Sparks To A Flame

|30| Framed

Simon

It has been a few days since I last been home but I had to sort everything out now before I can rest. For me, it has just been interview after interview with agents, investigators, and staff about New York's mission. This particular interview, though, was the most time-consuming. I've been sitting here, trying to get answers for over an hour now.

"Then what made you believe that abandoning your own members was necessary?" I asked sternly but calmly.

Rebecca bounced her leg anxiously, avoiding eye contact. She was clearly nervous and guilty of something. I knew that for a fact. "I didn't abandon them..."

This isn't getting anywhere.

I've been sitting here for almost an hour but she isn't giving me much information. I'm usually a very patient person when it comes to meetings like these but, right now, I think I'm a hair closer to just ending this the quickest way possible... If she is only going to avoid answering any questions, my only option is to just send her home, which is something I would not want to do to her.

I leaned in on my desk, hands clasped and looked deeply into her eyes, "Ms. Hall... Do you understand how serious this situation is?"

She nodded slightly.

"And you do realize how much this can affect your position."

She nodded, "I do, sir."

"I'll ask you one more time... Why. Did you. Abandon. Your members?"

"Sir, I told you already. I did not abandon them. I didn't do anything wrong."

I raised an eyebrow, "Then what were you doing?"

"I..." she stopped and looked away.

"Rebecca! What were you doing?" I asked sternly.

She kept her eyes away, "I can't tell you." she whispered.

"Why not?"

"I just can't, sir."

I leaned back in my chair with a sigh, sliding a thin stack of papers in front of me and began to write her name at the top of the referral, "Well, if you're not going to tell me, I'll just make this easier and suspend you from headquarters until I get answers. Whether or not you come back will depend on the results."

"No! Wait, Sir, don't..."

I shook my head, "Rebecca, you are dismissed for today, I'll handle it from here. Just pack up within a business week and I'll let you know when you're allowed to come back." I doubted. From the looks of it, she might have to resign.

She looked at me with her mouth parted open as I filled out the form, then, "Mr. Ortez, I'm innocent... I only want to be a loyal member but if it's going to cost my job, I'll spit."

I slowed my pen to a stop, looking up at her over the rims of my glasses.

She sighed with regret in her tone, "I didn't choose to leave the mission... I was ordered to. If I didn't, things would've gotten way worse than it already was."

"Who told you to leave?"

"Well, actually, she told both me and Tabitha to leave. Immediately... So, that's what we did."

"Who told you to leave?" I repeated

She shook her head softly, "I can't tell you, Sir. I wouldn't do that to her..."

"That doesn't matter, Rebecca. You work for me, you aren't allowed to hide these things from me no matter what. If you can't trust the man you work for, then there is no point of you being here."