Grey

For my broken heart.

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Thank you ARTSYASIAN CREW for the lovely poster and background!
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Chun bounced up off his car, turned the alarm on, and headed towards the company building. He's expecting an appointment with the secretary. He paused slightly once he step a foot on the entrance and wondered how the lanky secretary he will react this time. He always has this feeling that the secretary has this unexplainable fear from him. If that's the case, he can manipulate the cases in a single snap and instill something in him considering the fact that Secretary Ruan is the keeper of the company's top cases. But he's not that much of a devil incarnate to do that.

But he'd always hoped he is.

He walked through the corridors and cannot help but notice the grey, well-polished walls - coldly drained from all emotions. Not a single work of art can be seen hanging in the wall. It's clearly made to portray allegiance. There's no room for excuses or even a single spot for mistakes. Everything must be done perfectly - by hook or by crook. There's no one else around. Only his footsteps are audible across the empty corridor. Red lights of the security-monitor cameras and some sensors are scattered along the hallway. They seem to be watching very closely every single soul that strayed upon this path. But despite this incredibly strict security, there's no denying the reality that the enemy can still freely walk in and out of the company. Of course, everyone else knows about this but they knew better than to accuse.

After the two-hundred-step stroll across the hallway, he turned left to the company's lobby. He scanned the room, from the chandelier in the tiled ceiling; the notice board hanging on the wall where his name is written vividly; the canvas painting of a bloody gun, about twelve-square-feet in surface area; the three-storey black bureau that covers half of the right side of the hall; the brown carpet with some flaxen, ethnic-like design; the nine-square-feet translucent table at the middle of the neatly-sprawled carpet; the three-yard-long couch across the table. There he found his buddy sitting on the black couch, browsing the documents on a brown folder printed with a black logo in front. Attached to the A4-size paper, he saw a picture of a woman. He narrowed his eyes a little in an attempt to visualize the photo rather clearer.

Not looking up to him, his buddy spoke, "You're late." His voice sounds distant but nevertheless continued, "He's expecting you."

Pausing just a foot away from his buddy's drooped head, he drew a deep breath and placed his hands comfortably on his jacket's pocket. "Another assignment?" he asked casually, his eyes on the documents. The other man closed the folder neatly and placed it over the table across him. Holding his fingers together, he leaned back on the comfort offered by the soft cushion and stared lazily at Chun's eyes. "She's so young," he commented.

"Calvin, you know all too well the company policy," he said firmly. He picked the folder from the table and skimmed a little at the notes and data stated. He flipped again and focused on the picture of a young high-school girl. She's young and looked innocent but the records stated otherwise. There really is an undeniable hike in the number of ion nationwide. This kind of assignment is a little common but there must be something about this girl that made the case harder to handle.

"I know the policy Chun," he answered, exasperated. "Perhaps you're the one who doesn't know Secretary Ruan's personal policy," he added cleverly. When he saw his buddy's calm expression, he peaked at his watch and justified his statement, "You're fifteen minutes late Mr. Delta." He knew that Chun is always collected and will never get mad no matter how persistent he will be in provoking the edge of his patience.

"I'm never late Calvin," Chun threw the folder smoothly but swiftly to Calvin, and the other man caught it with a single right hand in the minimum motion. As he placed the caught file on his lap, Chun added, "I have my own policy too." He turned around and got ready to go to his destination.

"I am the master of my own time," Chun stated without looking back.

--ooOoo--

He stood in the front of the mahogany door that aids as the portal to Secretary Ruan's office. He knocked three times and without waiting for a response, he twisted the doorknob and walked in. The sudden flash of the wind from the inside brushed his bangs up slightly and he revelled on the coolness it brought on his skin. His nose caught the scent of the aromatic air freshener inside the secretary's office and he instinctively caught a hint of something new. His eyes travelled to a man, about his age, sitting comfortably at a leather swivel chair. His face is turned to him with a crooked smile. But something is wrong with the picture, for he saw another image of a human being sitting across Secretary Ruan and the office table.

Ethan Ruan would usually call him when there's a new case needed to discuss. For the countless times he called him, there's only him and him alone. Today was an exception. What could've possibly happened this time and what's with the sudden change of mood?

