ALYX was now inside a luxury restaurant, she came after making an appointment with a client or whatever the term was to call a person who seemed different from the previous directors. For what reason even to come to an eating place, instead of just at the office.
About an hour ago. "Who? Benjamin?" asked Alyx who had just arrived at the studio this morning. When the phone rang, there was no Katie, so she was the one who answered. "Unfortunately the director is not here right now."
"Of course there is someone replacing him. Then who is the one… I mean," he cleared his throat occasionally, "replacing… you know someone..."
"Me," Alyx rolled her eyes, only she was here. "You want to meet?" she asked without making small talk, seemingly quite curious about the caller's appearance.
"Yes," the caller exclaimed lowly.
"Alright. When and where?" asked Alyx ready to take notes on a memo paper near the phone.
So here was Alyx. Waiting for someone she had never met. She thought someone might already be waiting for her, but instead the situation was reversed. Quite a long time elapsed after her arrival, it seemed the person being waited for had arrived. She knew that when a middle-aged man with a thick beard walked closer to her table. Alyx stood up and introduced herself, "Alexandra."
"Benjamin," his eyes looked unfocused mentioning his name.
They shook hands and as the first to arrive, Alyx invited him to sit down.
"Did you come with a friend?" Alyx looked toward the entrance. Feeling attention was directed at her.
"No, no," Benjamin shook his head quickly, "I came alone."
Alyx scratched her forehead, feeling certain there were several sharp gazes on her. But feeling Benjamin looked incriminated like this, she tried to dismiss this feeling of hers.
"So Alexandra, have you heard from Nicholas?" Benjamin tried to act friendly.
"Unclear," Alyx moved her shoulders. "So I hope to hear it directly from you." She wanted to make sure, then continued, "and even after hearing it later, we also still have to consider whether to raise regarding the matter or theme that you want."
"Sure. Of course I know that," Ben shook and nodded, who knows which one he meant. "But you won't regret when doing this," the tone of his voice was quite different from his choice of words.
"Ah, okay, so what is it?" Alyx was sure she had never seen another director with an appearance this unconfident.
"SOS. This is an organization. SOS has become an open secret," Benjamin's sentences were fragmented, like a student who was memorizing a formula in front of his teacher.
The corner of Alyx's lips drew, not smiling at all, because her brow also met, a look of doubt visible on her face. "I haven't even once heard of this."
"Really?" Ben went oh-oh joyfully. "Indeed this is only known mostly by the upper class, but didn't Nicholas tell you this? Not even a little did Nicholas tell a story to you? I already asked him to inform you? Nicholas tried to keep this a secret from you? Or you have never heard from other people, you as a photographer who is at the peak, have a good connection, so it's impossible you have never heard from them," now he had an accusing tone.
"Unfortunately indeed never," Alyx smirked, but she still respected her interlocutor.
"It feels a bit strange to hear you don't know. So, I think if you want to know about this, you have to find out yourself."
"Is this risky? It sounds very unclear, or whatever it is," said Alyx honestly. "Nick didn't even get it on the internet. So I think something bad will happen if we…"
"You think too far ahead," Benjamin interrupted. "You know this is an open secret. So they never want to publish it to the wider world. Only those who need it will find out."
"So you need SOS?" Alyx asked, stopping that interlocutor of hers' explanation.
"No-no," Benjamin's head shaking moved quickly. Stopped with a serious gaze directed at Alyx. "I want you to help people so it's easier to find it."
"This sounds a bit strange." Alyx was silent for a moment, she was not sure this person was serious with his sentence. "Oh yeah, what did you mean earlier, with Nick not telling me?"
Benjamin's eyes then rounded. "Isn't Nicholas one of the SOS products? The premium one?"
"Hey Nicholas, are you at home?" asked Alyx slightly stammering. "You know about SOS?" After returning to the office, she immediately contacted Nick.
"It seems someone just met that strange person," murmured Nick flatly. Seemingly already able to guess, there was an annoyed tone created in his sentence.
"Yes, I know, I'm sorry," replied Alyx pinching the bridge of her nose, seemingly quite regretful and tired. "But, Nick, you know he said a strange thing."
"Didn't I tell you before," protested Nick. "You better not need to obey what he said."
"Nick, why don't you tell the story of what you know?" Alyx tried to find out, though without realizing she had already pushed her interlocutor too much.
"Just what do I know anyway?" Nick appeared blamed. "I don't know anything."
"Then why did he say you are an SOS product. What does that mean?" Alyx asked, and silence was created for a few moments.
"What? Ha?" Nick half-shouted. "So that's true? Ah, I hang up first."
There was no sound anymore from the other side of the phone. Alyx stared at her smartphone. "What on earth was that?" she grumbled or indeed she should not have said it to Nick. But, it seemed Nick was indeed keeping something a secret from her.
Alyx leaned her back and closed her eyes. Thinking for a few moments. And opened her eyes when someone knocked on the door of Nick's workspace.
"Katie, what's wrong?" asked Alyx the moment she saw hesitation from her assistant's movement.
"Someone brought this." Katie lifted a box, her brow furrowing.
"Just put it down, I will bring it to Nick, later."
"No," Katie interrupted, "this is for you, I think, ah no I mean your name is here. So this is for you."
"Really?" Alyx reached for the box and immediately opened it. "What is this?" she asked without tone. "Who brought it?" she appeared to hold back frustration, stopping Katie who was just about to go out.
"Earlier… someone," Katie pointed to the door. Her eyes were slightly blurred, not understanding Alyx's furious expression.
Alyx had gone out, passing Katie, without a word. Her steps were fast, half-running. Intending that she could find someone suspicious who had brought that box here. But, unfortunately she did not find anyone out there.
Katie followed, standing behind Alyx who appeared to look down. "He went straight home after delivering this," she murmured, feeling guilty for not asking further to the box bearer. "Ah, and he wore a full suit," she continued even without Alyx asking again.
Alyx exhaled a long breath, "okay," she said not knowing what to say. She then moved, entering back into the room. She sat down, looking at the box she had just placed on top of the table. Several times she shifted her eyes from there, but still her cynical gaze was drawn to that object.
She bit her lip, as if strengthening herself, then took out its contents, a moment seeing that object in her hand she immediately dropped it. A white cat doll with blood splatters was flung beside the chair.
*