Chapter 171: Work Trip, End.

As I walked the streets, no answer was forthcoming. Nor was there a sudden jolt of inspiration, or a sudden meeting. No, it was just me, wandering off the beaten path. At the end of said path there was a nice pond filled with what looked like koi fish moving about. A blossoming tree sat beside it, and there were benches here and there.

I wasn’t alone, there were others present, but there was enough space for me to settle on a bench on my lonesome.

There were multiple options going forward and both Joan and Liche’s advice were much needed. Picking a team leader to follow would be a good idea. Seeing as how Terada has chosen to sit back. Rather, it was less a choice on his part, and more a result of his own inaction.

Only, who would I back? And was that really the best option?

Kenta would be a poor horse to back. Not just because he was young, but also because his story idea would fracture what was left of the group. Tom’s idea would keep cohesion strong, but only by castigating Terada, and making him into a scapegoat. A sacrifice for their future. A future they didn’t really have.

As for Samantha’s idea? Rather, it was less her idea and more what Terada would have wanted at one time. It was the safe option, if I backed her, people would join in, but it wouldn’t be anything exceptional. Nobody would be excited about the project, not even Terada.

Speaking of Terada, he made his choice clear. Even if I approached and backed him, he’d still be stuck. We wouldn’t be any closer to success, and if anything, we’d just sink deeper into the mire.

After all, his plan was just to back whoever won. The perfect fence sitter… A bad position for a leader to take.

Everyone was inside the quicksand, and I was the one with the rope. Each of them were slowly sinking, too preoccupied with their own thoughts to see that they were slowly being dragged in. And at the center of it was Terada, linking his arms with their, making sure that even if they did realize it, that they wouldn’t be able to pull themselves free…

Making a choice was akin to throwing one of them a line and pulling them free. After that, everyone else would have to follow, Joan was right… and yet…

Did I really have to choose one of them?

He, my old boss… he always said a crisis is just another opportunity. One man’s bad luck is another’s fortune. I always considered it distasteful, but he wasn’t wrong. Even if it bothered me, I followed that advice before, and yet…

Could I do that now? Should I? Could I simply take charge and declare myself the captain of this ill-fated voyage?

Those thoughts swirled in my mind, not unlike how the fallen petals of the falling blossoms swirled on the pond’s surface before me.

Could I take advantage of them? Did I have too…

Really, the answer was obvious. I didn’t have to. If anything, choosing not to take advantage of the chaos would lead to a lesser product. I knew this for a fact. None of their visions spoke to me, none of them had any spark.

Not that I was some kind of savant. It just didn’t feel right. Like listening to an orchestra that was slightly out of tune. Or seeing someone dance slightly offbeat. It didn’t feel right. A sense of incongruity that could only be attributed to my enhanced talents… though, it does beg the question, could I have caught it without enhancing my talents?

I wasn’t sure and yet; did it really matter?

In the end what did matter… was that I already knew what I was going to do. I knew from the moment Joan had given me confirmation of what I’d already felt. Liche’s words too, helped as well…

I only hoped, that at the end of this, I don’t end up making enemies like last time…

With a sigh, and a last, wistful look at the pond, and the koi inside. Happily living their lives in that shallow pool of water. Doomed to never see the ocean, or more beyond their small world. And yet, despite that, they were happy and oh so oblivious to the world beyond their own.

It was inviting, a part of me yearned for such simplicity and yet, I chose this. This was my path, this was who I was. I could never be happy in such a small pond. I’d always be looking for more, climbing whatever mountains that lay beyond, always searching to go ever higher.

Even if it cost me everything.

Determined, I got up and made my way back to the hotel. The conference room was buzzing with activity. Raised voices rang inside the soundproofed room. Blasting out the moment I opened the door. A few eyes glanced my way, but nobody approached.

I let my eyes roam over the people inside, the factions inside. The conference room wasn’t packed. Not everyone had come back. Yet, at the back of the room, I saw my quarry. Samantha.

I worked around the room and made my way toward her, nobody paid me any attention as I came closer. It wasn’t until I was right beside her that she noticed me. A frown on her face.

“Samantha, could you follow me?” I asked, no, rather, it was more a command. She blinked, but followed, slipping right out of her group without any problems and without a soul realizing that she was gone.

Once outside the conference room, I didn’t speak. Instead, I kept walking, leading her back to our room. Only once we were inside did I turn and speak to her.

“We have a problem.” I said.

She nodded, bit her lip. “I’m aware… but, I don’t know what we can do.”

I took a moment to take her in. To take in her words, her tone. She represented the faction that supported Terada’s original vision for this story. An incomplete framework that contributed to the problem of today.

She looked tired. Even after the days before of unbridled success and ease, it was clear this was wearing on her. Whatever benefits she had gained from this weekend, though, it was more a week, had just about worn away. Leaving her exhausted.

I didn’t have long to think or reconsider my course. No, this whole trip was a gamble, a gambit, and so, what was one more throw of the dice worth?

