Two

It was as though she was visiting a distant cousin of the Burj Khalifa building.

The skillfully constructed company building left Anna in awe with its unimaginable height and its structure which looked like a regular skyscraper begging for support from the quarter- sliced, huge, long, three-dimensioned glass arc which got its own support from a robust, metallic rod that definitely ran deeper into the ground.

It was simply magnificent. Pictures did no justice to the architectural beauty. Even her sister’s hype about the magnificence of the structure was not good enough, though her claiming that it looked like the building was sitting on a chair was really right.

A few chattering passed by the neatly dressed woman whose neck was craning ridiculously to see if it would be possible to estimate the number of floors just by looking at it.

As someone bumped into her, she realized she had lost it. She was meant to be reciting her motto.

To know the truth.

Of course, ruining the company was part of the plan too. But… baby steps.

Anna gathered her packaged documents to her chest and began to make her way towards the small flight of stairs that led to the main entrance of the company which was revolving in a way that was playful. After she walked past the teasing entrance successfully, Anna was welcomed by noise.

Here and there, people were gathered. It was too disorganized and Anna knew that was not her destination.

Minutes later, what seemed endless ended and she was soon in front of the gold plated elevator which wore a bold print of the company’s logo.

IC inc.

As she entered the space within, another leg appeared and she was joined by a man who seemed to be in his mid thirties with his face wearing the look of absolute tiredness that seemed to be already a part of him. With his plum lips spreading wide, he threw her a smile and found his stance a few centimetres away from her after pressing his destination button.

Anna noticed he had an ID card hanging out of his well ironed deep blue suit which added some effect to his lanky stature.

“Hi,” she started a conversation and the man did not throw her a snicker, thankfully.

“Don’t I know you? You seem very familiar. Are you by chance in the planning department? Or perhaps it’s the marketing team?”

“I am actually new here.” She ran her hand through the length of her hair as she replied. “I am meant to resume today.”

“Oh. That explains why you don’t have a…” His eyes going to her chest made his words get stuck.

Anna was already familiar with situations like that, so she was not upset. Instead, she felt elated she was already having an impact thanks to her full breasts. If the man just happened to be the kind that enjoys non-benefitting talks in the restroom, he would certainly make mention of the new employee with an impressive front.

That would largely help her mission.

“Can you show me to where I am supposed to submit my documents and get a post?” she asked the man a bit loudly to distract his prolonged survey of her front feature.

As he cleared his throat and rubbed the nape of his neck, Anna wondered how he would have been had she decided to show some flesh. “Well… Uh… I’ll gladly take you there. Luckily, its on my floor.”

Anna smiled and faced ahead, reminding herself that it was all about to start. Once her ID lands on her hands, all that would be left is the countdown to IC inc’s destruction.

As the lift whirred, the man beside her burned her with his gaze and Anna knew it was already getting out of hand. She had to distract him. “So, uh…” His eyes flew back to hers instantly, his hands were also made into fists as though he were trying to fight an inner battle.

“I have a question if you don’t mind.”

“Go ahead,” he answered sharply.

“Do you happen to know Darcy Hendrick? She actually used to work here but I don’t know if you were close enough to know what happened to her.”

“What do you mean by; what happened to her?” There was caution suddenly evident in his voice and Anna knew she was about to get something.

“Well, last I heard from her, she said she was resigning from her job here but for about a year now, I haven’t been able to reach her, so I am wondering if you know her by chance.”

“No…” His eyes darted to the side for a second. “I have no idea who she is.”

“Oh.”

The elevator doors slid open.

“Uh…” The man motioned to the right with his fingers as they both walked out of the space which Anna was certain had already become tense for him.

Then, in that case, there was definitely something.

“Did you hear me?”

“Pardon?” Her growing fists relaxed and she made eye contact with his now curious dark eyes that appeared to have some kind of humour tucked somewhere within the irises.

“I said you will see a small station by your left after walking for a while. Let the woman behind the desk know what you intend to do and she’ll pick it up from there.”

