Sacrifice (1)

Disclaimer: this work is entirely fictional (despite having realistic elements) and the corresponding names, people, places, etc. are inspired.

Within a long hall, a tall figure stood at the head of the long table, greeting guests, and making a speech to mark the start of the banquet. His voice was loud and firm, bouncing off the seemingly luminous walls. He bore a magnanimous expression, and wore a jet black suit, a logo of a maple leaf stitched beside the lapel, symbolising the Hua company. Behind him stood his deputy wearing navy, standing back straightened to the point of almost bending the other way.

The deputy’s eyes darted around while he chewed, making a mental note of the behaviours, words, and countenance of every individual. It was a natural responsibility that came with the job-- to keep track of the competitors and present the possible attitudes of each, whether they were a friend, neutral, or a foe . A logo of flowing ribbons caught his eye. As soon as they had eye contact, they paused, and looked away as if nothing happened.

Right then, the head directed his topic of discussion to the Lian company, the one with the ribbons as a logo. Although speaking with a face full of smiles, and the banters seemed harmless, each line was lined with venom, ‘accidentally’ pointing out the flaws of the opposition. The other party replied with the same amount of hidden loathing, and the other guests laughed it out, pretending to not be aware of the enmity between these two monopolising companies. Glasses clinked, cutlery clashed with plates, and the atmosphere was lively.

“How many from Lian?” the head of Hua questioned his deputy on the side.

“Three, the head, deputy and a manager, Sir.”

“Alright, if you notice any suspicious movements, report at once, and remember the plan”

“Yes, Sir.”

Their whispers were almost nonexistent, since they were both facing the front as they moved their mouths ever so slightly. The banquet continued deep into the night, and the representatives of the multiple companies chattered, scouting and creating alliances, and making clear of enemies. The head of Hua remained in his seat, scrutinising those who stood up to discuss with other company representatives. He set his fork down, when the Lian head approached. They spoke of minor events in their own companies, and discussed of well known tactics in running an enterprise. Nothing seemed out of place, and the meaningless conversation continued.

However, catching the manager from Hua sneaking somewhere, the Lian deputy followed him after making eye contact with the head and blinking three times in rapid succession as a signal that he was leaving to investigate something suspicious. He followed the manager through a long corridor, and hid around the protruding corner as they halted.

“He’s distracted, so the best time is now. We have to get their financial records and plans for their new products as soon as possible.”

...****************...

...End of part one...

...Thank you for reading! ...

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