I could only infer that for some reason, the CEO was making rounds in the Records Department. I scratched my neck wondering if I’d see him and if so, how should I act?

Not once had I ever seen the CEO, sans a photograph (though it’d been so long ago, his features escaped me). That was the case for most of us on this level. In this world’s organization, the highest figure was an elusive entity. Most employees wouldn’t even dare speak his name, and he didn’t show his face at company events to even spare a speech or toast. His parking garage and elevator were rumored to be private and hidden.

I’d all but ruled him out as a suspect involved in my world migration, so hearing his presence in our department made me mildly self-conscious and curious but not anxious in the least.

Just as I belatedly noticed a trend in the timestamps of the staff who’d sent the messages and their team locations, the sound of footsteps came from one end of the hall. I realized it wasn’t Bradley; there were too many pairs of feet and two were high-quality dress shoes—not fitting the lax uniform dress code of the lower divisions.

One voice was saying something while another repeatedly agreed. As they came around the bend, the architecture allowed their speech to come to me more distinctly.

“We need more decor in these hallways. They’re so barren and classless.”

He was a tall, thin man with peachy-beige skin and shoulder-length dark blonde hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail with curly sideburns. His navy pinstripe suit was fitted and wingtip black leather shoes freshly shined. He stood poised, chin slightly raised and hands languidly clasped behind his back. Everything about him was reminiscent of a pampered prince, except his eyes. His long, narrow grey eyes were more so that of a general’s—experienced, ruthless, calculating.

This was absolutely clear as our gazes met. Before I could react, he gave a small smirk and entered the Team 6 office, the other two with him following on his heels.

Half of the employees of Team 6 were standing and the half that weren't were being urged to stand by their coworkers. The leader of Team 6 approached the CEO and greeted him with a polite bow, lip-licking and eyes darting around frantically, but the CEO paid him no mind and only glanced around the office from ceiling to floor. It felt like he was taking in everything except the people.

Was he actually here to redecorate, I wondered. That seemed odd.

“Loren!” Bradley scrambled to my side from the opposite end of the hall. Sweat beaded his forehead.

Resisting the urge to wipe his forehead, I stated, “I didn’t move.”

“Yes, thank you. I—“

“You didn’t have to run.”

“Oh, I need to get this finished by today.”

“It’s not worth quitting over. Have some confidence.” I gestured to the file in his hand.

He quickly opened it and began explaining his dilemma. Simultaneously, I tried to listen in on the CEO and his company.

“How inefficient. Order two more copiers,” the CEO stated. Then he pointed to a key box hanging behind the team leader’s desk. “Why is that old-fashioned thing still here? Get rid of it.“

The Team leader’s eyes widened in panic as the assistant employees exchanged confused looks.

I recalled that Team 6 dealt with paper records for the Finance Department. While traditional, it was important to have documents in multiple formats for both security and longevity. The keys were likely to traditional filing cabinets and small storage rooms.

One of the people who had followed the CEO in, I realized was Department Manager Kean. “Sir, you’re right that regular keys aren’t very secure for the filing storage. A wise call, sir. Um, what can we expect for an alternative?”

“Alternative?” The CEO’s tone was full of distaste. “Grey, what lock system did we install for the storage units: Iris, fingerprint, multiformat?”

There was a pause and then, “We haven’t installed any, sir.”

The air went dead silent. Bradley had as well, his eyes wide. It seemed in his struggling with the file and running around, he’d missed the messages about the CEO.

Playing it cool, I pointed to the file. “I’d type the summary while ignoring the typos, two versions for whichever term they could mean. The error was on their end and carrying the burden isn’t just risky but why should we wipe their butts? Forward the reports back and CC your and their supervisor. Two times is one too many for them not to be aware. File both your summaries with the report. You met your quota deadline and you’re covered. Once they amend the report, they can request the old be shredded. Refile the accurate summary with the new report and shred the useless one.” I added for good measure, “Well, at least, that’s what I would do.”

As I spoke, the other conversation continued:

“What did you say?”

“You told me you were thinking about upgrades. Since you didn’t… phrase it like you were certain, I didn’t move forward with any orders.”

The CEO let out a heavy, groaning sigh. “What am I going to do with you, Grey? You’re so stupid sometimes, I don’t know whether to pat your head or crush it.”

Bradley was busy watching things unfold so I pointed to the file again. “Did you hear any of what I said?”

He glanced at me for the length of a sentence. “Huh? Yeah, write two summaries and snitch. D-did…” His voice lowered to a whisper, “Did you know the CEO was here?”

“It’s been in the chats. Nobody gave details but he seems to just be remodeling and resupplying, so no worries, right?”

Bradley seemed worried, his round eyes shaking at the others through the doors as the CEO’s scolding continued.

“I’m thinking about punishing you, Grey. Should you prepare or not?”

“I… I should prepare.”

“See? That wasn’t so hard.” A sarcastic smile laced his voice. “Do you play stupid just to make me angry? Or are you really an idiot whose brain works off and on?”

There was silence.

“Well? Which is it?”

“I… I’m sorry. I… I was stupid.”

He sighed again. “Just looking at the top of your groveling head makes me sick.”

“H-How should I grovel instead, sir?”

There was half a beat of silence. “Grey.”

A chill ran down my spine from the deep, languidly dangerous tone the CEO’s voice suddenly took.

The Team 6 assistant employees had frozen stiff at their desks, their heads either buried or stealthily peeking from behind their cubicles. The Team leader had turned their back, nervously fiddling with their stapler while taking jerky glances. Department Manager Kean looked thoroughly frightened, glancing nervously between the CEO and the other before him.

I finally observed the third person who’d been following the CEO. They were slightly taller than the CEO, dressed in a quality plain black suit and simple dress shoes. Shoulders slumped, their head was down, ear-length dark hair shading their eyes and lips trembling.

The CEO drew in a sharp breath, the muscles of his jaw moving as he controlled his emotions. An odd smile was on the CEO’s lips and then it abruptly disappeared. “Show me your face.”

I whispered to Bradley. “Who is that?”

Bradley hesitated, perhaps figuring out which I was referring to in his panicked mind. “T-the CEO’s head secretary. He’s the most accomplished, knowledgeable person in all of CenUMR.” The last bit came out sounding like astonishment.

The CEO ordered more firmly, “I said lift your head.”

The secretary hesitantly lifted his tucked chin, reaching up to his eyes and readjusting a pair of round matte black-rimmed spectacles.

The smile reappeared on the CEO’s thin lips and it even reached his eyes. “Now apologize to Manager Khan for your embarrassing public display of incompetence.”

The secretary turned to Manager Kean and dipped his head. “I apologize.”

Manager Kean opened and closed her mouth like a fish, clearly wanting to reassure the secretary yet not daring to undermine the CEO.

“Now apologize to these hapless employees who had to bear sight to your pathetic state.”

Secretary Grey dipped his head towards the cubicles. “I apologize.”

The CEO lifted his arm and pointed his thumb towards the hallway. “Those too.”

Bradley and I froze, and I knew I should have pretended to discuss work for longer, even if it was falling on deaf ears. The secretary turned to face us and petal-shaped eyes met mine through wisps of black hair.

It didn’t matter that he was too far away for me to see that one iris was half green. It hadn’t been long since I’d last seen that face. It was only a second of pause that he took, certainly recognizing me, and his expression didn’t change at all. Maybe I had expected a dejected expression or someone whose eyes bore a soul that’d lost all self-respect. But the reality was that there was nothing. No emotion, no sadness or shame. No regret or resentment. Just impassivity, as if there were no soul to begin with.