Ernest's First Secret

"She's so excited for someone who's usually reserved and silent," Ernest commented at the sight of Katrina hunched over the cake display as she ogled them one by one next to the short-haired waitress. After 5 years of knowing the girl, Ernest prided himself as someone who could read the emotion behind Katrina's impassive mask, and he easily sensed the eagerness that was oozing from Katrina's overall body language.

"Rina has always liked sweets," Ivan filled in as he followed his line of vision. They both loomed the coffee booth like two Halloween decorations; a little out of place and out of season. The only reason Ernest even considered coming was because of the promise of good coffee from Katrina. Being somewhat bean-dependent, Ernest could not resist.

Unfortunately, the warm and welcoming atmosphere failed to lessen whatever tension simmering in Ivan's posture. The taller man's eyes roved the Cafe, which was quite packed for the time of the day, and something in his silhouette told Ernest that he was ready to bolt anytime.

Really, if there was anything in the world that could trigger Ivanov Phillips to the brink of full-blown panic, it would be their Young Boss, Angelo Drake. What is he, if not Angelo Drake's number 1 fan. And if there had been a security concern, surely Ernest's father, who worked as Benjamin Lark's secretary, would have said something on that phone call they just had.

Therefore, it might be a concern less of the life-threatening sort and more of the Ivan-did-not-approve sort.

And if that was the case, then Ernest would let Ivan take the first step of whatever heart-to-heart would ensue. In fact, he'd rather Ivan cease from saying a word. Ernest honestly had had enough on his plate this week.

"Ernest," there he went, Ernest thought. Here comes the infamous fretting. It's funny how one with such intimidating stature and esteem could be such a mom in the worst sense. "Ernest, you may not know this, but there is something very, very urgent I have to tell you".

I very well know, actually, Ernest wanted to say, but didn't. He couldn't believe Ivan was doing this when Ernest was about to have his coffee. That was his most sacred time of the day and if this was like that one time their Young Master said the word 'whore' to Mr. Larks' face, then Ernest would not hesitate from disowning Ivan as a friend and colleague.

"Can this wait? We're in a public place and you literally just landed from a long flight," Ernest diverted his gaze to the barista, who was busy making their coffee from behind the large coffee machine. The guy's hair was pink. That was interesting.

"This cannot wait. I've been trusted with an important item and I don't know what to do with it. I don't know how much longer I have to hold onto it because the moral burden and the stress are weighing on me so you better help me now, Ernest, otherwise I would just throw this item to the nearest trash can I'd find".

This time, Ernest robotically turned his head towards his friend of five years. "What are you talking about".

Ivan had his back resting to the coffee booth while his two arms were safely crossed in front of his chest. One hand slipped inside his coat then he pulled out a small velvet box. In a flash, he opened the box just to give Ernest that quick glimpse before quickly closing the box and slipping it back into his pockets.

Ernest was stunned. It was brief, but he saw what it was. And it gleamed.

"What the -," he choked, "What the fuck was that?"

"You saw what you saw".

"No, I did not see -," he stopped himself and inhaled. Therapy did not inform him how to deal with this. "Okay. Okay, Ivan, who gave that to you?" He could hear the panic in his own voice.

"Who else?" Ivan hissed behind gritted teeth.

"The Young Boss?"

"Yes!"

"That was not just a ring, Ivan. That looked like something you'd propose someone with!"

Clang!

They both turned to glance over the coffee booth to check and met the barista's wide-eyed stare. They stayed that way for a second before the barista awkwardly chuckled. "Ah, pardon my clumsiness. I'm still learning," he said before taking the fallen item on the floor. Ernest lifted an eyebrow but decided there was a more urgent matter at hand.

"How did you get that?" He readdressed the issue.

"I told you the Boss gave it to me. He said he feared he was going to do something stupid".

"My God, Ivan - if you're telling me he's about to propose to someone -"

"I am telling you he's about to - or was thinking it".

"That boy is not your average human being, Ivan! He can't just get involved with someone now when he's about to ascend into the family".

There were coughs; very loud coughs; from their barista that earned Ernest's concern. "Are you okay?" he asked the barista, who simply hit his own chest as though showcasing his health.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine! Very good~," the guy smiled. Ernest was honestly worried for his coffee now.

