Unwritten Rules
Tap. Tap.
I knocked on Stella's office door, waiting for a response.
"Please, come in."
She sounded sweet, not like when she was overlooking my injuries.
I pushed open the door and stepped inside.
"Stella," I called.
"White." The sweetness vanished instantly, replaced by something bitter.
"I am here."
"I can see," she addressed sharply.
She didn't even bother looking up from her screen. Was she testing my patience?
My jaw tightened.
"I got a warning that if I didn't come in within two days, I'd be kicked out."
"Yes. That is a rule."
Tak-tak-tak-tak.
She continued to type on her keyboard.
"I didn't see that rule in the pamphlet."
"Some rules are not written, but you will learn them in time," she added, keeping her eyes on her computer.
She was playing with me, wasn't she? Trying to see if I'd break?
Stella, you have no idea who you're dealing with.
"I see…"
Tak-tak-tak-tak.
"Mr. Hornet will see you now."
"Hornet Mask…"
"Mr. Hornet Mask. Please add respect to the name."
My hands curled beside me.
"Right. Sorry."
Why was I messing everything up today? Or maybe she was nitpicking everything I said.
"Mr. Hornet will see you now."
I nodded, turning around. I walked out of the room.
I let out a sigh of relief. The further I got from her, the less uneasy I felt.
I stood still. Where was Mr. Hornet's room?
Why didn't I ask her when I had the chance to?
My face twisted as I turned around to knock on her door. I hated this.
I pushed open the door slightly to peek inside.
"Sorry to bother, but where is Hor—Mr. Hornet's room?"
"Down the hallway. Room 257."
I closed the door behind me before heading over to Hornet's room.
Mr. Hornet.
God, something was really wrong with me today and she was just making it worse.
I knocked on the plain brown wooden door of Mr. Hornet's office, waiting for a response.
Polite.
Be polite, Zia.
"Come in," a deep voice came from the other side. One I recognized. The man from the other day. Hornet Mask.
I had read a few articles about him. He was a hard man to read. Stoic, extremely professional, sometimes seen as rude for not entertaining assholes.
To me, he seemed like a simple man. One of those workaholics. God, how do people love work so much?
I took a deep breath.
I stepped inside. He sat behind his desk. He adjusted his thin-framed rectangular glasses as he looked at me.
"Ms. White. Good to see you back."
"Thank you. I went to see Stella, and she directed me to see you."
"Yes. Indeed, come have a seat, please."
I walked over and sat in the chair across from his desk.
"I must apologize about how you were treated the other day."
He said it like a procedure, not an apology.
"No, it is fine."
A lie.
What that alien did to me—I wasn't letting it go anytime soon.
"I had talked with Solare about Reaver's behavior."
Solare? Who was this Solare? I hadn't heard of her…? Was she a friend to Reaver? Another asshole in the arena?
"Nonetheless, I am pleased that you came back. It shows your commitment. We require that in the arena."
I nodded.
What a bunch of bullshit.
"The reason I called you in is that we have an assignment for you. Recently, there have been problems in Clematis City. Fern Mask and Black Watch have been sent out to look further into it. I want you to join them."
I paused, my eyebrows furrowed.
Is he serious?
"Join them? I am still very new to this."
"This is the best way to learn. In the field with your peers. Do you have a problem?"
He said without missing a beat as if he wasn't asking but rather commanding.
I shook my head.
This place doesn't give you a choice, does it?
"No, Sir."
"No need to call me Sir. Mr. Hornet is fine."
"Yes—of course."
"Then meet up with Stella. She will give you the details."
I was just with her. Shouldn't she have already told me that?
"Alright."
I said before turning around and heading back to meet Stella once again. If only she had told me earlier, I wouldn't have to keep going back and forth. Go see him, go see her, go see them…
Damn that woman.
"Here are the details about the mission. Though now you must go meet up with Gertrude—she will give you the necessary equipment."
Stella said, handing me a blue file.
My eyes widened. It resembled the one on my desk in my apartment—the task from that night.
The color. The leaf pattern on top.
This couldn't mean anything… could it?
She was testing me. She was…
Or maybe I was just reading too much into it. Again.
I swallowed.
My hands brushed together as I reached for the file. I pulled back immediately. My hands trembled slightly. Luckily, her eyes were still fixed on the screen.
"Everything you need to know about the case lies in this. Barnaby will drop you off in Clematis City tomorrow, so be prepared."
When I opened it, there were only two pages detailing the mission.
I let out a small breath. Something was wrong with me today.
"Understood."
Barnaby? Solare? All these new names, yet no faces to them.
And the same file as the one I had…
The arena was deeper than I first thought.
What else are they hiding within these walls?
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