Clean

Chapter VI: Scab

In the months that passed, several changes occurred. Sebastian was moved up a few ranks, passing X and Easton. He was one rank away from succeeding Riley (whose hand was fully healed in about three weeks) and becoming the head of the team. If he wanted to move up, he had to suck up to Moriarty like crazy.

It had first started when James offered a few independent jobs. Riley had snatched them all up. The next jobs he offered were taken by Sebastian. Then it became an all-out war. Every day the two men would race to their boss's office and ask if there was anything they could do. If not, they went to the range and challenged each other until their nerves were fried and they had to have some alone time.

One day, they were about to knock on the office door once again. But before they could, it swung open, revealing a rather pissed-looking Moriarty wearing just a V-neck and boxer briefs. "My office. Now," he said, voice scarily calm, gesturing them inside. Once they were in, he gently closed the door and walked to sit in the chair behind his desk. It was littered with tea mugs and papers, completely out of James's usual prim-and-proper style.

"Men. Or boys, even," he spat. "It seems like you have entirely forgotten the meaning of the word 'man.'" James ran a hand through his soft hair, messing it up even more.

'Must've had a rough night,' Sebastian thought.

"Yes I did have a rough night, Moran, thanks for the sympathy," James snapped, glaring daggers at the colonel. Sebastian frowned, not realising he had said his thoughts out loud.

James sighed. "Sit down."

The two snipers sat, simultaneously crossing their arms. They stayed silent for fear of being yelled at if they interrupted.

"Now, I've been noticing a fierce competition between you two. So are Easton and X. I fear you've forgotten about them. That isn't true, I hope?" Moriarty inquired, closing his eyes. The muscles in his face clearly shifted, sowing that he was clenching his jaw tightly.

Sebastian and Riley shook their heads, muttering "oh no," and "of course not, boss," simultaneously.

"Wonderful. Now if you could leave, I have to get ready for something very important. I'll be gone for the rest of the day, and I've given the last job to East and X, so you two will have to make due with sitting and doing nothing all day. Or maybe you could polish all of my knives in the interrogation chamber." James shot both of them a glare. "Just don't slit each others' throats. Have fun." He dismissed them with a wave of his hand.

As the door shut, Moriarty rubbed his temples. "Ugh," he mumbled quietly, staring blearily at the papers scattered on his desk. The clutter bothered him greatly, but he was too tired to deal with that right now. He felt his eyelids drooping and after a few seconds, his head suddenly snapped up. Checking his phone, he almost choked. It read 09:00, about an hour later.

James jumped out of his chair, scrambling to gather a few papers and his phone, and ran out of the office. He made a beeline straight for his bedroom, not even noticing the sniper by his door.

Sebastian watched his boss run into his room and slam the door with his mouth open. Had he been a step closer to the door, his nose probably would be broken. He just stood for a few moments, calming down from the shock. James' door swung open again and the criminal, now wearing an elaborate-looking suit, dashed out and disappeared around the corner. 

Deciding not to question it, Sebastian shrugged and placed a foot inside James's office. The door had been left wide, and it was too tempting for the sniper to handle. He made sure no one was in the hallway, then fully stepped into the room and quietly shut the door behind him. He slipped over to the desk, leaning over it and scanning the items covering it.