"We're going to talk about this in the car," Ernest finalized as he sent a sharp look toward Ivan. Thankfully, their coffee was done the minute he said that and they both rushed outside while Katrina brought two boxes of baked goods with her.

"I cannot believe this," Ernest gruffed in the middle of their walk to the car, "I'm looking forward to my morning coffee and then this".

"You think this is only your problem? I'm the one with the ring!!"

"Ring," was Katrina's minimum contribution to this conversation, to which Ivan turned to her and said with the most gentle voice he could muster, "Yes, Katrina".

Ernest gave the other man an exaggerated eye roll. "What are we going to do now? Are we reporting this to the family?"

"No".

The answer was firm and final.

They both knew the family was highly protective of its sole heir. His prospective partner would be vetted carefully before being fitted into a mold - and when they failed to fit, the family would wipe their hands clean of this person; with or without the approval of said, young heir.

"The family would consider that treachery," Ernest voiced. Whatever decision they landed on, it would seriously impact them. "There will be serious consequences in not informing the family about this matter. It might threaten the life of his significant other either way".

"He will be able to fight back if he considers it necessary. He is not a helpless animal," Ivan stated, "He has never been. He is capable of getting his hands dirty and has gotten his hands dirty many times. No one in this family is clean of blood and sin",

That was also correct. They both knew what Michelangelo was capable of.

Ivan continued, "Or perhaps you've forgotten what he had done 6 years ago, Ernest".

Yes. Despite his angelic appearance; Michelangelo could personify evil when he wanted to. They had all witnessed it. He could...

"Sorry".

Ernest's line of thought came to an abrupt stop. They all turned to the source of voice behind them.

There stood the brown-haired girl who spoke to Katrina at the café.

"I forgot to hand out the complimentary treat of the day to you!" Charlie bowed slightly as she extended the small box to Katrina. Katrina accepted the paper box, albeit hesitantly. "Uh, we - I'm a fan of yours!" The girl exclaimed, "I also go to Kingston Academy of Performing Arts and I've heard of your achievements! So, uh, please take our complimentary dessert! It's on the house!"

"Okay," Katrina said; brief and soft, "Thank you".

"It's okay! We're happy to find you at our café!" The waitress answered before turning around and making her way back, "Please come again, Katrina!"

What was surprising was that Katrina actually made the effort to interact with this person, because next she actually raised the volume of her voice, "Wait! What's your name?"

The girl stopped, "It's Charlie!"

Once she was gone, Ivan hummed knowingly at his childhood friend. "She's your type isn't she?"

Katrina simply nodded.

And so the trio continued their merry way to Ivan's car; where he and Ernest debated upon the color of the barista's hair color (Is it pink or purple?), and Katrina murmured Charlie's name a couple of times as though practicing it with her mouth. Thus, they stayed oblivious to the ruckus they had created at the cafe, where our beloved secret agents gathered for a meeting after their shift ended.

"A ring! Oh my God," Ken gasped, "He was planning to propose!"

"It didn't sound like they expected it," Kai added, face sporting the perfect combination of looking serious and excited at the same time, "They said they couldn't have it happen while he's ascending the family".

"So it is true, he's probably going to replace Benjamin Larks," Samuel put one fist to his chin in thought.

"They didn't mention Larks' name though so we can't be sure".

"They mentioned something about the family getting rid of the lover and their 'young boss' getting his hands dirty," Charlie added rather dramatically, "I think they were talking about murder". The news triggered a series of gasps and a loud 'holyshit' from Ken.

Johnathan, however, had been eyeing the satisfied look Vivian was displaying behind her vaping pen. This woman enjoyed having her ploy work.

"Isn't murder too far-fetched?" One of them commented.

"They were talking about no one in the family is free of blood and sin. They said the Young Boss did something 6 years ago," Charlie muttered. Vivian puffed a smoke before voicing her thoughts.

"Larks' latest wife was dead 6 years ago. It was claimed as an accident. The case was swept under the rug after very little police investigation, but there were a lot of suspicions of foul play back then," She said, "Another incident not far before that was the death of Gregory Drake".

