the ultimatum

Andem was trying his best.

While Steven and Chima breezed past tech assignments, he found himself having to stay back late, just to figure out things that the others had done earlier in the day. He was going to get it. He was going to get better. He knew it. If he only applied himself. Most times, he took breaks to get some food, but he always ended up back at the garage because he couldn't leave for the day unless the work was done. 

On one such night, as he was about to leave, he passed by Eteli's office on his way out.

"You're not even trying," Eteli said.

"I am," Nsemeke's voice said. "We work with Jimmy for hours and then I leave. Uncle, what more do you want from me?"

Andem moved closer, peeping through the open door as he stared at the back of Nsemeke's head. Eteli looked frustrated but from where he could see, Nsemeke was slouched in the chair looking not bothered at all.

"Think of it this way," Eteli sighed, rubbing his eyes. "The longer you refuse to connect with him as your partner in this duo, the longer it will take to start selling you."

"I don't understand why we have to make a big deal about it. People want tech, let me build the tech and you sell it. I don't need to be on the cover of magazines."

"But that's where most of the money will come from. I don't want to keep you as some deep dark secret."

"I'll be an employee, not a secret."

"I want to show you and Rotimi to the world."

"You just want to boast about having an alpha in your employ since you can't exactly put your alpha spies on magazine covers."

Eteli sighed, pulling off his glasses as he rubbed his eyes. "Just humor me, okay? Work with him."

"I am doing the best I can. It's not my fault that he can't keep up."

"Not your fau…" Eteli trailed off as his head dropped on his desk.

Andem couldn't understand why the Eteli didn't just order Nsemeke to behave. This was a boy living in his house and training in his company. If he wanted Nsemeke to be a good little soldier and work with Rotimi, all he had to do was issue the right threat and that was that. But from what Andem could see, Eteli sounded like he was negotiating with Nsemeke. Almost like an equal would.

"I'm pampering you too much," Eteli said and this time, Nsemeke sighed.

"I told you not to do that," Nsemeke said sounding tired and weary.

"You're not making this easy for me."

"I'm not trying to make it hard."

"Then work with the boy."

"He just got here!" Nsemeke snapped, sounding angry as he sat up. Eteli looked angry for a split second but then it vanished. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out like that. It's just… I've been doing this for years. I just got out of a contract that kept all of my intellectual property since the moment I discovered my powers. I'm free now, Uncle. I can do whatever I want. But now you're trying to saddle me with a-"

"This is a better opportunity for you."

"With him? He's a mimic. His powers aren't real. If I'm not there, he has nothing."

"He's trying his best."

"He's a rich kid who got bored and decided to do this for fun."

"It's supposed to be fun."

"It's work," Nsemeke said, sounding angry again. "It's work that some of us are hacking our backs and killing ourselves to do. For him to just come here and…" Nsemeke gets up and leans on the table. "He doesn't want this as much as I do. He hasn't wanted it for as long as I have. He just woke up one morning and decided that he wanted to do something different."

"He said he's always wanted to be an agent."

"But he has other choices. If this doesn't work out for him, you can let him go tomorrow and he'd just go right back to his family and continue from where he left off but what do I have? This is mine. This is my safety net. Without this then what? Should I go crawling back to my mom? Do you know what that would do to me?"

Andem understood the sentiment. Crawling back to his father was not an option. Not for pride's sake. But for his survival. The fact that he'd held out this long, his only choices were succeeding at this, or nothing at all.

"I understand your situation. More than anyone. And I admire it but-"

"You have to take him away from me. I don't want to work with him and I don't like him. I'm not trying to be petty but I don't ever see us connecting. This isn't going to work."

"You leave me no choice Nsemeke," Eteli said, FINALLY looking stern as he stared back at Nsemeke.

"What does that mean?"

"I know you two are meant to work together. I can feel it in my bones. Even if you don't see it now, a time will come when you won't understand why you never saw your chemistry. So I'm going to do what's best for you and what's best for this company?"

"What does that mean?" Nsemeke repeated, straightening as Andem leaned closer to listen because this sounded like it was going to be important.

"It means you can't live in my house anymore."

"What?" Nsemeke asked angrily.

"Yes," Eteli said. "This weekend, you're going to move into the recruit dorm with Rotimi and the rest of them. You're going to connect with that boy till both your souls become one and the same."