The Fire Within

Chapter 4 - The Unspeakables

At first, she couldn't understand what was wrong. Instinct told her that something was off but she couldn't quite place a finger on it.

The moment she'd entered the room, her boss Robert Harper turned a smiling face at her. Then in a loud booming voice, he addressed her.

'Ah! There she is! Come in Sarah", he beamed at her. Then as if realizing what he just said, he looked concerned. "My apologies, do you mind me calling you Sarah?"

"Not at all, sir", she smiled back.

As she approached them, she looked at the stranger standing next to her boss. At that moment she knew why she'd felt uneasy before.

The first thing she noticed about the man was that he was tall, with messy black hair and piercing blue eyes. His tight suit emphasized the muscles underneath and the sharp jawline in his chiseled face enhanced his appeal. But as he looked at her, his mouth was set in a thin line and his eyes looked cold and distant. His facial expression made her believe that he wasn't impressed by what he saw.

Then she suddenly realized something else.

He looked familiar.

She racked her brains trying to remember where she'd seen him. But even from all the digging she'd done from the past few months, she couldn't seem to recall anything about the person.

"Sarah, this is my nephew, Kevin Harper. He works in our company as the head of the production and marketing team", Robert introduced him. "And Kevin, this is Sarah, my new assistant."

For a brief moment, Sarah was transported to the past. That night, she and her parents were at a restaurant waiting for the Harper family. The best restaurant in the town, people used to say. And that's when she had seen him for the first time. Flashes of Kevin's young face came to her mind. She was only ten back then, but she remembered the day as if it was just yesterday. He now looked nothing like the thin and lanky Kevin she knew so well.

And from somewhere in the depths of her mind, an emotion evoked a certain warmness.

Kevin made no attempt to acknowledge her. He continued to stare at her with the same cold and calculating eyes, unmoving. Had he recognized her too?

No, there wasn't the slightest chance.

Not wanting to be rude, Sarah spoke to him first.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr Harper." She was testing the waters, holding her hand out for him to shake.

Kevin's intense gaze lingered on her for a moment longer and then he clasped her hand, as though reluctantly. They shook hands briefly.

"So you are the new assistant my uncle keeps talking about." He finally spoke, his eyes still distant, his voice deep. She couldn't help but notice the accusing tone of his voice.

"That would be me, yeah", she gave a short smile to make the situation less awkward. She couldn't help but notice that there was something in the way he spoke, which she was sure made all heads turn towards him. It was like he had some kind of aura around him that made people look up to him and fear him at the same time. She could easily discern the power in his voice.

But he wasn't known that well to the outside world. She'd read about him in not more than a handful of articles, all of which either stated that he was Robert's nephew or that he was working for the company. There were very few photographs of him, and the latest one on the internet was 6 years old. Now that she'd thought of it, she wondered why he wasn't in the limelight like his uncle, especially given the position he was in the company.

But at the moment, something else bothered her too. She didn't understand why Kevin was looking at her like that. Why was he so displeased? The look on his face made it clear that he didn't approve of his uncle's choice. Had she done something wrong?

But we've just met. Or at least that's what he thinks. How could I have done something wrong?

Kevin finally looked away and turned towards his uncle. "Okay then. I've got work to do. I'll catch you later." He took one last look at both of them and left the room. When the door closed behind him, Robert gave her an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry Sarah, he can be rude sometimes. He's always been like that. But he's good in the heart, trust me."

"That's totally fine, sir. You don't have to apologize."

"You're a good lady." His lips curled. "So are you ready for your first day at work?"

"Absolutely, sir. I'm looking forward to it. Thank you for giving me this job. It's an honor to be working with you." She'd meant what she said.

"Ah, no. I'm lucky to have you as my assistant", his eyes twinkled. "Anyway, the first thing you need to know is that it is mandatory for every new employee to go through the rules and regulations of the company. I believe my people have already sent you a copy of that?"

"Yes sir. I've read the whole thing."

"Great. Now regarding your work, I assume you know what you have to do, but I'll tell you nevertheless. You have to take my calls, manage my schedule, attend the meetings and take notes whenever necessary", he paused, letting her sink in the information. "Oh and I would like a cup of coffee every morning. Without cream, please."

"Got it. Do you want me to get it from a certain place?"

"Ah, I would like the one from the cafe just down the road." He smiled again. At that moment, she saw the young cheerful Robert in him, the one that she knew and adored. He might try to put on a tough facade, but she knew how considerate he could be.

Looks like he hasn't really changed.

"Do you want help with anything Sarah? Or do you have any questions?"

When she shook her head, he said, "Very well then. I'll ask Cole to give you a tour of the building. You can leave now. Make sure you start working at least after lunch."

She nodded and turned to leave when she heard her name being called again.

"Wait a moment, Sarah", he said, and suddenly his voice took a different turn. "I hope you are aware that you are barred from attending the meetings of 'The Unspeakables'?"

From what she'd read in the rules document, 'The Unspeakables' was supposedly a top-secret committee which was originally formed with the intention of keeping the company's dealings a secret. But Sarah didn't completely understand the need for its existence.

"Yes sir, I'm aware of that. But I was hoping you could tell me more about the committee."

Before Robert could respond, there was a loud sound of a phone ringing. He looked down at his phone, his expression changing again. "Excuse me, Sarah", he said, and she knew it was her cue to leave the room. ­­­­­­

At that moment Sarah had so many questions running through her mind. But most of all, she was really concerned about Kevin's behavior towards her.

I'm going to find out, Kevin. Just like old times.