I woke up slowly, seeing the ceiling of... I don't know, but I knew the ground wasn't the most comfortable of places.
My eyes were blurry, so I had to blink a couple of times to get my bearings back. Once that was done, I glanced around to see I was still in the Manager's office.
The Manager was sitting on his chair, looking at his monitors silently. He turned to meet my gaze and found him looking... out of place, the man I found myself hating no longer being reflected there and what I found was uncertainty in his eyes.
He quickly buried these emotions, but I had already seen them, confusing me even more... my eyes wandered around again and found that it was only us here, "I'm guessing you didn't keep me here with you to have a man talk?" I do wonder how they closed the hole in my stomach, but I'm not about to complain about being alive.
He stared at me for a second, "The moment Malkuth calmed down, Angela fixed everything in record time... well the problems in software at least, the physical one's..." He looked down at the hallway with a furrowed brow, I followed his gaze just to see a fixed, open door and the elevator looking good as new.
I glanced at him with an arced brow, and he just shook his head, so he has no idea either... "Putting that aside then... what do you want?" I asked while slowly getting up, putting aside much of my dislike of the man after what I saw when I woke up.
The Manager seemed confused for a moment before sighing, "How do you know? No, that's a stupid question. WE told you, after all, how do YOU remember?" I paused for a moment, thinking back on whatever the hell threw me back here.
While also sporting an enormous frown on my mouth, "I'm... not sure, I just know something send me back." The Manager blinked at me while I shrugged, showing that I was as lost as he was.
He rubbed his eyes, clearly trying to deal with whatever turmoil he has on his head, while I let my mind wander for a moment, thinking about how... overbearing just returning back on time has to be for anyone...
...Returning back on time?
"You are the new Manager, right?" I asked him, suddenly feeling incredibly confused, while he threw me a flat stare.
"No, I'm an assistant at a grocery store." I suppressed a snort, I'm not about to show any sort of amusement towards him.
Then... why would they even need one, "So if going back on time is something the Manager's can do, what happened to the last one?" It bothered me that you would need a new one when the threat of death is so... small?
Fuck, even thinking about it crushes my chest a little...
He stopped moving for a second, then glanced at the left, right where Angela's desk is and... didn't frown but took a pensive expression, "I don't think I'm allowed to find out." That's... worrisome.
Angela SHOULD know, but she didn't mention it to the current Manager. Even if she acts very differently while around the guy, this seems suspicious, "Just like what happened to Malkuth?" Because there is no way that was normal.
The Manager glanced at me before he looked at the monitors again, as if to avoid my eyes, "It... seems to be a problem that happens. There was a warning made specifically for it too... Angela wasn't completely sure what it was either." I'm not sure if she would even give you a direct answer, Manager... then there should be only one person that knows.
A.
The enigmatic owner of L corp... "Well, that's great to know. Now I no longer have to be surprised when I see this again." The Manager slowly turned to look at me in the eye.
For a moment...he seemed scared, "What does Malkuth look like to you?" The sudden and in my opinion STUPID question caught me off-guard.
"A metal box with legs? I mean, only a blind person couldn't see that." My words seemed to strike a chord in him, while he looked up at the monitors again and kept silent.
What the hell?... "Anyway, where is Malkuth and Rober for that matter?" He didn't turn around this time, choosing to stare at the monitors while answering my question.
"Rober was sent back towards Control, told to help around on a last check-up to make sure everything is in order before you are all allowed to go back and rest. Malkuth was told by Angela to follow her... said she needed to make sure no 'bugs' are plaguing Malkuth's system." He mentioned Rober as an afterthought, but when he started talking about Malkuth... he sounded almost disbelieving.
I stretched my back while getting some satisfying pops, "Guess I have to go and do my part then... hey Manager, are you okay?" My question was met with silence, like he was no longer here with me.
My eyes never left his back for a couple of seconds, "I guess..." It was his half-hearted response, I rolled my eyes and walked away, wondering what the hell got into him today.
I reached the elevator and started it, going inside and just... started to ponder while the contraption did its work.
Whatever happened to Malkuth was something that "A" the founder must have known, since there was a special warning for it that must be true... but what even is that whole deal all about? Malkuth spoke like she had been at this BEFORE, being well... here.
That is too weird for me to overlook, meaning that I should talk with Malkuth again and get everything cleared... I doubt I can do that tonight, when Angela must be busy with her.
I scratched the back of my head and left the elevator. Walking down the hallway and seeing at the end, my team chatting worriedly. Beth looking like a kicked puppy and Dakota having this face filled with so much confusion, I didn't know what to do about it.
Amelia was the first one to notice me, calling out to everyone else while pointing at me. I noticed the dumb, relaxed smile Rober showed when he laid eyes on me...
Why is Beth running towards me? It took me a second to realize that she JUMPED at me! I had to step back to catch her since she almost went past me, "Jesus what the-" she gave me a hug, her arms wrapping around my neck trying really hard to choke me.
Which she may have been able to do if I wasn't wearing EGO, I of course ignored all of that in favor of feeling her tears drenching my clothes... Rober you bitch.
I glanced at BongBong once, "You know Rober almost got impaled for trying to act like me?" I mercilessly threw him under the buss, making the blue haired girl look all over the place for injuries, while Rober threw me a betrayed stare.
YOU DESERVE IT!
Dakota was still looking a little conflicted, but it wasn't enough to hid her amusement, "Looks like the Prodigy is still kicking!" She announced with a small smile.
Gonzales, who was right behind Amelia, laughed loudly, "We should celebrate this great journey!" What a guy...
Amelia was not too thrilled with the idea, "Yeah, let's celebrate every time we are about to die... makes sense." Harsh her words may be, but she was still smiling.
I glanced down at Beth, who was not going to stop crying any time soon, and I returned the hug while patting her back.
Man... today's shit show may have been painful, but coming back to a place where you have friends after it just feels amazing.
So no one would blame me if I enjoy myself a little on this atmosphere... only a little.