The Refuge

Chapter 18

Meetings are by definition a concession of deficient organization. For one either meets or one works.
                                    —Peter Drucker

Ramona hustled through the doors of the government house with her bag slung haphazardly over her shoulder and her breaths shortened. She really hadn’t intended on showing up to her second day of work ten minutes late, but that couldn’t have been helped. A traffic jam along the way had led to an accident several cars ahead, or maybe it’d been the other way around. 

Either way, Gael would’ve got her to work quicker if he crawled on hands and knees with her perched on his back. If he had, it would have still been less of a scene than the accident itself. A crying man in clown makeup tumbled out of one of the wrecked cars, and the one who had rear-ended him emerged in crisp formal attire, poised with the air of one who had done nothing wrong. 

At present, Ramona strutted past Ricardo’s desk, making sure to return his glower as she passed. Then the click-clack of her high heels echoed down the hallway leading to her office. She’d already been told yesterday that her task would be entering a plethora of handwritten notes into the electronic database for easier searchability. 

Ramona had expected to see Mrs. Aleric seated at her desk when she arrived, but upon nudging her way inside the office, a very different scene presented itself to her. In the open space to one side of the room stood three figures of strikingly different silhouettes, huddled close together and embroiled in a conversation full of sharp tones. 

First, of course, there was Mrs. Aleric, whose crossed arms only enhanced the impression she stood as an immovable block of stubborn hostility directed at the others. An arms’ length from her, a short man in a long jacket with a thin face and wily eyes. If he had flicked out a forked tongue, it would hardly have surprised Ramona. 

And then the third figure sent chills down her spine as she squeezed past the group to get to the desk. A long man wearing a short tie, who moved slowly and talked in a deep voice. Sebastian Aleric. 

Mrs. Aleric spared Ramona a brief glance as she took a seat at the desk. After mouthing the words “just do your work”, she returned her attention to her husband, neither of which appeared all that pleased with the other. 

As Ramona booted up the computer, she couldn’t help but listen in on the agitated conversation a few feet off. Why in her office, of all places? And what was everyone so mad about? 

“You weren’t supposed to spread the word about this project, Newt.” Sebastian said, his words so firm that they instantly became irrefutable fact, “None of this would be happening if you’d kept quiet.” 

The short man in the coat flinched. Newt, apparently. “None of this is my fault! I didn’t tell anyone.” 

“Then how’d this petition come about?” 

“I don’t know. I didn’t write it; that girl Paloma Jaramillo must have.” 

Mrs. Aleric stamped her foot. “Surely you told your staff about the project.” 

“Of course I did. But that’s all!” 

“You mean to tell me one of your staff wants to cancel a project that would make them money.” Sebastian said in disbelief, “Make that make sense.” 

“It doesn’t! And Paloma isn’t part of my staff anyway. That’s why I’m telling you, Newhill must be trying to mess with our affairs, and Miss Jaramillo is an agent of his. Ortega wouldn’t miss any chance to slight you.” 

“That only brings us back to the beginning. How did Ortega find out? You have a snitch in your staff, Newt, and I need you to get to the bottom of it.” 

“You just said it wouldn't make any sense for it to be one of my staff, because the financial–” 

“Who else could it be?” Mrs. Aleric snapped, “Did a spider on the wall tell it to his friends? Both of you are idiots.” 

Somehow, Newt appeared more offended at her remark than Sebastian did. They both fell silent for a second and exchanged a glance. Then their visible disgust with each other grew so much they relented and studied their shoes. 

“Concerning as it is that our project is coming to light before we’ve announced it publicly, we need to come up with a plan to get all this under control,” Sebastian said. 

“What’s ‘all this’?” Mrs. Aleric asked, “If you’re no longer concerned about the snitch, then what?” 

“I am concerned about that, but if Ortega’s behind any of this opposition, or heaven forbid, all of it, we need to find a way to get him off our backs.” 

Newt ran his tongue over his lips, but it wasn’t forked as Ramona had almost imagined. “If you’re thinking of paying him off, I think that’s a terrible idea.” 

“Why’s that?” 

“The man doesn’t care about money, and all you’d be doing is strengthening your enemy.” 

Sebastian almost grinned. Almost. “Very true. What do you suggest?” 

“No idea.” 

Both men eyed Mrs. Aleric, and she appeared utterly unaffected. “For what it’s worth, I agree with Newt. Whatever we do, we can’t strengthen Ortega in the process.” 

“And what about the petition?” Newt asked. 

“Forget about the petition already!” Sebastian roared, “I don’t care what the people think about our project, and all they’ll be doing is showing us exactly who’s likely to cause trouble in the future. Let them tell on themselves; see if I care. You need to weed out the rogues in your company, but other than that, the petition is irrelevant.” 

“So we’re only worrying about Ortega.” 

“Correct.” 

Mrs. Aleric cleared her throat. “I have an idea. It’s clear as day that Ortega has a taste for the fairer sex, so use that. Invite him here under the guise of clearing the air between you two, and make sure to give him a good look at the ladies we have to offer. Then, we can offer him something he wants, and exchange, he doesn’t realize we get a pair of eyes and ears on him at all times. If he can have Paloma as an agent in our court, then we can have our own actress in his. We have everything to gain and nothing to lose.” 

Now Sebastian really grinned. “I like your thinking.” he snapped his fingers, causing Ramona to glance up. “Miss Davenport, write up an invitation letter to Bolivar Ortega, and once you’re done, have my wife review it. We’ll have this situation under control after all.” 

So with a little nod and a rolling of her shoulders, Ramona set herself to the task, even realizing just how nefarious the entire plot sounded. 

                          ★★★★

Whoa, am I the only one who is wondering what is happening and what would happen next😂

How do you think the entrance of Ortega will affect the lives of the Davenports, the Jaramilos, and the whole of steelfort's citizens?

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Until next time, keep shining! 🧡