Ace of Spades ✅

1; Cypher.

The information is highly classified, but there was no one in the room that they needed to hide the information from. They all know to zip their lips shut and never say a word about it. It wouldn't benefit them if things go wrong due to them running their mouths so they didn't have to worry about that.

"Name?" Questioned General Kari for the first time since the dinner started. His voice was strong compared to his slightly older look. For a man who was in his mid-fifties, he looked pretty fit. It was almost like he doesn't age aside from the few wrinkles here and there.

The guard tilted his head downwards slightly, almost as if in a way to show his respect to the man. "Cypher."

A vein twitched first, and then the older man's collected expression cracked slightly. His gaze shifted to the young man seated to his right, eyes narrowed while his hand slowly fists by the side. "And why was this information hidden by the Force from us?"

He didn't get an answer. In fact, just like since the man made an appearance, he ignored everyone and acted as if no words were directed towards him. He calmly focused on clearing the food on his plate, his gaze never shifting to anyone else in the room. It was like he was in his own world, unaware of what's happening in his surroundings. If he was aware, then he's damn good at pretending to be unaware. And, he is.

The guard shifted his gaze to the younger man as the longer time drags, he firmly held onto his oath of silence. He shared his boss's slight glare, already having an idea what would happen having been in that exact situation more times than they could count. At this point, it was norm for them all. And yet, it never fails to get under the old man's skin. Seeing as just like all the other times, the younger man has no intention of answering, he hastily jumped on the opportunity to calm the older man by answering instead.

"I'm certain the special forces have it under control." He stated, despite not believing the words he's uttering with his own lips. "They always handle situations before it gets out of hand."

"Why was this information hidden from us by the Force?" General Kari ignored the guard's reply, his steel gaze still fixed on the younger man-his teeth gritting as he held onto his last thread of patience. When he was ignored yet again, the thread split and he found himself hastily getting on his feet-his hand making a quick move of taking the younger man's plate and throwing it across the room; the leftover food flying as well.

This had the younger man freezing in his exact position, his hand still wrapped around the fork he was using to eat the pasta.

"AM I NOT SPEAKING TO YOU, AADIL?!" Screamed General Kari-the younger man's father, at the top of his lungs. Instantly, everyone seated flinched from the intensity. On normal occasions, he had always been a scary man.

When he's truly angry though, and he is in that moment, he becomes a man no one wants to cross. Well, no one except Aadil Bashir Kari, his eldest and only son. Unlike the others, he never seemed fazed by the older man's anger, not in the slightest.

Even in that moment, he didn't flinch, or bat an eyelid. It was like he expected it, and he did. He already saw it all coming when he agreed to come to this ridiculous family dinner that he only honors for one reason solely.

Carefully dropping the fork carefully back on the table, Aadil extended his hand to pick up the glass of water beside him and chugged it down. When he was done, he placed it back and rose his head to meet his father's enraged expression with his emotionless one.

"If you want to talk business, please do so during my work hours, General." He stated calmly, his tone not holding a hint of anger whatsoever. He is that good at masking his emotions. "I'm here because it's a 'family' dinner, not for questioning regarding my work." He refused to sit there and be questioned about something he had no interest in speaking about. Even if it was to his own father. Especially his father.