This inflicted another chorus of reactions among them. The passerby did not even spare them a glance despite the ruckus they were making by a lamp post. They dressed the part of a bunch of young artists; with two of them carrying a case of musical instruments, and one was dressed like he was modeling for fast fashion. One would be a smoker, and that was the one role Vivian was good at. Soon enough, everyone would think they were practicing for a stage play; because what would kids their age know about actual murder?

"Are you saying our target committed murder?" Kai asked, clearly baffled by the implication alone.

"Not really. We still have no hard evidence of the 'Young Boss' being the man we're stalking. They could still be talking about someone else," Johnathan replied, though he was almost 100% sure the 'Young Boss' was the guy they were tailing. After all, these people had all appeared next to the man in the pictures. "We have very little to go with. It has just been our first-day gaining contact with our second target".

He was talking about Katrina. A slender figure, a vixen visage, and a porcelain complexion - She was a good example of classic beauty. It was no wonder someone as powerful would want her as their partner.

"So keep going, guys. Let's hope we'd get to see more of our second target from now on".

They still believed Katrina was the lover.

**

"How old are you?"

"19".

"Woah, really? That's so young. I'm 21 and I thought I was the youngest intern they would ever recruit," Hayden exclaimed. This young man he was in the elevator with was the other person Tech-X had granted the internship opportunity to. This person was pretty interesting because, If Hayden was elated by the news of his acceptance into the internship program, this guy seemed like it was just another Tuesday. The internship program was granted on a submission basis. Sometimes they would not accept any intern at all if they considered the submission subpar to the standard they hold.

"I'm Hayden, by the way," Hayden said.

The guy did not even turn Hayden's way when he returned the gesture. "Edward," he said.

"Nice meeting you, Edward!"

They arrived on the 5th floor of the modern research facility. They were meant to meet with a senior engineer by the name of Henry Barnn at the workshop. He was a renowned figure in the whole company and, probably, in engineering in general. The man was a leading figure in the design of future cars. It was exactly this project that they would be assigned to. Hayden could barely contain his excitement.

Unfortunately, when they arrived in the man's workshop, they were told that the man had gone to the experimental food laboratory on the same floor. "The old man is on his break," said the man in the workshop, "He'll be there for a while. And by that I mean the whole day. If it's urgent, I suggest you two go to him and tell him what you need".

So they did. The facility housed multiple labs and workshops of various fields related to Tech-X's projects. The fifth floor was home to their most demanding projects. The hall was a vast room with a panoramic roof with different hallways leading to each lab. It was amazing to see people in Tech-X iconic blue coveralls roaming the floor and giving them directions to the food lab, also referred to as 'the kitchen'.

The kitchen was, as the name stated, a large kitchen with multiple cooking stations. One station was circled by a group of scientists and engineers alike, all dressed in blue; and in the center of that circle was an old man with no hair on his head except for his thick beard.

"And who are you two?" The old man asked after some time of having them just standing awkwardly in the circle.

"We're the new interns. We're assigned to you for the car project?" Hayden answered readily.

"Ah, yes! That. I remember them mentioning that. Yes, please take a seat a join us. We're learning about molecular gastronomy".

"Um, Sir," Hayden timidly interrupted, "We were told to help in your car project". They couldn't waste their time cooking in the kitchen. They've got reports to make.

"Well, we don't see any car here right now, do we?" the old man, Henry Barnn, smiled playfully.

"It's fine. We're going to sit here and watch," Edward said. He then went to one of the seats around the cooking station. Hayden followed suit although he had little interest or knowledge of cooking.

To his surprise, it was an interesting course. Molecular gastronomy was the perfect combination of chemistry, engineering, and enough creativity that gave space for everyone to contribute and give suggestions. What was even more fun, Henry allowed them to taste the food afterward while each of them threw their questions at him.

Hayden was gushing over how delicious the dish was when he heard the buzz of a phone somewhere. Edward took his phone out of one of the pockets of his coverall. "Ah, we have a rule against mobile phones in the facility, Young Man," Henry mentioned, "If it's important, you shall answer them in the lobby. But if not, you could drop them in the locker alongside your other items".

"It's okay, it's not important," Edward rejected the call and turned off his phone, "I'll drop them on the way out later on".

Hayden couldn't help but note that the person calling just then was named 'Weirdo' on Edward's contact.

**

To be Continued.