The Phantom: Code Breaker

Chapter 17: Rift In The Lute

"Hey, Ed" one of the men who captured the kid talked to Edson, Mike.

"What?" Edson replied.

"What's going to happen to the kid? I mean, he's just 11 and - -" Mike sat on his chair at their office a floor above the interrogation room.

"As much as I sympathize with Charlie, I don't know if the boss of the great Orion would let the thing go." Edson replied. He leaned over his table and looked something u on his computer.

"The boss?" one of their comrade, Roy, said.

"Ginsei Reiko, the brightest of all Ginsei ever succeeded the company. He was a great researcher and a good leader but.." Edson replied after searching some info and showed his comrades his computer screen.

"But?" Roy curiously repeated.

"He's got a bad temper." Edson muttered. "There were rumors that he's beaten quite a number of engineers and employees already for being incompetent and lazy. Most who have been kicked out from Orion just made a minute mistake. He's that kind of man. I heard he was not like that from the start, but, when he got married, he's changed."

"But those were just rumors, right?" Mike muttered. He stood up, trying to make a point.

"They were not baseless though. And I've heard the wife was also a - -" Edson was stopped when Kevin entered the office.

"Cap!" all of them stood and saluted to the captain.

"How was it going?" Edson asked.

"I dunno. The president was very mad and he's coming straight towards here." Kevin replied.

All of them sat silently in their seats.

"Comming here, huh." Edson

"I'm gonna prepare to welcome him, tho." the captain shook his head.

....

A few minutes before Reiko entered the room, Cassandra tried to calm her son in any way she can.

"Ne, Marky... one of the ORION will meet us here, okay? Just, say what you have to say and Mom will do the rest... I will protect you no matter what. Trust Mom, okay?"

"Mom..." he continued crying, gripping his mom's hem. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm really sorry..."

"Shhh... Mom is here, it's fine, you don't have to worry...shhh"

The door suddenly opened, banged the wall and they heard a man shouting pretty angrily,

"...this room, but Sir..." Charlie heard her captain's voice.

"Damn you bastard!" exclaimed the angry man who suddenly entered the room.

Markus turned his head and saw the angry boss waving his fist aiming to hit his face. But at the moment he saw that fist coming, he curled back to his mom's chest and hid.

At the same time, Reiko saw Charlotte's startled/shocked face trying to protect the kid on his arms and changed his aim to the table. His fist hit the table so hard that Markus cringed to his mom tightly.

The silence broke the dimmed room.

The man looked at his fist lying on top of the table throbbing where it landed and his eyes turned blank.

The Captain saw the incident and said, "I'll leave the matter to you, Charlie." he met her eyes and continued, "Leave them alone men!" and they all exited the room leaving the three inside the room.

Reiko fell on the seat in front of Charlotte and Markus. He stared at the two, unable to find the right words to say to them.

Markus tightened his grip on his mom's chest and Charlotte hugged him back tightly. He felt the heavy atmosphere around them.