~*~
"Well that’s weird," I mumbled. I traced an odd connection on a fairly new VPN and did some tinkering around to make sure everything was on the up-and-up. "Oh. New guy. Okay, I’ll just send you a little warning," I said absently. "Keep your nose clean, mister, and you’ll be fine."
Suddenly I felt a very foreboding and looming presence behind me. I swallowed hard and very slowly turned to look over my left shoulder. Sure enough, Seifer stood just behind holding a steaming mug of strong black coffee. He wasn’t wearing the gray trench coat or blue vest with the white cross. Much to my surprise, he wore a long-sleeved black shirt and black slacks. No combat boots, either. He wore black dress shoes.
I blinked and then stood and saluted. "Welcome back, sir. Did everything go fine?"
Seifer smirked and shook his head as he crossed his arms. "Relax, Regal. Damn."
I stood at-ease. "Yes, sir."
"Report."
I blinked in surprise. I hadn’t been put in-charge of the security division while Seifer and Fujin had been away. It had been a transfer student from Trabia Garden. Kyle or something. "Y-Yes, sir. One hack attempt via Trojan, same as before, with no ill effects to the Network. SeeDs were deployed and the faction of terrorists brought in."
Seifer gestured to me with his dark blue mug with the white letters Death is answering ‘no’. "Go on."
"Minor power fluctuation during a storm, but the backups and power grids recently set up kept the Network online. We didn’t lose any information, sir."
"Excellent." His expression demanded a continuation.
I cleared my throat. "Um, minor issues with disappearing drivers and such, but easily fixed. All-in-all, it was pretty quiet and boring, sir." Not that I minded all that much. Talk about a vacation.
"Good." Seifer turned away and strode toward his office.
I released a slow breath as I stared after him. The chair. Sally, you promised. I shook my head and slowly sat at my desk. Yeah. Like growing a spine is easy--
"Regal. Office. Now."
Bahamut replaced the Thrustaevis in my stomach. I slowly stood, rubbing my hands on my skirt before turning and making my way to Seifer’s office. I could never tell from his tone whether he was pissed, annoyed, or just his usual abrupt self. Because of that, I could already feel the tension knotting up my back.
I halted outside Seifer’s open office door, watching him scan the items in his in-boxes while I clasped my hands behind my back. Okay, Sally. You can do this. I cleared my throat and stood across from Seifer’s desk. It’s just a chair and you’ve--
Seifer closed the door. "Have a seat."
I sat down with wobbly knees and an unshakable premonition of dread. I clenched my hands.
Seifer sat in the chair behind his desk just as the door opened. He shifted his focus to it. "Fujin. Later." Silence. Door close. His hard gaze zeroed on me again. I gulped. "I’m recommending you for a rank promotion."
I blinked. "Sir?"
"I’m also recommending you for the special security detail that patrols the Network and investigates questionable activity. You will be directly under my supervision." I paled. "Comments?"
I shook my head. I suddenly felt very sick.
"Dismissed."
I slowly stood and managed to salute. Then I turned and exited the office, vaguely noticing Fujin standing outside. I made my way to my desk and slowly sat. I felt as if I’d been kicked in the stomach. Special security division? Investigations? I rubbed at my forehead. I felt honored at the recommendation, but I’d barely had time to get settled into the job I did have.
I grimaced, lowering my hand from my forehead to stare at my monitor. I pressed my lips together, fought back the nausea and migraine, and stood with a clearing of my throat. I turned to walk back to Seifer’s office. I softly knocked.
"Open."
I opened the door slightly and peeked in. Fujin, who sat in the chair recently vacated by me, turned and glared.
"BUSY," she said firmly.
I flushed. "I’m sorry--"
"Fujin," Seifer said. She faced him. "Report later. Dismissed." She didn’t move, and Seifer’s expression hardened. "Report later."
She stood and stalked to the door, ripping it from my hand with a dangerous gleam aimed my direction before passing. I gulped and continued to stand uncertain in the doorway.
"What."
"I, uh--" I looked over my shoulder in the direction Fujin had taken.
"Regal. Report."
I blinked, snapping my head around and standing at attention. "Sir, I don’t feel I’m the best qualified for the position." Good girl!
Seifer regarded me a moment. Then he motioned to the door. I closed it, immediately standing at attention again. He gestured to the chair in front of his desk. I sat down, clenching my hands in my lap.
