P2 Too Smart for Your Own Good
“You don’t have to kill me,” Assistant quickly said, dropping the paper which she had been sweating into with hot hands. “I’ll burn them- the files. I’ll move on, be your assistant just like before.” Tears were welling in her eyes faster than she could think to wipe them away.
Leader hummed then chuckled. His eyes remained on Assistant as he stepped forward, forward, until he was blocking the door to get out. “As great of an assistant as you are, you’re more trouble than anything. I might become the company’s next target should your lips become loose. Oh, now that’s a thought.”
“Stitching your lips would be too obvious.”
“I’d cut out your tongue, but who am I to think you wouldn’t try talking to people? Show them your empty mouth?”
“I wouldn’t,” she blurted, and squeezed her eyes shut after. How stupid could she be? Saying what she did- it was just an invitation for Leader to pull through with...with...Assistant couldn’t think it. “Please,” she keened, so close to spilling her panicked and desperate tears. “I won’t- won’t say anything. I swear. I swear on my-” life. So, she could become dumber. “Please,” Assistant finished.
“I’m tempted to, but you still haven’t picked up those papers you dropped beneath my desk.”
I can do that, Assistant thought. She would do that- because her life depended on it.
In no time, Assistant was on her knees, crawling towards the sprawled files, the ones titled ‘Terminated.’ The ones which belonged to those who sacrificed their lives for others and were betrayed by the very man who was supposed to be leading them.
The papers were easy to gather and stack back up. They hadn’t become mixed up when Assistant let them slide from her lap earlier.
“Very good. Thank you, Assistant.”
Her hands shook as she held the papers out for Leader to take.
“Do you see the problem?” he asked.
“W-what?” Assistant’s eyes remained focused on her feet. She wasn’t sure if she could face Leader, look into his murderous eyes.
“You’re still afraid,” Leader said. “I can’t have an assistant who’s afraid of me. It would be just as obvious to the others as stitching your pretty lips shut.”
“No!” Her eyes squeezed shut as she realized her loud volume. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-” Leader cut her off.
“Go pull the fire alarm.”
“The fire- why? Why?” What would pulling the fire alarm do? There was no fire. It would just create a false alarm, a- a drill. Everyone in the building would file out as if the situation were real and- “No. No, please no.”
Leader settled Assistant with a gaze which made the contents of her stomach churn. “Go. Pull. The alarm.”
In a moment of panic, Assistant allowed her hot tears to flow down her cheeks. “You’re going to kill me,” she said. “You- you want me to pull the alarm so there’s no chance of a witness finding you in- in the act. Leader- Leader, please. I won’t spill. I promise. I promise, I won’t. I promise. Please.” The words kept spilling, affirmation after affirmation, plea after plea. “I won’t say a word,” Assistant cried.
“Oh, I know you won’t. I’ll make sure of it.”
Looking to Leader, Assistant’s chest bounce, holding back scared sobs. She’d followed her boss’ eyes to the alarm, and she wanted nothing more than to jump out of his office windows. The office was high enough that she’d only be hurt, though, and that meant Leader would gather her back up, put her in the nurse’s clinic. He would play off her truthful rambles of betrayal as being results from a thumped head and concussion. And when Assistant was healed? Well, she had a feeling a fate worse than death would be delivered.
Her fingers settled on the lever. She didn’t even remember walking over here.
Assistant nodded, and at the same time she did, the alarm began screeching. Someone else in the building had pulled it before she could. Had they been outside the door when Assistant learned of Leader’s secret?
And more importantly...was she saved?