One More Bite, One More Lie

Chapter 4

The next day, Percy punctually arrived ten minutes before nine at Leon's office, knocking. From inside, he could hear the man's voice. Obviously he was already here, it was Leon. Percy actually wondered when he usually started. Maybe eight? Seven?
"Come in."

Percy was surprised yet pleased to see a second desk right next to the door, enabling him not only perfect surveillance of the door but also Leon himself. He had obviously expected Percy to feel more comfortable with a good view over his surroundings and especially his boss.
"So it came to my ears there has been a little... incident tonight? With Electrica?"Percy found himself standing straight, all attention back to Leon himself. Well, shit. Electrica tattletaled on him, didn't she? He tried to look calm but the the dark rings below his eyes made it obvious; he had barely slept all night. Was denying it even worth the attempt?
"It was nothing major."
"Nothing major? She hasn't bitten you?" Percy could feel his piercing eyes wandering to his neck, of course unharmed. Now that was interesting. Didn't she tell on him? Perhaps he could save his own ass. The white-haired man spoke up once again, finally elaborating the situation.
"Electrica has approached me this morning and admitted to breaking into your room, and has been asking for forgiveness. She is facing proper punishment right now, and will not join us with her presence for the rest of the week. She did ensure me she hasn't been preying on you at any point of her break-in but I would like to hear it from yourself."
Eyes widening, Percy could feel himself smiling just the tiniest bit. So... she didn't tell him. For sure. He should defend her at least a it, shouldn't he? He was definitely grateful for that one.

"No. A-actually, not at all. I'm fine....she didn't trust me. Naturally. We didn't have a good start, she hadn't fed for some days and it was a bit tense. She broke in to check my belongings for anything suspicious. I believe she would have told you if she had found anything... I was awake and confronted her. We talked for a few minutes, she decided I was trustworthy, apologized and left."
Hands folding, Leon eyed him up one last time. He was telling the truth, he couldn't detect a lie so far. That was that. Leon's gaze fell back down onto his laptop, and glasses found their way onto his nose once again.
"I see. I am glad to see you unharmed, Mr Parker. If any such incidence may occur again, please do not hesitate to approach me. I will not stand for any of these shenanigans.
"Percy figured that was the end of their conversation and proceeded to take a seat at his new desk. Oh, look at that. He flashed a glance at Leon, then back onto the stack of papers in front of himself. His... tasks for today. All of them?

"Get everything done today. That is all I request. Where you start or how you start, I do not care. Deliver results, and you will be fine." Leon's voice rang inside his ears and Percy found himself smiling. The freedom to do his tasks his way? Splendid. Just how he wanted it. And Leon didn't seem keen on any further conversation. Silence and freedom? Just perfect. Percy immediately organized his work and made himself a small mental note on where to start.

However, what he wasn't keen about, was the collection of monthly orders from the heads of all the different departments inside this base. Five people, he reminded himself. And Leon above them all. Why couldn't they just send everything to Leon? For what did they have a company mail?Ah, he didn't care.Percy stood up from his desk, clipboard in hand, and threw a nod towards the still silent Leon before exiting the office. Where would he go first? He had the housing wing with one head, the laboratory with two, and the training wing also with two. Good thing he had a map.He figured the head of the housing wing was the kindest of them all, so off he went.

Far from it.

The head of the housing department was an elderly woman named Bronya... A Russian, as far as he could tell. She didn't smile when he greeted her, she only stared at him with a sour expression and stretched out her wrinkled hands with a list inside to him. Percy shuddered. Another one of those with a stare that could freeze one's soul. He kind of expected not everyone to talk to him, but that was childish in his eyes. He had work to do, and while she obviously knew what he wanted from her, it wasn't the fine British way of acting towards colleagues. Well... still better than getting shot, he guessed. Next up was the laboratory. He dreaded the entry, and yet he had to. At the front was the large door that led into Stefan's domain... He preferred him over the laboratory, and after a loud knock he opened the door and went in.And paused as nobody was in.