"Convince me," he said simply, and his hard and unwavering stare wouldn’t look away.
I cleared my throat, convinced I wouldn’t be able to keep a concrete thought in my brain. "I do my best investigative work behind a computer," I began carefully. "Even on my field exam I had my handheld. That was my role in the group. In the library I monitored things at my terminal. That’s where all the i-investigations were done for lost books or whatever. Even when I had to find the cracker I did it at a computer. There wasn’t any footwork. No face-to-face."
"Why."
I flushed and lowered my gaze. "I’m not very good with confrontations," I confessed softly.
Seifer scoffed. "Points noted. Recommendation stands."
I looked up again and briefly bit my lip. " Sir, wouldn’t Fujin be better qualified? She’s been on your security team for longer than I have."
He smirked, and even his scar seemed to sneer at me. "Regal, as head of Garden Network Security, I determine who’s qualified."
"I know, sir, it’s just--" I can’t believe I’m doing this. "--I don’t want to take her job. I just got here. I like my position, and I really believe I’ll work better where I am." Seifer crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "I appreciate the recommendation," I continued quickly, "but can I pass? Please?"
He regarded me with that same arrogant smirk and slightly raised eyebrow. "You aren’t the least bit ambitious, are you?"
I blinked. "Ambitious, sir? Me, sir?" I shook my head. "No, sir."
Seifer’s lips twitched. "Fine. Recommendation stands, but I won’t place. Fujin will get the position."
I smiled. "Thank you, sir."
He pointed at me, though it seemed more like a thrust. "You’re still on the investigation team, Regal. You’ll just be working here. Understood?"
I nodded, smile gone. "Yes, sir."
"Good. Dismissed."
I stood, saluted, and turned to leave his office. Only problem was, I couldn’t move past the doorway. The chair, Sally. I faced Seifer’s desk again.
"Regal, why aren’t you at your station?" he asked without looking up.
I swallowed. "S-sir, it’s about my--"
Seifer looked up with a raised eyebrow. "What."
"Chair," I said simply.
He raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"I need a different one."
"Why?"
"My back."
Seifer’s expression darkened with annoyance. "Deal with it," he said as he sat. He pulled some papers toward him. "Dismissed."
I stared at him in shock. "Sir--"
He looked up sharply. "Regal," he pressed in a dangerous tone, "I said dismissed."
I nodded. "I know you did, sir."
"Then why are you still here?"
I lowered my gaze from his as I adjusted my hands behind my back. "Permission to speak freely, sir?" I asked in a whisper.
"Denied. Report to your station."
My mouth gaped as I met his gaze. "S-Sir--"
Seifer stood, pressing his palms against his desk as he leaned toward me. To my surprise, I didn’t step back. "Go. Back. To. Your. Sta-tion."
My stomach slithe
red to my heels, but I clenched my hands into fists and stayed put. "I’m sorry, Sir. I can’t," I whispered.
Seifer clenched his jaw and straightened, staring right through me with that look of doom that I swore could kill. I didn’t look away, even though I felt like I would hurl any second--Seifer smirked and sat down, taking up his mug of coffee as he kicked his feet up onto the desk.
He motioned to me with it. "Why."
I blinked. "W-why?" I repeated, dazed.
"Your chair."
"Oh." My thoughts and wits skulked cautiously back. "I-I need a special one for my back."
"Reason."
"An accident."
"Details."
I lowered my gaze and cleared my throat, knowing that he had led the "Galbadia Garden attack."
Silence. "Injury."
"Compressed vertebrae." Among other things.
Seifer remained quiet. I cautiously looked up and met his gaze. He stared into his coffee mug. "Why didn’t you report this earlier?"
I lowered my gaze again. "Not that important."
"Why now?"
I slightly smiled. "Zell made me promise."
Seifer scoffed and lifted his gaze. "Fine. I’ll talk to Dr. Kadowaki and make the arrangements." His smirk returned. "Now will you go back to your station?"
To my surprise, I smiled. "Yes, sir."
I saluted and then did an about-face to retreat from the office. My legs felt like jelly, or water. Don’t you ever stand up to Seifer Almasy again, Sally! I slumped into my chair and covered my face with my hands. The victory just wasn’t worth the stress--but it had felt good.
Life's Lessons on Stress Page 3
