The Diamond Spy

Ch.5 Ulterior Motives

Ulterior Motives

I couldn't believe my luck. After slushing my way through mud and acid rain, I finally make it out of the work shower to find I forgot to put my clothes in the wash before I cleaned myself up.

The Five Reds headquarters had great hygiene facilities for keeping their employees clean. However, I apparently wasn't very good at organising.

The clock on the wall said 11am, so I was already going to be late for the daily meeting. I rub my hair dry and then chuck back on my grimy white blouse and black slacks which have mud all over the ends. I feel sticky with the acid rain which is still in the material and makes my skin itchy.

I just leave my muddy black shoes in a locker, I don't bother to wear them up to the meeting room. I'd just go bare foot.

I eventually make it up to level five, but the meeting room is so packed with people this time round that I'm stuck in the doorway between Captain James the Brains and his second best man, Kyle the Child. He could teleport anywhere at will, yet when he spoke it's like he was 3-year-olds. He wasn't always like that, it was after the first trialled vaccine had adverse affects on his brain. At least that's what the rumours speculated.

I ironically think while standing there, as Kyle starts poking my rib cage through my blouse, that Dale's offer of a job sounded more appealing than –

"Where is she?" Prof. Hedgy complains from his usual spot near the front of the table. Even from here I could hear his sweaty stomach peeling it's way off the table as he huffed about someone not being present.

"She's here, doc," James grabs the back of my pants and lifts me high into the air, making me suck in a breath as the acid rain soaked pants rub up between my ass cheeks. Of course everyone was looking for me. The Captain walks through crowds of people and drops me off beside Prof. Hedgy himself.

Did I ever mention he was called Prof. Hedgy because he had a hedge of green plants growing out of his head? Yeah, well, he did, and it was gross.

"Where the hell have you been, Miss. O'Brien?" Prof. Hedgy pretends to sound extremely concerned as he addresses me while everyone else disgustingly eyes my dirty work clothes.

"Just trying to clean up," I laugh nervously and hop from foot to foot, trying to secretly get rid of the sudden intense itch up my butt that I couldn't scratch with everyone watching.

I glare at James and all I can see is him smirking in the corner like he knows what's wrong with me.

"That's not good enough, Alyssa," Prof. Hedgy raises his green bushy eyebrows at me, "We need an update as soon as possible on your current assignment."

"Which I was given yesterday," I nod and make a damn good point about how it was only a day later and I was given 7 days to complete the mission, "Um, I – I don't really–"

"I need compliant workers, Miss. O'Brien," Prof. Hedgy warns me, "Please, update us on anything you have that may be of use to us. There are more people here at this meeting for a reason, Alyssa. Stockpiles of data were erased from the system last night... it's alright, it's okay, we're okay. We had it all backed up. So we haven't lost anything. However, it was a huge attack and it nearly wiped us clean. We only have one way to back up our whole system and that is with more fortified knowledge. We need that golden ring with the emerald, darling."

I try as hard as I can to smile back at my own boss and his condescending asshole attitude.

I could submit or I could fight back.

I decide to try and turn the tables.

"I will gladly explain something useful," I speak clearly and loudly for all to hear, "I went to the Black Lair Clubhouse last night, actually. I became somewhat close to the Lord of the Underworld. I have an alternative suggestion to the original objective you handed to me. Instead of retrieving the ring, I have found a way to get closer to Dale. I believe I can land a job with him. I saw from afar the security that protects Dale. Retrieving something on his person that is so important to him is literally impossible. That is why the last three females sent on this mission were killed, Professor –"