Funny thing about having friends... they have no sense of timing, "-nd that's like the sixth reason for you to stay leader in Control Team." I gave Rober a flat stare while everyone else around the table was doing the same.

Dakota was just staring at him like he just grew a second head. She was also now sporting the same E.G.O suit I was, Solemn Lament is just too stylish, and I know she agrees with me... everyone else didn't get any new equipment.

Well except for the new member of the team. Beth is about to become an Agent too and will follow me to Information Team since their whole team got wiped out.

Amelia was busy telling Beth to take shit from no one, while BongBong was just nodding along while patting the back of the poor woman that just seemed like the pressure was going to kill her, "So if that emotionless Bitch gets too noisy, you tell her what she deserves." Amelia then proceeded to shove a sandwich in her mouth without taking a pause.

Beth looked at me and I pointed my index finger and my head and spun it, Amelia do be coo coo, "Um... sure?" Beth took that as a sign to lie.

BongBong pumped her fist and nodded at Amelia, didn't think she would agree with Amelia, of all people.

Gonzales smiled at me... then he started crying what the fu- "COMRADE, I'LL MISS YOU!!!" He wailed at me, while I glanced at Amelia, who surprisingly enough interacted the most with the big guy.

Amelia just shook her head like she was saying 'just let him be', my eyes moved back to Gonzales and I gave him an unsure thumbs up that just made him wail harder.

Dakota stared at this entire scene and just died a little on the inside, "Oh my God, you are a grown ass man. Pull yourself together... you too, Rober." She added the last part since Rober still tried listing arbitrary reasons for me to stay in Control.

No one really paid him any mind, but I did return my attention back to BongBong while eating a piece of bacon, "Maybe we could finally get those E.G.O lessons after today's work is over." BongBong's eyes that already looked like stars decided to go the extra mile and shine like stars too.

Dakota perked up at that, "Finally! I've been waiting all this time for those to happen." Well, someone's eager, although I really can't hold it against her.

"Putting that aside, Rober you need to calm down... you are starting to sound like a clingy girlfriend." He didn't laugh at the joke, and neither did I. We both know I was trying to hide his insecurities.

Rober's thoughts regarding management in general... haven't been that great. He is straight up thinking they wanted me dead, well Malkuth at some point did, but that's different.

Not only that, but he also thought that we wouldn't have time for the talk he desperately wanted to have with me, which I had already reassured him we would have.

Dakota, unaware of our little mental talk, butted in again, "Shit... at our six." My vision moved in that direction, noticing how most of my team... well, ex-team had a more reserved body language, aside from Amelia and Dakota.

Dakota just seemed uncomfortable and confused, considering how much she seemed to like Malkuth, which wasn't a surprise, but Amelia was just hostile.

The metal box was approaching me while I gave her a warm smile, both because this is the first time I saw her since yesterday's shit show and because I have a feeling she needs the positivity considering how my friends reacted to her.

Malkuth's whole body language, while nervous, didn't seem afraid nor strict... hell she even looks confident to a certain extent, "Hi there team... umm... could I borrow Trigger for just a second?" I could feel the tension, behind me Beth also looked hostile while BongBong just didn't know how to react.

Rober didn't stay silent, though, "Came to finish the Shish Kebab?"

My eyes snapped towards him, and he flinched while averting his gaze, while BongBong gave him a slap on the back of the head for adding fuel to the fire.

"A sorry wouldn't do, but Trigger decided to put his faith in me, and I'll make sure it wasn't misplaced." Malkuth took the jab like a champ, while I threw Rober an arced brow, that was quite the intense reaction.

Dakota's mouth formed a minuscule smile, "That's great to hear!" I blinked at that for a moment, a joyful Dakota sounds so wrong for some reason...

Amelia snorted, "Kiss ass".

Dakota's smile became sinister, "I can bend your back, so you can kiss yours." Gonzales laughed while Amelia flipped her the bird.

I smiled while chuckling and getting up, "I'll be gone for a while, guys try to not kill each other." While the atmosphere was more light, I could still see the apprehension, Beth took a deep breath and nodded at me.

Now that would have been encouraging if not for the tears at the corners of her eyes, "Oh don't worry! I'll bring him back in one piece!" Oh my god, Malkuth, I have to teach you tact!

I breathed through my teeth while noticing everyone just stare gobsmacked at the metal box and I grabbed her by the arm and started speed walking away, "Oh would you look at that, work is almost starting, better go and talk before it's too late!" Not my cleanest save, but things were already bad.

"That... wasn't what I wanted." Malkuth mumbled to herself while I sighed, we hardly get what we want in life.

I slowed down and let her go, taking a more slow pace while walking. I put my hands into my pockets, "It's good to see you are okay Malkuth, what is that you want to talk about anyway?" I myself see this as a chance to ask SO many questions.

Malkuth's sole eye flickered as if blinking, "Many things really, most importantly... to thank you." My eyes stared into her own single eye.

The broad and admittedly dumb smile on my face appeared naturally, "I just did what I thought was best, that's what anyone can do." Malkuth's demeanor became more happy and relaxed.

"Sounds like something she would say... you are so much like her that I can't help but wonder if you are related." Oh, so Malkuth also knows this woman that Tiphereth M also knew.

I mean that sounds interesting, but I do have more pressing questions, the moment we reached the main room of Control I decided to let it out, "Malkuth, you were made to be here right? So how come you talk as if you-" Malkuth rose her metallic hand in a silencing motion while looking at the roof.

Her eye turned back to me, and she sighed... which sounded very weird from a machine, "To answer that, I should tell you the story of a little attention hog known as Elijah." I blinked for a moment.

And I started wondering who this was and why she was so important.