That task took two days and a half, since I did it without over-thinking things and just kept imagining putting people together in the Old Company Vessel.
Most of the teams were completely chaotic, perhaps two were slightly fine.
"Still, their abilities are nothing to the team if their personalities are a complete disaster."
I inhaled, then tapped enter and the file was sent to the team's leader email as he asked.
All I needed after that was to wait peacefully until the end of the workday.
"And I have to see Hero tomorrow."
Last weekend with him. I had no idea what would happen to him after I left the company, and for my mental health, I shall forget about it.
Nothing would change if I think about it.
One week and I would no longer remember this place…
I may have to admit that if it were a normal job then of course I would love to stay, but at this rate? Nothing would convince me to.
"Excuse me—"
The door opened and a new face showed up there.
"This is the Team E office, right?"
"Right."
He looked around, as if the place was something he'd never imagined, before just walking casually before putting his bag on a chair and offering a hand for a shake.
"I'm Hanz Kyle, the new member in this team."
Ha?
Excuse me, Sir?
New what? Where?
"Nathan Vale," I shook his hand, completely unaware of what was happening. "Newcomer?"
"No, they changed my team out of sudden."
"...?"
"The normal rearranging."
…? Was there something like this?
This department was out of these things right?
Right?
Agh—
"What team did you used to work in?"
"Different departments actually, I'm not allowed to talk about it for professional purposes."
Aha…
So, this one got a demotion.
Poor man.
"You are already here," Johan suddenly was in the room, standing beside the table we were sitting around. "Our two newcomers got along easier than I thought?"
"Nathan seems too familiar though."
I've heard this a lot recently…
"Of course he'll be familiar. He is our legendary team member."
"..."
I, and Johan, were never that close. Not because of our weird first meeting, but because he was usually working outside.
And to be honest, all the snacks I ate here were something he brought, from day one until now.
"Johan, what was that 'usual rearranging' thing?"
I asked, moving away from that crazy topic.
"You don't know?"
"No?"
"That's weird. They usually complete such stuff by this time of the month."
"..."
"Anyone with abilities that didn't match his team or department usually got an invitation from a team that matches it. There are cases when they make it happen without your opinion, but that's so rare."
Okay—
I've already got an offer from containment team, so that's what it was, right?
"This team is so comfortable, who would change it on his own?"
Johan and that newcomer looked at each other as if they didn't understand what I said. But seconds after, Johan just laughed, seeming as if he finally got it.
"You are truly something else!"
"...?"
"Who'd play tricks and try to act disrespectful in front of you? That's why it's comfy."
"...?"
"Okay, listen you two, since working here isn't as simple as what it seems to be." He lowered his voice, as if he's about to reveal a top secret. "Being underestimated is necessary. People here tend to give their best image to anyone except those who are under them. And guess what? What's best to know true colours other than being in that specific category?"
…?
Okay?
"I thought that our work is to know about other's specializations and analyze it for reports and records so that other departments could easily see it?"
I knew this much but hearing it like this seemed weird… like, something just felt so wrong.
Was it all?
Or was it just strange for me?
"That's right." Johan answered, then just stared at me for a second or two. "We also give feedback of what rules got broken when teams got into Vessels, since we are the ones to check the records if they existed."
"..."
"And as you see." He pointed at me as if I was the birthday boy or something. "Here we have the one who got team A's leader out! Woow."
"I?"
"Yes. You. The HR. Know about things through you."
But I don't remember telling anyone about it— ah, wait…
I did tell that Demon about it when I got out of the elevator that day, in the worst way possible.
"That includes giving notes about normal rules in the workplace, and you did a great job in that too. Remember the main department's team?"
Yeah, unpleasant memories.
"You're talking about it as if I'll get the perfect employee award or something."
"You won't?"
"...?"
"I just got the idea that you don't fit in here. Your work methods are so straightforward and unlike the rest of us."
"I don't think being different is bad as long as I'm doing my job."
"That's totally right. That was just an idea, not something else." He smiled while looking totally innocent. "You must have got three offers at least."
"Maybe."
So…
Johan was still not welcoming me to the team? Or do I just bring so much unwanted attention and it's uncomfortable?
Either way, it wasn't as if I needed permission to stay here, especially when all I want is one week of easy work before going back to the hell of ordinary life.
"It's about to be two." I stood up while checking my watch. "I'll be off now. See you tomorrow."
"Take care."
"You too."
After getting out of the office I stayed beside the door for a moment. My lovely office was no longer quiet and empty…
"How could I survive the last week at this rate?"
I wanted to cry.
But of course that wasn't an easy thing either, so I just walked past it mentally and physically before deciding to spend my last half an hour with team A, since a crazy disaster was supposed to happen that day.
With a look at the elevator when I opened, I saw few people there, so I entered before choosing the floor team A was on.
"You're going to that floor?" An old man beside me asked, confused. "I thought that nobody was allowed to."
"...?" Not allowed? "Can I ask you why?"
"The Ethics are there. Random inspection I think."
"..."
But the Ethics department wasn't the one to do such a thing? At least that's what I understand from talking to Louis the Vampire the first time…
"It's about containment. Team A didn't do the regular checks to the Vessel under their responsibility, so it went bad until they got control over things again."
"...?"
"Are there any losses?" The old man asked, and the other simply answered. "From what I've heard, Two from team A and one from team E."
"E?"
Two from A, one from E…
These words echoed in my head over and over again until I found myself dizzy even if I was standing still.
"Any names?" I asked, hoping that he could give me an answer. But he just nodded as No.
"More details will be something out of our hands." The door opened into Team's A floor so he looked at me again. "You can find out for yourself. The door opened so you were destined to know."
"..."
Strange crazy feelings showered me when I heard those words, and it made me hesitate to get out of the elevator.
When my hesitation got worse, I simply put my glasses back.
The golden glow was on the floor number, as if it was telling me to get out whether I like it or not, So I got out.
"Welcome to the 'crazy decisions' era!" I wanted to shout but kept it to myself while looking at the empty floor.
Where did everyone go?
I have no idea.
But at least after looking around for a while I noticed that they are likely under investigation. Because there were people in the team's office but somehow they were all talking in whispers.
"Silas." I remembered that I have the earpiece so I put it on and called him, hoping that he's not on a Vessel. "Where are you?"
"In my team office, why?"
I went to a corner when nobody there could see me easily while I could see the office's door.
"Did you know what happened to team A?"
"Are you living off this planet? Fail on containment. They'll have a formal investigation."
"Do you know anything about the losses?"
"Were there losses?"
"I heard it from someone." Someone got out of the office, seeming tired as a zombie. "If you don't know that's fine. I think that I can know by myself."
"Ha?!"
"What?"
"How do you want to know?"
"I think that the bodies still in the team's office—"
"You are there?!" His shouting made my brain shake in shock. "It's a closed region today, closed region you crazy! How did you get there?!"
"By the elevator? oh, wait a second. I think that the office is empty now."
"Wai—"
I didn't hear him telling me not to do it and just went straight to the office. And the bodies were still there, covered by blue fabric.
"Just do it and go, Nathan. Do it and go…"
I took a deep breath, then forced my shaky hand to uncover the first one's head.
He was totally unfamiliar. His face frowned as if he witnessed the most horrific thing ever.
The second was no different… and that made looking at the third much harder.
Another deep breath, then I uncovered it.
"..."
Then I felt the silence in me. As if all my cells froze and nothing left to be done.
Familiar face,
But it wasn't the familiarity that made me feel all this chaos in—
It was the fact that I was speaking to him minutes ago,
But he seemed as if he died way before that…
Johan was there,
And here…
And I no longer know what to do.