Power Microcosm

Chapter 33

Stacking a few paper up neatly, I set them to the side while I grab my pencil case and head out of my office. Today, James, the much talked about James, is to arrive and talk to us.

Supposedly.

I walk into Azrael's office, and he's standing behind it while getting papers together. He notices me and smiles, which I return. It's around an hour past noon, and we already had lunch. James is to arrive in ten minutes, so we're heading to the conference room we were supposed to meet him last time, but he didn't show up.

"Do you think James will be here on time?" I ask Azrael curiously as we leave his office.

Today, he has on a black dress shirt, and also a white necktie. An inverse to his usual getup of white dress shirt and black tie. He also has on a dark grey sweater under his jacket.

"I would like to believe, that he will be here," says Azrael as we walk to the elevator, "but I may know elsewise."

"Has he made any indication that he will definitely be here?" I ask.

"He has promised, though I don't know if that means anything," says Azrael, and we get into the elevator as it's arrived.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see," I say as the door close shut and we descend.

"You are right," says Azrael with a smile.

Descending down, we get out after it stops, and walk to the conference room. Nobody is in here, but that's expected, as of now.

Sitting down, Azrael from a folder he carried down here pulls out several papers onto the glass table top, several which I recognize as I worked with them, among others I don't know.

He leaves two papers in the folder however, and doesn't take them out for some reason, I don't say anything though, and just lean back in my chair, waiting for James.

Azrael looks at the papers he has pulled out, and I get to see his profile as he does so. His black hair has gotten a little longer, and it sticks out in some parts in subtle spikes. His grey eyes that I can see partially scan the paper quietly, and watching him do so is calming to me.

After sitting three minutes past when James is supposed to arrive, I hear feet come toward the conference room. Azrael looks up as they stop at the door, and after a knock sounds he says, "Come in."

The door opens, and a dirty-blonde man enters. I recognize him, but don't know from exactly where. He wears a grey-toned suit, and also has a coat over his arm. I notice that he has light brown eyes, and also a face that seems serious, were it not for the grin that seems to pull at the edge of his mouth constantly. He immediately sees Azrael staring at him, and he smiles more.

"Hello, Azrael," he says in a heavily French-accented voice.

"Hello, James," says Azrael, "you're late."

"Oh, yes, about that," says James as he closes the door and sits down while smiling in an embarrassed way, "I was caught in many things."

"That aside," says Azrael, "there are many things to discuss."

"Okay," says James as he pulls up his chair on the other side of Azrael as me, "what is it?"

"Firstly," says Azrael as he slides two papers in front of James on the glass table, "this is the receipts and cheques for the security appliances you installed for me."

"Oh, thanks," says James as he looks over those.

"That however," says Azrael as he turns in his chair to him, "doesn't have anything to do with an issue that you caused, earlier this week."