“I have a way we could push through.” I told her, she eyed me, not speaking, just watching me. “Each of you has a different idea for how this story ends, even you, in wanting to celebrate Terada’s past success are the same.” I start, more to buy time to collect my thoughts, to shore up my courage.

Samantha nods. Her eyes never leave me. Almost like she was waiting for something, no, in her eyes, I could see it. A strange emotion, like watching an executioner readying their axe.

Did she know? Did she suspect? Was that dread in her eyes? Anticipation for the fall of the guillotine? I couldn’t begin to know or understand.

“I’ve heard each of your proposals and…” I hesitated, paused. Her eyes, her gaze burned. “I hate them all.” I state. The words fell with a sharp retort, almost like the dull thunk of an axe against a chopping block.

My words followed, not unlike that of a head freshly separated from its body.

“I have another proposal. Instead of a celebration, a castigation, or even a martyring, we make this into what it is. A eulogy. A funeral.” The words came out fast, yet, clear. The bit of ice helped steady my nerves. Knowing well, that the die had been cast.

Samantha eyed me. A long and hard look as unseen scales were weighed and balanced behind her. And eventually, it gave. She sighed, slumped.

“Tell me more.” She said, a hand ran through her hair. And so, I did.

It wasn’t the best idea. Even as I spoke, ice kept my tone calm, unwavering, and clear. Eventually she nodded.

“It could work…” She said after a long time. “But… we’ll need more people… and a place to work, hopefully somewhere that can hold more people?”

“I’ll see if they can’t find us a spare conference room we can use.” I said.

“And while you do that, I’ll find a few people that I know can help refine that idea of yours.”

We separated. The hotel had spare conference rooms, though, the new room was much smaller. Not that it was an issue yet. When Samantha came back, she had a few colleagues in tow. Notably, they were from different groups, and not just her own.

They seemed critical at first. That was until they got to work. What started as something small, quickly ballooned into something else entirely. The small room was enough for all of us, but before long, I found myself brushing shoulders with others. With barely enough room to stand.

The room was hot, with papers strewed about, and filled with the low murmur of talking and pen on paper.

I wasn’t sure how much time passed. Or really, what time it was. Not until something was hammered out, as we all piled out of that small room like clowns out of a clown car.

All In knew was I crashed in bed and went right back to it the moment I woke up. There was purpose now. The next day we worked and worked. None of us daring to stop and all too quickly it came to the end of the trip.

Even then, everyone was itching to continue. All chattering incessantly, fingers twitching. Not a soul wanted to leave for even a moment. Even as we piled into the office, people wrote, papers were shuffled. And when we arrived back at the office, I was prepared to tell people to go home, but…

They were already putting everything into place. And they continued until it came time to curfew, when they had to be physically removed by security. The days bled together. Everyone arrived early and left as late as they could. Eager to put their nose to the grindstone, as slowly but surely, everything came into focus.

By the end of the week, we had a framework done. And once the weekend was up, we’d be ready to actually start. Of course, on Friday, the last day of the workweek, something of note actually happened.

With me acting as the head of the project, Leo let me use his office once again. While I worked and prepped things, he sat on the far chair, watching me with a wide smirk.

Clearly, he was asking, nay, begging for me to engage with him. I didn’t. If anything, I did everything I could not to engage with the man. I’d barely started working for the day when someone knocked on the door.

Without waiting for me, or Leo to invite them in, the door opened. Revealing, of all things, the Executive’s receptionist. He gave us a look, judging eyes falling on me, then Leo. Without a word he stepped forward and dropped a pile of papers on my desk.

“These are this quarter’s applicants.” He said calmly, without inflection. “As the first division had given up their right to first pick, you can pick from anyone among this list to add to your team. Have it brought to my desk before the day is done so I can have it processed over the weekend.” He said with finality, taking a moment to make sure his words sank in and like that, left.

I stared after him. Even Leo seemed flabbergasted by what had transpired. “Could’ve at least said hello…” He muttered after a moment, and like that, he looked at me, or rather, the documents in hand.

“That the draft list then?” He said, voice oozing with curiosity. Almost like a golden retriever smelling a treat.

I took a moment to rifle through the papers before speaking out, “Looks to be…” I said as I flipped through.

“So, anyone stand out?” Leo asks.

“I just opened it.” I grumbled. There were a lot of names here. A lot of information to sift through as well… “This is a lot…” I murmured.

“Right? I normally don’t give a damn. Well, that and it wasn’t like I could balance the budget anyway.” He said, in a far to laid back tone.

I tried not to roll my eyes and pushed forward. Honestly, I had no idea what I was expected to do with this. Rather, that was what I would have thought months prior.

The files were incredibly well organized. With some files being earmarked for being exceptional. Whereas others were earmarked for the opposite. Each applicant had their own little dossier. Attached with a photo, a brief look into their background, work history, and what looks to be a transcript of their interview with one of the company recruiters.

If this was the me before the third tutorial event… I would have been stumped. Now… well… I was somewhat familiar with this process. Before I would have needed to see the applicant in person to make a judgement.

