"I'm a fixer. I can stop this from getting worse than it already is."
Niko huffed but didn't say a word. After a while, he finally got up and paced around the room. One arm was folded over his chest as though protecting himself. The other was raised, his hand over his mouth.
"Give us the room," he said at last.
The others murmured in protest, but no one objected fully.
"Smart move," Saji remarked with a smile. He was by the window, taking in the view unbothered in the slightest by the board members.
Niko bristled. He frowned even more.
"Your assessment isn't necessary here. I only asked them to leave so I could get you all alone."
Saji snorted. "You do realize how that sounds, right?"
Niko's face flushed. "You know exactly what I mean."
"Can't take a compliment, huh? Well, as I said, it was smart on your part. I'm an unknown entity, I just barged in, while in possession of sensitive internal data. You want to interrogate me but not risk being embarrassed in front of your board."
Silence.
"If need be, you can use your sheer brute force to pound the truth out of me. Can't have your board see that either."
Niko shrugged. He wasn't accustomed to being outwitted or out of his element.
"I'll make it real easy for you, big guy. What do you want to know?"
"Who are you, really? How did you do… this? What do you want with me?"
"Hmm. You can call me Tonio. Only you though. Everyone else should address me formally as Mr. Isai. I did it because it's my job, and you need someone capable in your corner. Also because I can. As for the last question, just a job for now, but who knows about tomorrow and beyond?"
Saji now was spread out, stomach down on the boardroom table, kicking his feet in the air lazily. He liked the pained look on Niko's face at the sight of him.
"Fine. You're hired. But, my turf, my rules."
"Yes sir. Anything you want, sir." Saji blinked cartoonishly. He slithered along the smooth wooden table and reached up to Niko's neck, his thin, delicate fingers brushing its base. Niko gulped.
"Relax. Your tie was a bit loose. See? There I fixed it for you." Saji winked. He had seen more than the shocked look on Niko's face at that moment. Something only he could see.
[Status Update: Infiltration Successful.]