He Changes The Weather

Laughing in a poor man's expense

The first thought went inside Gregory’s mind is this is what it feels like to chew glass. The inside of his mouth is dry as sandpaper. His eyes seem to weight with lead. He tries to open his eyes slowly, but even such simple action force an unbearable pain breaks out inside his head. Squirming in his position, Gregory promptly realizes that his hands are tied behind his back and he is siting in a hard wooden chair. He felt like a bad Tarantino movie scene knockoff.

“Officer Ross, I am deeply apologize with this inconvenient preceding” Dis booms out of nowhere, causing Gregory whole body to flinch away.

Heels clicking on a granite floor is heard afterward Dis statement. Somebody is approaching Gregory hearing from the sound of it.

“How are you, Officer? . I am sorry with the drug but your uncooperative means forces Officer Lenz to use force”  said a woman voice, not far away from Gregory’s position.

“What the fucking fuck you’re on?” said Gregory but he is pretty sure the sounds coming out of his mouth is just a series of groans.

Gregory opens his eyes, slowly the fluorescent light floods his vision. A well-tailored suited woman appears in front of his eyes. Gregory, immediately alerted by her presence, looks up to her face. Her expression is blank with piercing dark eyes, her posture match the stiff lines of her trousers.  The room couldn’t be bigger than storage from the distance of the woman.

Gregory can’t register where he is from his sight only. Grey concrete four walls room with no other furniture other than a chair he is sitting in and a mirror behind the woman. The door itself is barely visible only a space of what should be a door beside the mirror indicates there is some sort of opening. Or not, for all Gregory could concur the only opening is he has to fucking broke the mirror first or some complicated shit like that.

“Welcome, Officer Ross. Let me start your status report by saying how grateful we are to have you back in the Base” said the woman.

As blurry as Gregory vision is, he could make out a smile appearing on the woman’s face. Maybe, this woman is the Eli-that Dis has mentioned is waiting for him and Alexander.

“My name is Eli and I am the Director of Operatives. Are you ready for my questions or should I give you a pill for your, I assumed rather devastating headache?” asked Eli the Director.

God, even the voice of the woman is intimidating, Grgory brought back to his memories as a child being scolded by his headmistress after causing troubles. Which, to be fair, is exactly what Gregory has just done.

Gregory nods, with as much power he could muster. Because the headache truly, unbearable now

“Pill, please” said Gregory.

His voice sounds screechy as hell, like his throat has done some business with a john’s considerable prick, He gives a weak chuckle at that thought. Yeah, he wishes he done exactly that.

Eli’s eyebrow goes up a few centimeters, probably considering whether or not Gregory has lost his sanity after being shot with a fucking dart.

“Here is your pill, Officer. Please collect yourself together quickly, I have more business to attend too”. Eli hands the same blue pill the nurse gave him earlier.

“Oh, my apologies. I forget about your hand. Dis, turns off the cuff on Gregory’s hand, will you” said the woman.

In an instant, the cuffs that bind Gregory’s hands together come off and fall to the floor with a clink of steel hitting ground. Gregory groans as the effect of being freed washes him, rubbing his hands together; he flexes his tense shoulder to eliminate the pain. After a mumbled thanks, Gregory takes the pill and pops it inside his mouth. He thought the effect of the pill would hit him at least ten minutes after he ingested it. But, to his utter confusion, the thumping inside his head quiet down until went to stop. He closes his eyes, reliving his breath and relaxes himself. After all, this scary ass woman will surely bring hell on his ass judging by the antics Gregory pulled before meeting her.

“Do you have any clue why there is an attack at your neighboring flat?, “ Eli asked, standing with hands clasp on her back.

“I have no clue, besides the attack only happened right after Alex- I mean Officer Lenz found me” answered Gregory.

“Officer Ross, The Base owner personally asked for your service back in The Base. Our contract can be renewed, of course. And you will be put in training course again, because of your absence and your current status as civilian. That is, I assumed the reason you resist? ,”

Gregory rubs his chin, he is now Ian the undercover military agent, Ian using his name to be God knows what. He swallows the lump inside his throat.

He couldn’t believe what he was doing, stepping inside his best friend shoes. Replacing himself in his own life after his death. Gregory doesn’t know what he is feeling right now then numbness. Losing Ian means losing family. The only constant in Gregory’s life apart from Miss Chance now gone too. Maybe, this is why Gregory is so quick jumping to decision, his studies are straying because of his lack of funds, his life is painfully normal and he has no more homes to come back to. Going back to that cramped flat without sharing it with Ian is something he would never be able to face with. Choosing one choice that is less painful and deal the fuck out of it.

“Sure, I guess. I am good with life back home. But, if you want me back, I guess I wouldn’t, well, couldn’t say no”. A shrug accompanied Gregory’s answer.

No bigger turning point in a man’s life rather than the moment where he realizes he got nothing to lose.  Eli’s smile is brisk in answer. Gregory supposes that is enough welcome to his new life.

Gregory walks out of the room, with the door beside the mirror that opens with Dis command.  Eli has left moment earlier, excusing herself for having another appointment; while Gregory finishing up his biometric scans.

In the next room he is welcomed with a sight of a working room behind the interrogation place. Except without the smell of stale coffee in the air, the room itself is empty. No computer or tangled cables or blinking lights from any equipment. The sight of Alexander, with a cup in his and, watching the news on the hologram screen in front of him is the only fixture in the room. Gregory’s stare goes distant, how can a private owned company has such prevalent technology is beyond him.

Alexander looks up to Gregory and nods a touch too tight. Gregory turns his head away and trying to control his grin at seeing Alexander strung up like this.

“How long does Eli want to have you back in training? “, Shaking his head, Gregory held up his hand, a sound of laughter erupted from him.

“I punch you once and I won’t hesitate doing it again, you fool, “ said Alexander.

“Fine, jeez, can a guy be happy for once without offending your asshole sensibilities ”, still laughing Gregory holds up his hand.“A month, Lexy. And then you will become my ‘supervisor’ too. Blimey, imagine all the fun we will be having?” Gregory wiggles his eyebrow.

Nothing excites Gregory more than being forced to be in something with someone who hate it more than he does. It doesn’t matter if it is by far the most cliché thing that ever happened to Gregory, well except having his identity swapped with his dead friend and being forced into a new life. Damn, what an awful writer God is.