Chapter 31- Mentor Mr Devil

Archie watched as Afsah angrily took off on the jeep before slowly turning around only to see Christopher towering over, staring into her very soul.

"Who was that? Was it he who spoke yesterday?"

"Uh…"

"Was it?" His tone was getting rather harsh and impatient.

"Ye-"

He grabbed her hands and started walking without letting her finish.

…

"You're sure he's just a friend?"

"Well. Yes."

"A friend who answers your call at 11 pm?"

"Maybe a little bit more than a friend."

"…" Christopher had nothing to say.

"I'll show you to your mentor. You'll be working with him today." He sounded unfriendly and hostile. Archie wondered where she had gone wrong but it just didn't click.

Christopher introduced Archie to a tall, skinny man wearing a black coat. He had blonde hair and blue eyes, luminous lips and an average sized nose. His skin was pale and ghost-like. One look at him was enough to lose your case.

She held out her hands.

"Good morning, I'm Architha."

"Magnus Jaiviur."

His voice was deep and echoey. Almost like how you would expect a caveman to sound.

Without further conversation, he turned around towards a lengthy corridor, his coat flowing behind him, as if it were his arrogance, leaving Archie standing there without any idea what to do.

"Follow him. Take notes on how he approaches his work." Christopher said, leaning against the wall with his eyebrows furrowed and arms crossed. His signature pose.

His expression was hard to define.

"Okay…" She said, awkwardly speed walking towards the direction in which she thought Mr Javier went.

Just as she entered the corridor, she saw Mr Javier's coat flash from a room on the right.

It was a large office room although dark and secluded, unlike Christopher's.

He sat behind his desk which was over flowing with pieces of paper, before using his left hand to push them over to the edge, where they fell onto the carpet near the brimful dustbin.

"Uh, what was your name again?"

"Architha Krishna."

"Okay, Architha. From now on, you call me Sir Jaiviur."

"…"

"Come on now, don't just stand there. Pick up these pieces of papers from the floor and sort them into my folders. "

She was astounded.

Never had she had to do such a job, and certainly not with that pitiful tone.

Just as she was about to, she saw his eyes shift from her to the door behind. His grin turned into a serious expression, leaving his mouth semi-open.

Archie turned around.

It was Christopher. Again. Leaning against the door sill with his arms crossed, staring right at Sir Jaivius.

"What do you take yourself for?" Christopher asked rhetorically after a long passionate pause.

"Are you her master or her mentor?"

"…"

"Pick up the pieces of paper."

Sir Jaivius stared at Christopher; then at Archie who was clueless to the situation.

"Pick. It. Up." His voice turned quiet but sharp.

Sir Jaivius leaned down towards the pile on the floor and started collecting the papers, still not breaking eye contact with Christopher.

"You'll call him Mag." Christopher smirked. "Sir Jaivius it seems. Pfft." He muttered.

Magnus stiffened his mouth in humiliation.

"This is your new mentor." Christopher said, moving aside to let Za'Niyah in.

"Mag. Meet me at my office.", Was his final sentence before vanishing from their site.

Now Magnus, Za'Niyah and Archie were left in the room, looking at each other wondering who would make the first move.

As seconds went by, the tension became so thick to a point where you could cut it with a blunt knife.

"Follow me. I'll show you how things really happen around here."

Za'Niyah held out her hand and shook Archie's before letting her exit the office first.

After Archie was outside, she took a glance at Magnus.

"Christopher has his eyes on her. Watch yourself, you fool."

~

Archie and Za'Niyah were now in Za'Niyah's office looking through some case documents together.

"I have to present this case to the court at 12:30 pm today. If I win against my opposition, I go up a rank at this firm."

"What happens when you get to higher ranks?"

"The firm prizes you with more privileges around here. For example a bigger office or access to more facilities."

"Interesting." Archie said as she took a look at the huge wooden clock behind them.

12:20 pm

"We should probably hurry to the court room."

"Sounds good."

~

The experience was informative and enough to make Archie grow more eager to argue on her own for clients; but when could she be able to? Does she have to wait until she completes the course?

That afternoon as she was about to go back to Za'Niyah's office after replacing a file that she had needed earlier, Archie decided to pay Christopher a visit. Maybe thank him for the situation with Magnus.

For some strange cause, as she approached the door to his office, Archie grew nervous. Her hands started to sweat and her hear beat a little faster.

"Sir?" She knocked

"Come in. Come in."

Just as she was about to turn the knob, the door opened wide and there stood Christopher, holding a piece of paper. He stopped reading from it and stared tensely at her eyes.

"What's up?"

"I was wonderi-"

He grabbed her gently by the elbow into the office and shut the door close.

So much contact. Such confidence that Archie wouldn't slap him across the face.

"Continue." He said, walking towards his shelf and flipping through some papers.

"I was wondering when I could start doing all this; you know… On my own without being just an assistant."

He stopped what he was doing blankly and stared at the marbled floor for a few lengthy seconds.

"You're really young. You aren't even qualified to be here yet." He sighed quite heavily. "You also seem rather quiet. Like a mouse. I don't know how much this silence will favour us at the court room."

Her heart sunk.

"I know. I understand. Just a chance." It was hopeless. She knew.

His eyes met back with hers as he tilted his head again… like a puppy.

"Okay. In two days. You're taking on Adam Wayne's case."

"Adam who?"

"Take a seat. I'll explain in detail."

Archie sat down at the chair before him and waited eagerly for Christopher to continue his sentence.

"He's a dangerous criminal. Accused of multiple murder attempts."

"Oh…"

"He has a lot of cash, surrounded left and right by the best, most successful, most corrupt lawyers that there are in the US."

Christopher glanced back at her to see her expression.

He slid a file across the table. It read: 'Adam Wayne- Case 250 ~ 'Za'Niyah Vincent VS Adam Wayne.'

"Za'Niyah?"

"Yeah. The lady who mentors you. Not a lady really. She's about… 22 years of age."

"Wow…why couldn't she take on this case herself?"

"She can't. She's no match to the opposition and she knows it. It's almost impossible, against Adam. This isn't his first time setting foot in the court room, you know. But right now, right here, I'm giving you a chance to prove yourself. If you win this case, I'll let you skip the assisting, and you can take on clients yourself in the future. What do you say?" Christopher smirked as he leaned back in his office chair and brought a pen to his face.

He knew she couldn't. No. He thought she couldn't.

"Deal."

Christopher's eyebrows raised in satisfaction. He was impressed at her dedication.

"Well. I'm looking forward to it."

"Me too."

~

It was five in the evening and Archie was waiting outside the firm for Afsah when it started to rain heavily. She tried to cover herself from drenching although it was quite hard with the saree.

Just as she was about to give up and admit that she was screwed, she felt a shade above her, stopping the droplets from uncomfortably splashing against her fore head. It was an umbrella. An arm was holding the umbrella. The arm was connected to a body. Christopher's.