Chapter 2

When they got outside. Annie who was with Clyde suddenly walked back to the place where she was before. On the other hand Clyde followed her since there is nothing left to talk with the director and as for the mission, they need to discuss it with the team.

"What do you think?" after reaching the edge of the ship, Clyde asked. But Annie remained silent.

"Don't mind the director's words,his just an asshole" Noticing that Annie was silent, he consoled her.

Ten years ago when he met her, Annie was a naive little girl. When she heard that her classmates was talking bad things about her parents, she will cry for days and nights. Because of this she got easily bullied. Although Clyde felt petty, he remained in the distance. During that time, they were not close enough and if he will help her, for sure he will be get in trouble. The only thing he just want was a peaceful life and that will be broken if he will take any action to help her.

For years, Clyde witnessed Annie on how she turned herself from a crying little girl into what she is right now. When he heard that he will be part of Annie's team, at first Clyde was shock because Annie was the top one, she should be placed in the elite team or be one of the superiors on a warship. But now, she is just a logistic captain which is completely inferiorating her skills.

"I think, it must be an easy mission just like the others and...., don't worry his just an old man, I'm not affected at all." after a long silent, finally she answered with a smile.

Clyde raised his brow "you really like to hide your emotions. don't you? "he paused" Ya know, it is much better to released it, I am always here to listen"

Annie looked at him with a complicated look but suddenly she burst in laughter "I'll consider that, for now call the team for the briefing".

On the other hand, Clyde laugh awkwardly " yup, I'll contact you when they are ready"

Annie only nodded after that, Clyde walk out.

Leaving behind, Annie was pondering what was the stone. Last time, during the talk with the director, she felts the impulse to punch the old man in face. After everything he had done to her; throwing her application for the elite team into the trash, cutting her scholarships, and the lot where she forgot. Until now, she's still don't know the reason why the director is making her life worst. As far as she know, she doesn't do anything bad, her mission was always a successful, and her parents was treating him as family before they died. Because of these, she was at her limit and the impulse of making his face bleed wins against her moral, but when she saw the gem. There is something happened, although she cannot explained why, but she felts it. An unexplainable feeling, there is a warm in her heart, maybe it was joy or happiness but it is very different. It is a feeling where you will feel secured. Annie shook her head, how could a gem make him feel like that, another thing it is just a projection.

Maybe it is not the stone but someone else, she though and smile.

Not too long, here Tab vibrated notifying her that there is a message for her. She fished it out and held it on her hand. It looks like a smartphone from the twentieth century, the only different thing is the power. Imagine it, a complete set of quantum computer was fitted into a slim six inches device.

It was from the director, she scrolled down the content. Although she can used holographic screen from her tab for bigger screen, but she didn't like. It makes her uncomfortable, you are waving and scrolling your hand into the screen which you expected there, but when you touched it. It is not really existed. Instead of using that, she choose the screen on her Tab.

The content was all about how the team discovered the corpse and the gem, the routes that they will take, how to handle their package, and other information which is not really important.

For the last moment, she glanced down to their former home and walk towards to her room to make preparation.

When she arrived at her room, she found out that everything was the same as she leaved it this morning. Her breakfast was still untouched but now cooled, her TV was still broadcasting the daily news on Pangaea, while her bed was messy as always.

Strolling inside, she found her black luggage beside her bed. Opposite to it was cabinet, she walked towards it, pulled the drawer out and what was inside was her plasma gun coupled with two communicator that looks like a wrist watch. To her side was a mirror, from it she can see herself wearing a black captains uniform with white strips from her shoulder to her hips that shows and highlighting her shape. She wore her communicator while her plasma gun and the second communicator including her tab was dump into her luggage. For now, she didn't need those things, she was planning to wait her crew in her ship, but before that, she need something to eat. Right now, she was very hungry since she did not take her breakfast this morning.

She pulled her luggage and walk outside her room, but before that, she look back. The room was still messy but she didn't care, someone will cleaned it out. She take a deep breath and started walking.

When Annie arrived at the canteen, as usual the place was crowded. She walked straight to the counter to order.

"Oh, what we have here, our gorgeous lady Annie was here. What can I serve ma-lady?" Joe said jokingly behind the counter.

"Stop fooling me Joe, I'm not like those bunch girls who will fall to your mouth" she said disgruntledly.

Joe laugh wryly "and that was why I like you the most" he countered.

"ohh!!, sorry, you should fall on the line" Annie said while smiling "and besides I hates beards"

Joe touched his beards "ohh" he laugh awkwardly "what do you want?"

"That's more like it, the old times and must gave me a bigger discount" she said while her eyes was shinning. Of all things, she like the look of this man when got inferiorated and defeated. Because this symbolize that she will get a good discount.

"Sometimes I felt you always choose my counter because of my discount. I don't really understand, you have your income as captain not only that, you have wealth which you can used without limit and then you are here making me give you a discount?" Joe said while preparing what Annie ordered.

"You know the reason, right?" Annie replied while looking at him.

"You saw those people?" Joe pointed the group of people.

In their left side, there are group of people wearing on very expensive attire while on their front was the dishes which only wealthy person can afford.

Annie glanced at them "yeah, they are wealthy, maybe they are working in a very big company" she said.

Joe on the other hand stop what he was doing and look at her with a complicated look "sights.., do you know, they are just your employees"

"yeah I know and what's the connection with that to my order? and by way, are you finished yet, I'm totally hungry." she raised her left brow and said.

"yeah, here, enjoy" Joe placed a burger on Annie's front.

Annie was salivating when seeing the burger and she immediately take a bite "ya know, you're are awesome" she said while indulging herself from eating.

"yup, because I'm the best!" he laugh" you know you should gave me a tip"

"why is that?" she questioned.

"your employees give me a good tip and you as their... " before Joe could finished what he was about said, Annie cut him.

"so that's the connection" she laugh slightly" don't worry I will gave you later"

"that's more like it, and by the way don't fled from your promise" Joe knitted his brow.

"Can I ask for a glass of water?" after finishing her burger, Annie asked while smiling sweetly.

Seeing her smile, Joe can't help but to laugh wryly because he knows what will happen next. Still he still do what Annie asked. But when he got back, he can't help it but to rub his forehead because Annie was gone. She was mostly fled, well there is nothing to be surprise. She done this a thousand times and Joe is already dumb to it. On the table there is a paper, on the top of it is the payment of the burger which is only three fourths of the total prize of the burger. While beside it was an arrow pointing to a quarter with a note "Thank you and here's your tip".

Joe cannot help it but to laugh while he keep the payment and the tip.

While Joe was being fooled again, right now Annie was walking towards to the hangar.