Without uttering any greeting, he paced through the room and sat at the chair opposite the other-human-being. He stole a glance at her and when he realized that she's not interested about his intrusion, he concentrated his eyes on the secretary instead. He's using his eyes to inquire and not his words. His gaze reflects his bitter reaction to his instincts, owing to the fact that he trusts his sixth sense so much. The beanpole couldn't possibly be thinking about getting him a partner!

Secretary Ruan eyed the woman sitting across him and smiled professionally. Chun just stared as the two exchange glances. His eyes trailed from the woman's piercing dark eyes shadowed by her bangs; the outline of her puissant nose; the smooth edges of her face; the blush of her cheeks that gave a little color to the seemingly void expression she has but still got contradicted by the sharp line of her lips. She looked remarkable empty and razed up. The way she carried her own attire had emphasized her intense streak of independence. It's quite unusual for him to see a woman like her. There will be a far-fretched comparison between her and his Jasmine.

As professional and as skilful as she looks, she shot him a look and scrutinized him boldly. Her eyes searched his like reading a novel. She studied his composure, eyes narrowing as she trailed her eyes even more. She's sending him creeps but it's undeniable that she's irritating him. He felt like a criminal and she's the investigator. Good thing he already mastered the art of remaining calm. He stared back at her just as intense as she does, matching her predatory dark irises with his copper ones.

She looked back at his face and finally faced him fully, still undisturbed. She looked at Secretary Ruan at the edge of her lowering eyes and then back again.

The secretary cleared his quivering throat at the electrifying sight - though still rejoicing for finally finding the perfect match for Chun. There's no denying the obvious fact that Chun is the best delta agent he'd ever seen. Yet no matter how great he is, there are things he cannot do all by himself. He leaned in and tried to talk while struggling to keep his professionalism.

"Chun, this is Officer Ella Chen," he said, forcing to cover his trembling voice with a serious one.

The woman, still gazed at Chun, extended her hand to him, offering a handshake. The dark expression in her face hasn't wavered a bit. Chun, on the other hand, had keen delight in the headstrong woman opposite him. In his mind played a reassuring thought that she's still a woman and no matter what happens, she'll remain that way.

He graced the introduction and did not wait for the pretentious secretary to mention his name. He reached out and granted her a short handshake. She'll surely be hard to handle. He opened his mouth slightly to take the privilege of introducing his identity but she stared at him knowingly and spoke in his stead, "The fierce and fearless". Eyes twinkling, she curved her lips a little and presented him a raring yet spiteful smile.

They broke their hand's contact and drew back to a rather comfortable position on their own seats. The secretary called their attention by drawing a murmured, "So..."

The two turned their attention to him and the lanky beanpole pleasurably took advantage of the attentions he gathered. "Well then, since you already know each other's name, I guess we should proceed already," he took the clippings on the uppermost part of the stacks and gave each of them a copy. "You'll be partners from now on," he added and shot a look at Chun who's busily flipping the pages confidently.

To his dismay, he didn't get the expression he wanted to see from him. "Another syndicate?" the delta agent stated in a way that sounded like a question. The Secretary nodded knowingly, "Yes. This is the newest case turned over to us by the Bureau of Investigations. Top rated so I decided to give this to you. After all, I do hope your three-day vacation's enough to gain your concentration back."

"This is easy," the woman remarked, gaining the attention of the secretary. Chun looked at her and back to Ethan questioningly. "I already have my proposals," she added by the way of an explanation. She closed the documents and looked at the secretary. Ethan gulped at the intensely dark gaze she gave him and fished out for something to say, "Since it's still early, why don't you two go get some coffee and get to know each other? You'll be working with each other from now on, may I remind you."

Ella raised a brow and declined the offer, "I don't think it's necessary. We barely hold any time to waste." She managed to say and turned to look at her partner. Chun remained calm. He blinked and shot a look at Ethan. Though how much this woman is capable of igniting the curiosity in him, he knows that by mission, he'll discover more from her. After all, you can discover more in an hour of play than in a day of talk.

Ethan drew a deep breath and reluctantly stood from his seat, followed by the others. "You'll have to discuss with each other the strategy you're going to use. I wanted the reports tomorrow in my office. 'Same time," he demanded clearly. The two nodded comprehensively, knowing that they're still the inferior ones in the company's view. With a stern voice, the secretary said, "You're dismissed."

