Sinner's Game

27 - Collect, Unite, Ascent

Officer Jeff

The Founder sat behind his desk, his white hair neatly arranged as always. He closed a drawer, had checked if something was still in there. He raised his gaze, met with Jeff's. Jeff was leaning against an off wall next to a window, tapped with one finger against the concrete wall.

"Then everything is sorted out, I suppose?" the Founder asked.

"Yes."

The old man pressed a button on his desk, and the office door swung open. The two guards from earlier forcefully shoved Eric inside, his hands still cuffed as he had trouble walking straight. Jeff thought it looked kind of pathetic, and something inside of him hoped that Eric would suffer permanent damage from his injury.

The guards pushed down Eric on a rather comfortable looking chair, then stepped back, waiting. Eric hesitated, waited for what the old man was about to say. The left corner of Jeff's mouth managed half a smile.

A glass bottle – which had been standing on top of the Founder's desk – was used to pour an orange looking liquid in two glassed which stood in front of Eric and the old man. They both remained silent. The bottle was put back to where it had been standing earlier.

More silence.

"Why did you bring me here?"

The Founder remained silent.

"To reveal your big master plan? Are you going to tell me that all of this was planned and I am so wrong yet again? Is that what you are trying to do here?"

Silence.

"Listen up, you ol-"

"Drink."

"..."

The Founder picked up the glass, held it in Eric's direction.

Eric tilted his head slightly, his body language showing signs of distress. Jeff held his hand close to his holster, even though he was pretty sure that he wouldn't have to use what was inside of it. But... just in case.

The Founder didn't seem bothered by Eric not picking up the glass, lifted it in a sign of politeness before drinking some out of it. He put it back down, his face as relaxed as always.

"Eric. I am here to thank you."

"What?" Eric scratched his thumb with his middle finger, peered around as if to find out if his ears had deceived him.

"You have done well. Your case has quite the reputation by now, and we are going to deliver the satisfying conclusion of it to the public. After everything has been made public, everyone will be able to see what you have done in there, and it will set up the foundation for the expansion of our company all over the world."

"Go ahead, warn the world about what I am capable of." Eric shuffled around in the chair, leaned forward as he made eye contact with the Founder. His hard expression met the gentle one of the Founder. Jeff could feel the tension that was building up, but it was as if the Founder made it disappear as soon as it arose, like snuffing out a small flame. "The sooner they learn to fear me, the better. So you are actually doing me a favour."

That whole playing god bullshit slowly but surely got on Jeff's nerves. Eric was so sure about himself, but it couldn't be true, right? Jeff recalled the moment when he had his gun pressed against Eric's forehead. A part of him wondered if Eric would have died back then if he had pulled the trigger.