Holding the hottest pottato of them all (double chapter)

Stepping back into the control room, I couldn't help but feel like in the few moments I was gone to deal with the authorities, things changed far more than it should be possible for them to change. 

The former peace and quiet necessary for us to conduct the whole process in peace and focus was now completely gone, with Chihiro screaming out obscenities into his phone in the corner of the room while a group of men I've never seen before were trying to make themselves look as small and unimportant as possible. 

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN, IT BEYOND YOU?! WE ARE MAKING HISTORY HERE!" 

Hearing Chihiro so agitated, I instinctively took a step back, as if preparing myself for a retreat. 

"Don't mind him too much, dear," Claire whispered as she climbed up on her toes to reach for my ear with her mouth. "Sometimes he gets like this… but just give him a moment and it should all pass."