They grabbed their belongings and headed out the office, leaving a sating Ethan Ruan behind. This would make the job easier for all of them. He grabbed his phone and dialled a familiar number. After a moment, he heard a voice saturated with pure authority.

"I found him a partner, Sir," he managed to say. He listened for a few more seconds before responding a curt, "Yes. Well noted." He hung up and felt elated for another accomplishment done.

--ooOoo--

Two ASUAs agent walked side-by-side in the corridor heading to the company's plenum hall - not talking to one another; fiery eyes fixed straight to their destination; head held high. The hallway had never been this narrow. They walk passed room after another, gaining a malicious look from all their co-agents. This is the first time that they saw the woman in their office and yet she's with Chun. They know that Chun has no partner and this new girl can be the appointed one. No matter how they suppress the growing seed of envious insecurity over this lady, they know that they should not underestimate her capabilities. The company chose her and it simply means that she's not just a 'she'.

The company provides each of its agents a room for themselves where they can stay when on mission. All their needed tools and equipments are stored there. It's not really safe to go home when on an assignment for it may risk the safety of their family. Chun never wanted that to happen. He barely has a family except for Jasmine. Losing her would mean an apocalypse to him.

Their rooms are in the opposite side of the hallways, in the farthest part. Upon reaching the place they're bound for, they pressed their right hands against the sensor, not too strong and not too weak, just enough for the sensors to sense their presence. A blue laser light that appeared in a horizontal line scanned their hands from the fingertips and lower. They heard a soft click and the metal door opened in their own accord to let them enter. The room is soundproof. This is part of the company's security and protection. Yet, all their actions are under a surveillance camera. Sometimes, he felt much worse than a prisoner in a way.

His room is still the same as he remembers the way it is when he left for a vacation three days back. The black couch on one side tilted lightly to the right across a small wooden table was still the same. He reached for the picture of him and Jasmine in a picture frame beside the lamp on the bedside table and sat on the edge of his bed. He's doing this for her. He also wanted to uncover the case behind the death of her parents. But before he could do that, there still is a lot of process he needed to go through. He cannot falter any time. One mistake, intentional or not, in one case or another, may leave a lasting bad impression.

He returned the frame to the table and reached for the clippings the secretary gave him. His expression turned grim. What made them think that he needed a partner to solve this kind of case? Is he not good enough? After all the cases he solves by himself, they still not trust him to work alone? He's accustomed to being aloof and he liked it that way. And now, not only that the decisions hurt his ego; he needed extra time and effort in adjusting for this Officer Ella Chen. Scratch that. He's doing this for Jasmine and not for her. That woman is prickly and he couldn't stand the fact that she's more intriguing than the new mission. She has this aura he couldn't explain. As much as he hated to have a partner, he also wanted to figure out who this woman really is. And along with this vision, he'd have to endure her presence. He doesn't have the right to question the company, anyway. So there really is nothing much that he could do about it.

He checked for the time and it says eleven-thirty. Setting his pride aside, he went out of his room and decided to do what has to be done. "Do this for Jasmine," he recited mentally. He pressed the red button at the side of his new (and first ever) partner's room and the camera placed above her door automatically turned to him. He knew that by now, she could already see his face at the monitor from inside the door.

It took him a serious amount of effort to set his pride aside and ask this egoistic and rapacious woman for lunch. They needed to discuss matters about the assignment and she'd rather keep her pride up and lock herself in the room than talk to him about it. How dare her decline the offer. Besides, it's not about them. It's about the mission at hand. If she were going to turn him down this time around, she'd surely receive a good long, razor-edge rant from him.

"I was hoping that you could join me for lunch. After which, we can discuss matters about the new assignment. I'm not asking for us to know each other better. It's for the success of the mission," he uttered calmly, or so it appeared. What he really wanted to do is shout and his throat ached because of the controlled urge to do so. He waited patiently for a response from the speaker but by the looks of things, she has no intention to respond. Keeping him waiting like a total idiot feels much worse than turning down an offer.

Just as he was about to say something else, the door opened. "Let's go," is all she said to him before securing the clippings in the envelope and walked ahead of him, not bothering if he'll follow or not.

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*Notes:
Also, I would like to thank ArtsyAsianCrew (artsyasiancrew.co.nr) for the awesome poster.
Sorry if the flow is somewhat slow. I hope you're not bored. I just want to be detailed enough.