The board meeting
Dr. Cortez stood rigid at the far end of the boardroom table as he stared through the windows from the top of the Omega Labs main facility. He nursed a small glass of champagne, absorbing the bubbly view of evening activities and cars driving past down below, just as the rest of the board members, all fourteen of them, began to walk in one by one.
"Gentlemen, good evening," He said turning to them with a smile on his face and his hands opened wide.
"Cut the crap Cortez," Simon retorted as he took his seat at the center. "Why did you summon this meeting? And why did you double the security detail leading to this floor?"
Dr. Cortez chuckled. "Come on, old man! We have to celebrate."
"Celebrate what exactly Cortez!?" Dr. Herman, another scientist cut him off. "Kicking Henry out of the company at the expense of what? The future of the company?
His crossfire seemed to stir a wheeze of murmur around the room, a sign that the rest of the board had the same opinion but chose to be silent all along.
Dr. Cortez walked away from the window to his seat. Still standing, he filled his glass on the table before resting both hands on it.
He sighed. "We all know Henry was a loose cannon, he was a little bird who didn't know his boundaries. He was flying close to the sun and like Ichabod was only going to get burnt but what made it worse was that he was taking this company along with him... We have to clip his feathers before it becomes too late. And the explosion," He said then scoffed. "The explosion wouldn't have happened if he had just listened, none of you did."
"It shouldn't have been an option from the start!" Another member countered, shooting a stint look at Dr. Cortez who tried to maintain a calm expression.
He turned to Dr. Simon.
"Yes, it shouldn't have, I can remember pleading with him to delay the test which of course he never did. It wasn't your fault Simon, or mine, or any of you." Dr. Cortez said. "The vials of antimatter reacted unpredictably during the baseline tests, you all read the reports and whether or not the reactor was stable, there's still no telling for sure if the experiment would have worked. We all did our best to prevent this terrible dilemma but it's time we start making the tough calls, but If you intend on standing by Henry and taking the fall for this, please be my guest those deaths," He said pointing at the window. "Someone needs to be liable for them and I think we can all agree It would be in everyone's best interest if that someone wasn't the company. Henry pushed the button and when we get rid of him, we can begin to move things forward, the proper way." He added as he picked up his glass, raising it in the air.
For the first time since the men walked in, they noticed a bottle of champagne sitting alongside a set of empty glasses in front of them. As he watched their faces, Cortez could tell the same thoughts ran through all their minds, the deed was done and now they were stuck between a rock and a hard place. Damage control they call it, even with the death of some good scientists as well as some field operatives, good people like Dr. Karen, moving on was their only alternative.
It was a shame she died, Dr. Cortez thought. But she had always been on Henry's side from the beginning. He tried to warn her not to be in the facility that day, but she still chose Henry and Dr. Cortez hated her for that.
The flashback soon faded away and was replaced with simpers as the men filled in their glasses. Now the world would hate the name, Dr. Henry Bates. Henry was done for and now there was no more competition for him at Omega Labs.
"To the future," He toasted, still smiling. The men raised their glasses, gave a slight nod, and took a sip of their drinks.
Suddenly, the door swung wide open.
** ** **
From the moment they stepped into Omega Labs, Lucifer and Tony received nothing but unsettling stares from the security guards and scientists who were heading home for the day. Lucifer knew it was because they blamed Henry, the vessel he was presently occupying, for all the dread and despair that had happened. If only they knew the real devil in their midst, he thought as Tony led them to the front desk.
"Hey Carl," Tony said to the short but strongly built man with a square jaw. He wore a white and black uniform, topped by a Kevlar vest. A wooden nightstick hung by his side and a black cap covering his bald head. He too didn't look particularly happy to see the two of them.
"You guys got better already, huh?" He said with his eyes fixed on Lucifer who couldn't help but smile.
"Uhm, something like that," Tony said, not knowing how to reply. He too wasn't sure what was going on. His boss was acting like a different person, using phrases about God and heaven and hell in his speeches, showing freakish physical strength and almost killing a person. Dr. Bates was like a stranger, but he had assured him that Dr. Cortez had answers to all that was going on and that was all he wanted to know.
He cleared his throat before he spoke again. "Listen, we need your help in opening the door to the elevator. It's pretty important."
"Don't you have your cards with you?" Carl asked.
"No, all our things got destroyed in the explosion." Tony tried to answer as slow as he could.
"Right and whose fault is that?" Carl asked rhetorically, glaring at Lucifer who raised his hands in defense immediately.
"Oh, it certainly isn't mine. In fact," Lucifer said in excitement. "We are here to make sure the person responsible pays for his sins."
Carl looked dumbfounded. "What is he talking about?"
"Carl, come on." Tony pleaded. "We don't have time to waste, and you do know that Dr. Bates is the current C.E.O of this company right? He is practically your employer. Is that how to talk to your boss?"
Carl glances switched from Tony to Lucifer and back to Tony. He hesitated a bit before tapping a command on the monitor screen before him, causing the elevator to give a clinging sound as it slid open.
Tony's face lit up in excitement. "Thanks, Carl." He said tapping the table before getting into the elevator. The elevator soon closed shut and they were headed to the top floor.
"By the way, I think your Dr. Cortez wanted me, I mean this vessel, to resign on Monday. So technically, you don't have a boss anymore." Lucifer uttered.
"Ohh," Tony replied, wondering why his boss used the term 'this vessel' as himself. "Well, it's a good thing we're going to turn him in, right?"
Lucifer didn't reply.
"Right?" Tony asked again.
Just then the elevator slid open and Lucifer stepped out." Dr. Bates," Tony said as he walked out but fell silent immediately he saw the four security guards standing by the door. He shouldn't be surprised as this was the top floor, where the company's board had their meetings, but it was usually one or two guards and not what looked like a SWAT team armed to the teeth.
"I have never seen these guys before in my life," Tony whispered to Lucifer. "I think they are personal bodyguards."
"Okay," Lucifer replied with a stride forward. Tony followed behind.
"May I help you?" One of the men asked, giving a stiffened look.
"Listen, I'm really not in the mood to hurt you guys," Lucifer said giving off a jaded sigh. "And I have a lot to tend to back in hell so let's get on with it, shall we? Let me in."
"Dr. Cortez didn't mention anyone else joining the meeting." Another security guard said.
"Mhm, is that so?" Lucifer said stroking his chin. "I'm guessing this meeting is with those old fat pigs in suits, right?"
The first guard cleared all expression from his face now.
"I'm sorry but I'm afraid you have to leave now." He said reaching slowly for the MAG 98 strapped to his belt. Both Tony and Lucifer noticed the other men doing the same thing too and while Tony was preparing to surrender, Lucifer was prepared to take them out.
"Boss, I think we should go and get the cops--"
Lucifer had already sprung to action even before Tony could finish his statement, swerving an uppercut with his elbow across the jaw of the guard standing to his right and landing a kick to the groin of the other guard by his left, the impact of both blows sent them flying to the walls and crashing down with a thud.
It happened so fast that the two remaining guards didn't have enough time to react as Lucifer speared his shoulders into their stomachs with a force that charged them back towards the door which swung open immediately and landed them inside the meeting room.
"Oh my God!" Tony said softly as his jaw dropped in awe.