Twisted Reality

Chapter Two

"Gibson!" Anthony's supervisor, Timothy Gray, yells from where he stands, rather the imposing man, near the door of his office. The vein in his forehead throbs, contrasting the dark hue of his skin; his chocolate brown eyes seeming to glow like molten rock. Anthony makes his way to where the irate man stands, but, before he has a chance to speak, Tim says, "Where's your sister?" His arms are crossed across his chest, his posture straight and tall, revealing well-defined muscles and a mental strength that lurks just beneath the surface.

"I'm not sure. She's been ignoring my calls since Thursday evening," Anthony responds with a little shrug, "I told her to be here at seven sharp, so this one is on her, and her alone."

"Well, let's find out," Tim reveals his cell phone and Anthony sees he already has Serena's cell number dialed. Anthony gulps a little, a strange dread coming over him as Tim presses the call button and puts it on speakerphone.

"Hello?" Serena answers the phone with a voice full of irritation and sarcasm. Anthony groans internally, heart dropping as that dread intensifies. He silently begs her to realize who she's talking to before it's too late.

"Hello, this is Serena Gibson, right," it comes out less like a question and more like a fact of life.

"Uh, yeah," she retorts shortly.

"Serena, are you able to read a clock properly?" Tim's eyes sharpen as he looks at Anthony, who is shifting his weight from foot-to-foot, nervously.

"Uh, who is this?" Serena's response is so disrespectful Anthony drops his head into his hand with a quiet moan; he can all but see their careers flying out the window and it fills him with a strong anger not quite like anything he's experienced.

"This is Timothy Gray, your new boss. Now, tell me, can you read a clock?" Tim says with just as much sass as the intern he's speaking to. Anthony looks back up at the man, eyes scanning for any signs he's not as angry as he's letting on, but finding none. Anthony sighs, wanting nothing more than to kill the girl he's practically raised; his heart pounds, knowing the likelihood of him losing his job is actually quite high. Serena stammers in response to Tim's words for the longest time, earning a sarcastic chuckle from their supervisor. "I know you're new here, but I like answers in coherent sentences, not baby babble."

"Of course," Serena finally manages to make sense, "You wouldn't believe the morning I'm having." Anthony rolls his eyes so hard he momentarily sees stars.

"I don't care the morning you've had. I expect the people I hire to get here, on time, not thirty minutes late. Now hurry up."

Serena can barely get her, "yes, sir," out before Tim can hang up.

"Next time you ask me to stick my neck out for you, Anthony, make sure I'm not digging three graves with a single shovel," Tim shakes his head before returning to his office, mumbling under his breath. "I'm already late for a meeting with Kate and I have to wait for your sister, now we're all in for it," is the last thing Anthony hears before Tim's office door shuts.

Anthony turns and starts walking back towards his office as the weight of frustration crashes upon him like a ton of bricks. Cynthia passes him as she leaves the office and she can't help doing a double take. "Can you stop looking dead?" she laughs, "I don't want to have to work another case."

"You're about to be, whether you want to or not," he mutters, voice tight as he tries to hold control over his reactions.

"And why's that?" Cynthia raises an eyebrow. She would know if there were a debriefing; she'd be the one organizing it.

"I'm about to kill my sister," he then changes course, deciding better of merely sitting in his office and waiting for the disaster that may or may not be coming.