The Bagman's Direction

Chapter 45

I returned to the President's office, keen to finish my crossword. I stumbled in, not bothering to look and acting happy as a bee. I crossed over to my chair, picked up the 'Times' and sat down. That's when I saw them.

"You forget something, Atlas?"

I swallowed hard. Sparrow was sitting on the other side of the President's desk and they both had hot paper cups in their hands. They seemed nonchalant as they both ogled at me.

"Your coffee" I coughed out.

"Good thing Crane brought some upon his arrival. There's one for you too"

The President bobbed his head towards the cardboard tray with the said steaming cup. It was the only one left.

"I don't drink coffee"

"I had a hunch, cocoa though?"

I wanted to hate him. He remembered my opposing stance on coffee and my love of hot chocolate. That was so annoying. In spite of that, I didn't move.

Sparrow took the hint but refused to let me win. So he humbly got up and out of his seat and brought the cocoa over to me. I glared at him as I took the cup from his hand. He continued to leer over me until I took a sip. He won.

He carelessly threw himself back into his chair like this was his lounge room and not a presidential office. I despised his behaviour.

"Atlas, I believe you two have already met" The President said, looking between us.

"I guess we have" I bitterly replied.

"Crane has worked for me a very long time now and I'd find it best if you two would get along"

"What does he even do?"

"That wasn't very professional, Atlas" The President grimaced.

"It's okay. I must not have made a very good impression on him earlier, sir. Atlas, is it? Atlas, I guess you could say I work with profits and taxes"

"So like a treasurer"

"Not quite"

This was dodgy. I could smell the fish.

"How long has he been working here, exactly?" I enquired, shiftily taking a sip of my hot beverage, "Before or after Daddy died"

"Before"

"Interesting... So you know he worked for the mafia then?" I blurted out.

I was so angered by Sparrow's presence. I thought I had missed it when really I loathed it. Maybe it was the missing it that corrupted it.

"Yes, Atlas" The President sighed.

I took another sip, scorching my tongue but ignoring it.

"Funny that..." I muttered under my breath.

"Excuse me, Atlas?"

"You knew he had worked for the mafia and you seem confident in him. Yet when I went in for my interview you were so pedantic about my past ties with the mafia"

"You got the job, didn't you?" The President exclaimed.

I bit my sore tongue, he was right. There was no point arguing. If I continued I could lose my job and I didn't want to screw Harry over like that.

I slowly drank my beverage, trying not to burn myself again. They were still staring at me. I wanted them to stop.

"Besides, he wasn't Daddy's nephew" The President mumbled and I restrained myself from making another comment. "Now, Mr. Atlas considering you had so much to say, I assume you're full of energy. Crane and I were just finishing up. If you could take these files to their lockup, the secretary on duty will escort you. They know where to go"