Ridley yawned while exiting the meeting room.

  “Bunch of greedy snakes,” he mumbled under his breath to himself.

  Kajo requested a larger budget for Ionia, which made Ridley nearly burst out laughing mid–meeting. Kajo insisted the larger budget was for a new senior center for the elderly. Ridley brushed it away, saying it was a waste to spend money on people who weren’t going to be around for much longer.

  If there was anything Ridley hated about Kajo, it was his persistent demand for money. Ionia had plenty to spend. It shouldn’t be up to SCAR to help Ionia fund whatever they want.

  “Ridley.” A man said from behind.

  “Ah, Ertz.” They shook hands with a smile. “Missed you at the meeting earlier.”

  “The one with Ionia and Kajo, or the security-related one?”

  “Security.”

  Ertz scratched the back of his head with a friendly smile. “Yeah, my daughter performed at her elementary school talent show. I couldn't miss it.”

  “You missed this one also…”

  Ertz adjusted his tie and sharpened his collar. “Yes, yes, I’m aware. I apologize. I’m backed up with work. Whenever I finish someone, two more things pop up out of the blue.”

  Ridley clicked his tongue and agreed. Ertz asked if he wanted to go to the Security Operations section to discuss earlier events. Ridley checked his watch. He had nothing for the rest of the day, so he agreed.

  Ertz was a tall, burly man with perfectly buzzed hair and a singular earring on his left ear. His suit was tailored to perfection, which made Ridley jealous from time to time. Ertz never revealed where he got his suits from. Ridley asked repeatedly throughout the years they worked together, and all he got were vague answers.

  They headed to the Security Operations section without interruptions. No one stopped to say hello, or even a gentle gesture like a wave. People put their heads down and went on with their day.

  This was normal whenever Ridley walked the halls with another higher-up. People assumed it was significant, so any distractions would be unwanted obstacles.

  In reality, that was rarely the case. Ridley never bothered to tell people that it wasn’t anything serious, so he went along with the act and spoke to Ertz as they walked.

  Mid-conversation, Ridley’s stomach growled. Ertz grinned with a little chuckle and offered Ridley a snack from his office. Ertz kept a pantry filled with all kinds of snacks for himself or for others. He had to chew on something every hour. Ridley didn’t know that Ertz stayed in relatively good shape even after eating junk food daily.

  Ertz opened the door to his office, which was off to the side of the main section of the Security Operations room. He closed the door behind after Ridley entered and insisted that he help himself to the pantry.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Ridley grinned, grabbed a bag of crunchy, chocolate cookies, and sat on the other side of Ertz; the only thing separating them was a desk with multiple monitors and paper everywhere.

  “It’s been a while since you’ve been in my office,” Ertz said while opening a drawer, shuffling things around.

  “Yeah, we don’t get a chance to talk about anything other than work. Those conversations get dull after a while.”

  “Here it is—sorry—” He pulled out a small, metal flask. “Want some? It’s top shelf.”

  Ridley rolled his eyes and grabbed it without a second hesitation. One sip was all he needed. His throat burned, and his tongue hung the bitter aftertaste.

  He smacked his lips twice. “Not my style.”

  “Really? I figured you’d like it.” Ertz held the flask beside him, admiring it. “This thing is a thing of beauty.” He took one last admirable look before shoving it back into the drawer.

  “Ertz, how have things been?”

  “Ah, well, great! My daughter is healthy. Wife greets me at the door when I come home. What more can a man ask for?”

  “A happy family man. What every person in this city strives to be.”

  “Well, almost every.” Ertz pointed lazily at Ridley. “How’s the dating life going? Anyone in mind?”

  Ridley nervously chuckled. “Dating is the least of my concerns. This job is time-consuming. Dating would make things harder to juggle.”

  “C’mon. You’re always working. You need time to spend with others. Build relationships that will last you a lifetime. Marrying my wife was the best decision I ever made. Take my word for it. You’ll feel that there’s more to life than work.”

  Ridley swung his head low. “My job is too time-consuming. Dating would be a distraction. I can’t have that on my plate.”

  Ertz licked his lips and stared at the ceiling as though something was written there.

  “What about a night out?” He asked, looking at Ridley. “A night out with a fine woman. Get drinks, invite her over to your place, watch a movie or something.”

  “So… dating?” Ridley asked, confused.

  “No, no, no. This is different. Dating is more—what’s the word—loyal. I’m speaking of a one-time fling.”

  “I can’t ruin my reputation with a one-time fling.”

  Ertz and Ridley went back and forth about dating and women. Ertz insisted that his wife had single friends and could introduce them to Ridley. Ridley refused, using time as an excuse not to date. Truth was that Ridley didn’t care about women or dating. He wanted to work and make SCAR the best that it could possibly be. That’s all he cared about. Bringing a woman into the mix would only be a distraction—a negative return asset.

  Ridley thanked Ertz for trying and caring. Ertz gave a small smile and said he wanted to see Ridley at peace, not stressed by work.

  “When you're in a position like mine, the concept of stress is as present as breathing. There is nothing I can do to alleviate stress. It comes with the job. A price to pay for being the rank that I am.”

  Ertz leaned back in his chair with crossed arms. “A price to pay…”

  “Can’t do anything about it. Though I am digging into my old boots and did an interrogation.”

  Ertz’s eyes lit up. “An interrogation? You haven’t done one in years.”

  “Ah, the kid wanted to watch a master at work. I was rusty… and didn’t feel like a threat. I think I lost that—what’s the word—fear factor?”

  “It’ll come back.” He adjusted himself upright. “Let’s do some detective work. What’s the case you’re on?”

  Ridley smiled, surprised. “You want to help?”

  “Killing the time.”

  Ridley chuckled, surprised by Ertz’s interest. “Alright, then. Let’s see how sharp you still are.”