The Evil That Came

Part 2: Behind Closed Doors

Greg's youth was striking, and his presence—his dirty blond hair, bright blue eyes, and muscular frame—disrupted the usual monotony of gray-haired men and women in bureaucratic meetings.

 Compared to the freedom of the vastness of space he traversed for the past two decades, a suffocating wave of red tape washed over him as he strode into General Alden's office. But his mission was clear: secure a contract for a private research lab, a haven for innovation free from the military's red tape.

Matilda Barie, a young woman with a sharp mind and an even sharper gaze, noticed the tall and, quite frankly, not hard-to-look-at man strode into the cold and blanche office smoothly, his white digital pattern I.S.G. uniform and military badge in tow on his BDUs.

Despite her youthful age, Matilda was a seasoned veteran of the political arena. She found her way into being an expert policy advisor to the government. She didn't primarily want this position, but her age can sometimes be a factor in certain arenas. The government was more lenient to this factor and focused on results rather than such an inconsequential matter as age in this position.

 She was always the youngest in her grade, high school, and university class. She let her work speak for herself rather than lead with her youth, and this strategy has worked for her. 

Typically, Matilda communicates with the General through encrypted messaging, but the military has been on high alert for about 21 years since the human vs. R.O.B.O.S. war. The fact that these aliens were far more advanced technologically than humans created a particular fear and strain internationally about their abilities. 

Even though most of the aliens that came to Earth were children, the potential for other alien life to attack Earth with technological advances that far outpace human capability is not an if but a when. 

Matilda, at her desk, waiting for a scheduled meeting, watched Greg intently. In a sense, Greg was famous in military circles; everyone in the office noticed him. It wasn't out of place for Matilda to watch his every move. Not only was he tall, but his countenance just demanded attention. He was confident but also relaxed and friendly, even sweet. 

Greg checked in at the human resources soldier's desk before entering General Alden's office. Matilda looked at her phone, which lit up on her wrist, notifying her that her meeting had been bumped up to now. 

Puzzled, she quickly pushed her wavy brown hair behind her ear, gathered her things, and went into the office. There, she and Greg were sitting side by side in front of General Alden's desk, who was not present at the time. 

Greg glanced at Matilda. He couldn't help but admire her in person. To him, she was gorgeous. Her olive skin, brown hair, and hazel eyes with little flecks of yellow seem to compliment her pleasant disposition. He was impressed that she was as young as him in this government position. It is rare to see a 20-year-old here; usually, they are interns. He recognized her from her dissertation paper that his computer found. His plan to get close to General Alden seemed to be coming to fruition. 

Greg cocked his head to one side in curiosity and whispered. "How do you handle being around all these old, grumpy people?" He smirked.

Matilda blushed and smirked back. "I like to take many breaks during my day-to-day routine." She chuckled. 

"I'm sure you probably wanted to do something different than this. Arguing about policies with stuffy people stuck in their ways." 

Matilda nodded. "I did. I wanted to be a biologist, but I'm almost certain my age was a factor."