XY XX

TINA

"Impossible."

Xenia looked about, thinking it was her mouth that had run its usual laps, but it was Priscilla who gasped the word in the realization of the task Gregory asked.

"Eh, ㅡem, Gregoryㅡ."

"I said by the end of the day, Xenia," Gregory said before dodging her to make himself some coffee.

Xenia and Priscilla left the coffee room; it was a race against the clock.

"You see what I told you he's terrorizing me," Xenia said to the colleagues who gathered around her as she connected to Artiss.

"Oh, Xenia, as much as I would like to defend you, you did call the man a prick. I'm surprised he didn't take you somewhere to whip you," Priscilla said.

"Eh, Priscilla, you should stop reading those Harlequin books on the Relays bookshelf while you wait for the train," François said.

"Xenia, honestly, I love working with you. I'm going to miss your chronicle dissing."

"Please don't say that, Mariam!"

"Ahem."

Everyone scattered like pool balls on a snooker table at the four corners of the room as Gregory came back.

"Xenia fighting," Miko, who sat across from her, gestured.

The woman smiled timidly at the encouragement before looking at Gregory, who was already typing frantically on his computer.

At noon when everybody left for lunchtime, Xenia decided to do a harakiri.

"Ah, Gregory."

There was no one around, and she had texted Niki to tell her she wouldn't eat out of the office for she had too much work.

"Yes, Xenia."

"About this morning-"

"What about?" Gregory asked without lifting his head.

"I wanted to apolololooㅡ."

Gregory lifted his head, his eyes piercing like laser beams.

"I wanted to apololooㅡ."

"What's with the broken record Xenia, this isn't what I'm used to."

"Sorry."

"Pardon, I didn't hear you," Gregory lifting his head to see Xenia's sad expression.

"Sorry, okay!"

There was a knock on the office door.

"Gregory, it's lunchtime. Remember humans eat," Wendon said.

"Oh, Wendon, I'm coming, and Xenia, I still want the report," Gregory said. He picked up his jacket and left.

"Argh, shit, shit," Xenia said as soon as the door closed.

"What was that about?" Wendon asked.

"She called me a prick, an obnoxious constipated prick, and amongst things, I took my revenge."

"Ouch," Wendon said before bursting into laughter, "I would have paid to see the face you had. By the way, there's a question I wanted to see with you. Why did you switch Cassie Jensen for Xenia N'Diayé at the last minute?"

"I was curious."

"About what?" Wendon asked as they went to swipe their badges and leave the building.

"I wanted to understand why she isn't promoted despite her results. This goes without saying Xenia's mouth is extreme prejudice on its own. Oh, did you get the information I asked earlier?"