Now, due to my training, or, if it could even be called that. Really, I had just been doing that old man’s work… Though, I did ask for that, so, I guess I got what I asked for at the very least.

Regardless… I now had an idea of what I had to keep an eye out for. And it helps, immensely, that I know this division like the back of my own hand. I focused on the earmarked files first. They were easily discernible from the rest and thus, were easily set aside.

As I continued on, working through the pages upon pages of applicants, Leo’s own nattering fell to the wayside. Especially when he started rifling through the discarded applications and asking why I turned them down.

Admittedly, some of the applicants here were amazing. With incredible work history, a good background, and an even better interview. The problem was, something else entirely.

Could they mesh with this team?

For the short term, yes, Terada could wrangle in some of these geniuses, and some of these applicants were clearly a cut above the rest. The problem came after the project. I assume Terada would stick around after we finished our current project, but he’d eventually leave. A year, perhaps two, even three years down the line maybe. But when that happens, all order would vanish.

Even then, some of these people, I could see that even Terada would have issues bringing them into line. With time being a premium for this project, there was no way I’d set aside time to break in a wild stallion or two.

That and it wasn’t like Terada could watch over every single new recruit. Even if he could, every moment he spent working on watching over the newbie was time lost overseeing the project itself. Which is why I needed these people to mesh or work with other members of the team.

In a way, I felt like I was playing matchmaker. Trying to bring together wildly different people and hope they work out. Whether it worked or not, well, that would have to be seen.

In the end, out of the earmarked candidates, surprisingly, I chose a number of those who had failed their interviews or had poor work histories. Out of the rest, I picked and chose those who I thought would better fit into our current group. In some ways it felt like trying to put together a jigsaw puzzle with pieces I pulled from a large pile. All the while hoping that they were from the same puzzle.

In the midst of this… as I worked through the files setting aside those I would choose and those I wouldn’t, I came across a very familiar face.

Which was… strange. Looking at them, I’d never taken them for applying for this kind of job, but with their background it made a bit of sense, I guess? As for whether or not they’d be a good fit, well…

It wasn’t good or bad. With a bit of an attitude problem, apparently… Ordinarily, it would be straight to the dismiss pile, but I knew for a fact, their attitude wouldn’t be a problem on my team, so into the recruit pile they went.

After that, I had to check my budget and compare it with the number of potential applicants. From there, I had to trim down, with some candidates literally being chosen by a coin flip, courtesy of Leo.

By the end of the day… Well… the result was… something? The sheer range of the applicants chosen and their backgrounds looked like a mess. Like someone had plastered them on a wall and had thrown darts at them while blindfolded as a means of choosing.

Even Leo was less than impressed by the applicants I had chosen. Not that his opinion mattered. If he were to do it, he’d have chosen all the good looking women, or just well…

I could easily see him plastering them on the wall and throwing darts at them…

Even if his opinion didn’t really matter, there was one person’s opinion that did.

“Call Terada in.” I said as I gathered up the loose papers. Dutifully, Leo went ahead and did so, likely eager to hear the man’s thoughts on my choices.

Terada came in, looked at the documents and… raised an eyebrow at my picks. He glanced over at the other applicants’ papers. Likely curious but thankfully held himself back.

“Will they work?” I asked after a drawn-out silence as he seemed to take in what he was seeing.

He pursed his lips and continued reading. His eyes occasionally flitted to me, and back to the pile of applicants. Only when he was done did he set it down an answer.

“Looking at it… yeah… But…” He glanced back to the pile. “Is this really the best you could pick from? I heard we had the first pick.”

“The best? Probably not, but the best for our current team? Definitely. We need people that won’t cause more friction, people that will fall in line and do what they’re told.”

He worked his jaw, seemed ready to argue, but… he just sighed. “If that’s what you’re going for, they’re not bad picks. Though…” He pulled out a specific paper. “This seems like an odd one. Don’t you think they’d cause problems?” he asked.

“Oh, don’t worry about them. I’ll get them straightened out on the first day. Promise.” I gave him a confident smile.

He blinked and I swore, he almost shuddered. “If… you say so…” He finally said, placing it back. “I’ll leave it to you then?” He said, in a questioning tone. Only when I nodded did he leave, though, he seemed slightly put off.

Even Leo seemed a bit concerned. “You’re not planning on beating them up, are you?” He asked I started packing everything up to be delivered to the secretary, worry on his face.

Taken aback, I responded, “What? No. Why would you think that?”

“I just… you kinda…” He trailed off but shook his head. “You know what, never mind. You just looked a bit scary is all.”

“Scary?” I ask.

“Yeah, a teensy bit.” He motions with his fingers, showing just how little.

I watched him for a moment, as if trying to peer into his mind. Not that I found an answer in those blank eyes of his. Though, technically, he wasn’t wrong. Not that I was going to beat them up, rather… I already had. And surely, they’d know not to get uppity with me. Which was a bit worrying…

Still, I was looking forward to seeing them again. So, with a little pep in my step, I went to turn in my choices.

After all, I was looking forward to seeing their reaction come Monday.