Corruption

Aldrich paid very careful attention to the body language between Seismic and Hat Trick's hushed conversation. Seismic, as always, was like a rock. He stood tall, straight, and utterly stiff.

Among the many people that Aldrich had analyzed in his life, Seismic was among the very few that was nearly impossible to tell anything about based off his body language and facial expressions.

Hat Trick, however, was like an open book.

Hat Trick put his arm across Seismic's shoulder in a friendly gesture, but when Seismic stood coldly still, Hat Trick withdrew his arm awkwardly.

Hat Trick talked with expressive gestures and an ingratiating smile marked with nods punctuating every sentence as if he was saying "you understand why I did what I did, right?".

In response, Seismic just stood still, and that unnerved Hat Trick more and more.