Braya had plenty of time to think as she sat in Sebastian’s cushy office chair, strapped down with four of his designer belts. HOW had Janelle–sniveling and frail Janelle–managed to overpower a Citadel-trained officer? Braya had attempted several tried-and-true martial arts moves, including a knee to the solar plexus and a solid tornado kick to the head, but Janelle had dodged every one.
Agent X was always underestimated by her peers. In her first years at the Citadel, she was a slim, wiry opponent. Though she was fast and bright, she was never a match for brute force. That didn’t stop her. Whenever she failed against an opponent, she assessed their strengths and weaknesses, and would practice for hours until she had the skills to win. Agent X beat every single one of the lower-ranking Mallum mercenaries, earning the respect of the lieutenants, and the wrath of her peers. She didn't care about losing friends as long as she earned honor. After years of competing against the best of the best, Braya had just assumed Janelle was easy to manipulate. She had underestimated Janelle the way everyone had underestimated her.
Janelle marched into the bedroom, clenching her fist around her cell phone like it was a nunchuck. “Sebastian will arrive soon,” she promised.
“Where did you learn to fight?” Braya asked, struggling against her restraints.
“You thought Sebastian would hire a delicate flower as his last line of defense? I studied under the finest master in Valentine Village.”
“But you’re afraid of him!” As Braya struggled, she noticed part of the plastic on Sebastian’s chair was broken off, creating a sharp point. She placed the belt around her wrists against the sharp point. It was a thick belt, and she would have to wait until Janelle left to attempt to free herself.
“Afraid?” Janelle said, giggling. “Honey, I’m afraid you’ve been bamboozled by my top-tier acting. Sebastian doesn’t know this, but I know him. The more times I brew him a batch of coffee, and the more times I cry, the more raises I get. You see these dark circles? Every day, I take a black colored pencil, get it wet, and smudge it under my eyes. I drink four cups of coffee a day so I’m anxious and jittery.”
Braya couldn’t believe her ears. The first time she’d heard Janelle’s thin voice, she thought it belonged to a nervous, burnt-out private assistant. Braya had PITIED Janelle. She’d manipulated her way into Sebastian’s office by taking advantage of Janelle’s vulnerabilities. “Why are you doing this?” Braya asked.
“Kidnapping you? Oh, you mean WHY am I working for Sebastian?” Janelle said. “He goes through secretaries like candy. When the first four secretaries quit, I knew I had the cojones for the job. He liked that I had a black belt, but he didn’t like it when I talked back, so now I’m his scapegoat. I’m very well-compensated, and my professors think this will be the BEST method acting dissertation ever written.”
“It sounds like Sebastian is easy to manipulate.”
“You’re right,” Janelle said. “Sebastian acts like a narcissist, but he has imposter syndrome and he’s terribly insecure. He compensates by treating me like dirt. The more powerful he feels, the more generous he is with my salary.”
“You’re clever,” Braya said begrudgingly. Not everyone would be able to keep up an act as long as Janelle had. Braya couldn’t imagine fulfilling Sebastian’s exaggerated demands every day… but then again, she had just applied for that very job in order to get closer to him and figure out what he was doing. “I’m his new head guard, you know. Tying me up was a mistake.”
“Fishing through Sebastian’s desk was a mistake,” said Janelle. “I’ll give you some advice. I keep my head down, I brew a pot of coffee every 15 minutes, and when Sebastian goes on his errands, I treat myself to long lunch breaks at Michelin-star restaurants. I don’t go into his private quarters, and I certainly don’t look through his desk. He’s on his way. He can decide what to do with you.”
With that, Janelle turned on her heel and left.
Braya began sawing the belt against the sharp plastic point. She wasn’t sure how long it would take Sebastian to arrive, but she couldn’t confront him like this: tied up like a rookie recruit. Sebastian would NOT want her working for Heathrow Heights now that Janelle had caught her reading his nefarious notes. Braya didn’t want to work with Sebastian either! But a little voice sounded in the back of her mind. It was the age-old quote: Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.
Her wrists grew tired. The belt began to split, just as the doors slid open.