The Solution (2nd Edition)

Michelle

Over my shoulder, the fire door fuzzed out of existence and Chon came through it, alone. Everyone looked his way and instantly I felt for him. He never seemed to feel the scrutiny as much when Mikey and Sarah were with him. But this day they weren't; they were meeting him at the airport; and the only other ally Chon had, was me...

    He stopped, scanned a route through the harsh terrain and started moving again. Some of the team started hissing under their breaths, while others glared at him like prey. The awkwardness was vivid as it played out in slow motion. Frustratingly for Chon, things weren't always like this, either. Once upon a time, Chon was BTV's top guy and the centerpiece at any media function we attended. Even though she had no claim on him, Sarah hated the attention he got because the girls here often hotboxed indecent things, which he always tried to play down. Aside from opening those messages, though, there wasn't much Chon ever did wrong. Sadly, it was Xen's kinky and questionable actions, and Charlie's untamed desire to see Chon also fall from grace - which were the reasons behind his condemnation here.

    For me, my motives and actions were selfish, and I found it hard to forgive myself. With Xen in mind, I hated how he'd abused his power and I concentrated on that in my morning broadcasts, rather than my friend.

    As far as Charlie, Gail and Dieng were concerned, I had no loyalties to Chon, Mikey and Sarah. But Charlie and Co. had put me in a corner. They'd promised that if I sided with Chon, I wouldn't be BTV Anchor for much longer, and Gail would happily fill my shoes. And so, like a coward, I let Chon fend for himself.

    Before heading to Dieng's office for a briefing, Chon approached us.

    Apprehensively, I'd been roped into Charlie's gang and we were congregated around Chon's desk which was being used as the communal breakfast table. It was literally covered with a mixture of beef-filled buns, bread circles, mugs of coffee and mung bean milk.

    Chon threw a disappointing look my way and I clambered up. Then he turned to the ringleader and scowled. "Lamoon. This is the last time I'm going to tell you. Don't, loiter, here," he growled.

    "Or, what?" Charlie said with a sinister grin.

    "That's fucking it!" Chon boomed. "Lamoon, outside, now!"

    Just like Charlie's, my eyes boggled with shock! Suddenly the office felt like a Wild West Saloon!

    "Excuse me?" Charlie said, who seethed and pushed off from the desk.

    "Would you like me to repeat it?" Chon asked, as Charlie's omegas began closing in.

    "Umm-hmm..."

     "Charlie, I said, 'outside, now!' It's about time I wiped the floor with you."

    I'd only ever heard of Chon getting like this. Mikey told me that's how he was with Xen after the scandal broke. But otherwise, this was the first time I'd witnessed Chon's darker side. Nonetheless, I should've stepped in, but I didn't. In actual fact, the only thing which stopped the clash was the sudden buzz of a door dematerializing around the floor. It caused everyone to look over at Dieng's office. Young Gail huffed as she came out and headed towards Charlie. Meanwhile, Dieng slouched against the holo-doors' inner frame and looked on.

    Break time was over.

    Our editor's domineering presence caused most of us to get back to work, myself included. As I watched, though, Chon stood his ground, as did his nemesis. It was only Gail latching onto one of Charlie's shoulder blades which appeased him to back down. After all, Gail probably didn't want Charlie losing his job. She was an avid shopper and in love with Charlie's iCredit limit. After rubbing his chest from behind, Gail started. "Chon, if you didn't already know, you, Sarah and Mikey are sitting second-row at The Solution. I've loaded your A.I.D.A with a back-up of your brief, and as you requested, names and profiles of everyone involved are in her memory cell. Anything else?" she'd quipped, with her other hand rested on her jutting hip.

    It wasn't 'what she said', it was, 'how she said it', and everyone caught the venom which coated Gail's words.

    Silence also washed over the room. Despite my weakness, I'd hoped Chon would be strong and not let the wretch get away with her bad attitude! Thankfully, he didn't disappoint. "Yes, Gail, there is something else. To you, that's, 'anything else, Mr. Lai'." Chon's correction was a thing of beauty and only got better! "Gail, regardless of the politics in this place, you show me some respect and take the sting out of your tone," he'd pressed. "Otherwise, you can start looking for another job, understood?"

    "Yes, 'Mr. Lai'...understood..." she grumbled.

    "Good!" Chon said with a forced smile.

    Awkward coughs circulated the floor and Gail and Charlie made eye contact. It was obvious they were embarrassed. And so probably wanting to give Gail the upper hand, Charlie asked his lover a strange question for all to hear. He also winked as he said it. "Gail, my sweet, why don't you ask Chon if he'd like, something to drink...?"

    She turned to Chon but hesitated, until understanding Charlie's innuendo. "...Ahh, yes, 'Mr. Lai', what can I get you? A Jasmine tea?" she'd asked while smirking. "That's your favorite, isn't it?"

    "It is," Chon acknowledged after pausing. "But no thank you, I'm fine."

    We all knew Charlie and Gail. We also knew they had a sinister way of exacting revenge. Therefore, it was likely they'd planned to spit in the Jasmine tea if Chon accepted and no doubt more than once. Sadly, the mornings' escapades signified Chon was still an outcast, and that Charlie was maintaining his grip on the wolves and vipers at BTV.

    Charlie grinned malevolently at his rival. Meanwhile, Chon just squinted back, and it looked as though something might start again. This was until Dieng's voice thundered. "Gentlemen, gentlemen, gentlemen - although your showdown is very entertaining, that's enough! Chon Lai, get your ass in here, now."