“Oh.” Anna let a smile easily grow on her lips. “Thank you for your help.”

“Wait!” Anna, who was already approaching her destination turned to face the man whose eyes went to her front again. “I uh…” The sides of his lips tugged flitratiously. “Actually, my guts tell me I’ll be seeing you around a lot, so…”

He brought forth his hand for a handshake. “My name is Carl. Carl Hedwig.”

She took his hand into hers briefly and said, “I am Anna.”

“Okay.” Carl maintained that teasing smile as his feet began to take bouncing steps backwards. “I guess I’ll be seeing you around.”

“I guess,” Anna replied sparingly and soon, her legs were back to leading her towards the start of her revenge journey. Once her ID is given to her, once she’s assigned a position, she would become that unstoppable bloodthirsty warrior.

A lot of seconds later, Anna found the station which was a free standing glass cubicle which had weird decorations that looked like lawn grass at its ends.

Her document file once again pressed against her chest, Anna approached the petite woman who had her behind facing the space surrounding the cubicle.

“Hello there,” Anna announced her presence and the response she got was a swear word.

When the woman hit her head hard again, her strained voice practically turned the word ‘fuck’ into a song as she crawled out of where she was, her hands clutching the affected portion of her head.

“Oh my.” Anna was concerned. “Are you fine?”

The woman turned in her heels abruptly and soon, tear filled eyes were glaring into Anna’s. “Do I look like I am fine?”

“Sorry.”

“You heard and saw me hit my head and you still asked me if I am okay?”

She had a point and Anna could not help but grit her teeth. But the woman didn’t have to question her so firmly, Anna wasn’t so keen on helping people. So, on a normal day, Anna would have just said ‘sorry’ again and walked away after telling the woman to put some ice.

But, she had to do things that would help her. Just like how Carl’s unnecessary broadcast about the new employee would help her.

So Anna moved closer, a made up look of absolute concern on her face and said, “I am so sorry. That was insensitive of me.”

She held the woman who had to be a feet shorter than her five feet, eleven inches height closer to her chest area. “Would you like a massage? I’ll take care of your hurt head with nice rub.”

“Really?” The woman’s voice showed that she was pleased with the suggestion.

“Yes,” Anna’s voice continued with the pratronize. “Let’s just have you comfortable in a chair and I’ll get to work.”

“Oh great. I would like shoulder massages too, I have been feeling like the weight of the world in on them.”

Anna smiled at the woman whose light blue eyes were now sparkling with gratitude. “Let’s get you seated first.”

The too familiar tone of a land-phone ruined the settling plans and the woman excused herself to get the call, her hands still rubbing the scalp beneath her large mass of burnette hair which rested on her back peacefully.

Barely a minute later, the woman came out of the cubicle and asked, “Anna Hendrick?”

“Yes, that’s me.” Anna was a bit surprised and she wondered what was about to happen.

"Oh, that’s good. I won’t have to go through another stress.” Anna’s thick brows arched a bit. “Well, it seems you have caught someone’s attention.”

“Who?”

“The boss, Drake Blunt.”

“Wait what?”

“I know right? It is so unexpected. Anyway, you should go up to the ninetieth floor, he is waiting for you.”

“Why?” Anna wasn’t sure what to make of the sudden change. Drake Blunt was someone she was supposed to ruin from afar not get close to. Getting close to anywhere he is would make everything riskier.

“Darling, I wish I knew. The boss isn’t exactly readable over the phone. But.. don’t worry, he might be the playboy of our time, but he doesn’t do office affairs.”

She must have thought Anna was worried about how extravagant the man is when it comes to sleeping around and lavishing money. Anna scoffed, that was far from it.

After taking one more look at small woman who seemed to have forgotten about her earlier pains, Anna decided to find out what Drake Blunt could possibly want from her.

As she turned her heels to walk towards the elevator, she prayed the man didn’t know who exactly she was already. She doubted that he would, but she had to say those words of prayer regardless.