid myself. He has a good head on his shoulders. It's just...he's raw. I guess."

"You're dolling out the compliments." Sanchez stated, receiving another withering glare from Kelly.

"At least he's being honest." She snapped. "You've been pouting like an abused Whismur for days. Are you angry you weren't picked? Is that it?" Not letting her friend answer, she added: "Remember the Goldenrod Radio Tower? That was your handiwork. Nothing Riker has done compares to that level of incompetency."

Hearing his past failures levered above him, Sanchez winced. "I never said I should've been chosen..." He softened, loosening his fists and lowering his shoulders. "You two can look at me however you want. Maybe I am being a bit cross, but you have to understand, I watched everything fall apart...I saw the Boss walk away. I was one of the few trying to hold it all together. We're doing better now than we were back then, but with these new problems..." He heard the faint noise of the elevator cables, signaling it's descent. "The boy isn't ready. He's never had the Boss's backbone and this is the worst time for him to take over."

Not taking sides but trying to keep an even keel, Stotler crossed his arms. "Regardless...It's happening whether you like it or not. You can either help him and support him, or you can leave. Those are your choices."

As the elevator doors opened, Kelly whispered. "You don't have to respect him...but keep your priorities straight. "

Riker stepped out, adjusting the collar of his coat. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn't caught the end of the conversation.

Kelly noticed this and veered said conversation elsewhere. "Took you a while pipsqueak. We were nice enough to meet you for a play date, you could've hurried."

Riker rolled his eyes. "Play date. Sure." Despite Kelly and Stotler's attempts to quell things, when Riker walked by Sanchez, both men passed angry glances. "I'm guessing you want to swing by the lab?"

"We'd like to get a better look at this invention of yours." Kelly said. "Dixon wants a better idea of our plans." They left the Organization building and started the slow slog through the snow.

It was obvious, as they walked, that the most recent events had created a great deal of tension. Riker knew the Boss's recent decisions laid a decent amount of stress on them all.

"I don't know about this truce of yours." Riker said, trying to focus on something other than his anxiety. "Dixon's a real piece of work..."

"He's a little goody two shoes, but he'll cooperate." Running so that she was walking alongside him, Kelly said: "We aren't letting him in too deep. He knows just enough to help."

"You're sure?"

Stopping in front of the Lab, Riker reached up and knocked.

The commotion inside, mostly hushed voices, ceased. A hurried set of footsteps scurried to the door, slipping the chain-lock out of place.

Riker recognized a small portion of Maddie's face through the crack that formed.

"Y-yes sir?" Her eyes widened when seeing the others around him.

"Is Breccia in?"

Maddie's cheeks appeared to flush. "Uh...yeah. Yeah. In the back, but she's not...in the best of moods."

"Long night?"

Opening the rest of the way, the Lab Assistant adjusted her glasses as they slipped down her nose. "She just got off the phone with the, quote: 'asshole from Sanchez's Lab.'"

Riker didn't bother to look for Sanchez's reaction. (Everyone knew the Hoenn lab was full of assholes). "Can we come in?"

"Oh...yeah." Maddie seemed far more confused than normal. (As if there was something on her mind beyond work). "Tess and Neil are in the back."

"Tess?" Once the Executives piled through, Riker took note of Tess reading the blueprints at the lab table. Her Magnemite was floating about with Neil's Skarmory in tow. As for Maddie's Electrode, it was fainted in the corner.

Fiddling with her glasses once more, Maddie made an off hand comment about 'cleaning the utility room' and scurried off to do just that. As she did, Stotler leaned over and whispered in Riker's ear: "She's kinda cute."

Riker clenched his jaw. "Don't even." There was a deep warning in his tone.

"Sir." Neil turned to his boss. "I don't think now is a good tim-" The sentence fell on deaf ears. A loud slam came from the back and an infuriated Breccia stormed in.

Stomping past her assistants, she appeared angry enough to flip tables.

"He calls me stupid!?" She yelled. Her most recent conversation with the head of the Hoenn Lab hadn't gone well. After days of stress, little sleep, and constant nerves, something in her head finally snapped. "One minor miscalculation makes me an idiot, is that it?!" All it took was the other Lab Coordinator questioning a simple mathematical equation. A sane person would've taken it in stride but instead she was rampaging like a rabid Ryhorn. "He's the idiot! I'm just following Sanchez's orders. Sanchez can suck my ass!" She saw her audience, but it didn't stop her from barreling her way through the other Executives. She bumped shoulder's with Sanchez and stopped, boring her fanatic gaze into him. "What are you looking at old man?!" Still seething, she raged her way into the bathroom.

In her wake, she several scared assistants and a smothering curtain of silence.

There were papers floating about, some of which were the important blueprints. Maddie picked up the remnants of a coffee mug that was tossed in the fray. "I'll go talk to her. She needs a friend when she's like this..."

More quiet ensued. Riker wasn't quite sure how to respond. He'd seen Breccia angry before, but contrary to his neutral expression, he was a bit terrified.

Kelly snickered. "Sucking ass..."

Sanchez offered no vocal rebuttal. By his expression, Riker expected a lecture.

Instead, the 'old man' exhaled, then nodded.

"I like her."