...Tricky

Almost three hours later;

"...with the little knowledge I have, I know that death dreams don't literally mean someone's going to die in reality," Matthew said to Ryan, giving a bit of idea in regards to the latter's situation.

The two men approached the lift, Ryan by the right and Matthew by the left. Both men had a hand occupying a small briefcase and a styrofoam cup, emitting a pleasant scent of well-brewed coffee.

"As so I read," Ryan replied as he pressed the 'up' button on the side of the elevator doors with his contents-free right hand. "Do you have other ideas about it?"

The doors to the elevator opened. And as they walked into it, Matthew let out a reply. "I think there's also a certainty about one being scared about death, resulting to such dreams as well,"

Inside, they were now facing the direction of the opened elevator. Ryan pushed the button with the number '13' and turned to face Matthew as the elevator doors began sliding close, slowly. "But I'm not scared of death." He explained sternly. "The point is, we're all going to die someday. But having a paranoia about it isn't my call."

The elevator began ascending slowly. Matthew raised up his left hand in a sort of defense, "I wouldn't want to act like a know-all so I'd advise you see a dream specialist."

Ryan sighed. "Here I was thinking you'd come up with a long detailed explanation about the whole thing..." He shook his head as he realized he wouldn't be able to get much information from Matthew.

"But I explained it well enough, didn't I?"

"Tsk, you bet," He nonchalantly said. "So, you got any recommendations for the specialist?"

"Not really, but I could ask Mr Holmes about it," Matthew told him, using his thumb to scratch the itch in between his hair scalp.

Ryan creased his brows. "Your dad knows someone?"

Matthew shrugged his shoulders while putting his hand down, "Sort of," he replied. "You remember the old man's bit of connection in the health world from the past, right? Well, it seems the strings haven't been loosed yet,"

"I sure wouldn't call that connection 'a bit' though. Anyways, get in touch with him for me then, will you?" Ryan requested with a nod.

"Sure thing."

The number '13' digital sign revealed atop the elevator in less than a minute as the elevator stopped it's motion. A 'ding' sound came out immediately after and the doors slid open. As both men stepped out of the elevator, Ryan instantly recollected something he wanted to ask from the start of the conversation at the entrance of the building.

"What were you doing up at the time I sent you the first text?" Before Matthew could reply, he quickly raised a hand up, the palm in Matthew's view. "And don't go sh*tting around, trying to throw back the question at me. You already know why I was awake at that time so it's only logical if you tell yours,"

Matthew scoffed. "Who says I want to throw back the question at you? Hmph, pathetic."

"Answer the question, Matthew,"

"I was busy with stuffs... real stuffs. Come to think of it, do you actually think I'm like you who sleeps like a log?"

Seconds away from touching the door knob, Ryan tilted his face to Matthew's direction, revealing a cold glare. "What do you mean? You think I sleep like a log?"

"Isn't that true?" Matthew arched his brows questioningly at him.

"Do you mind explaining yourself further, mister?" He stretched back his hand to touch the door knob. "Because to me, it seems you're clamoring on the point that I was absent from work two days ago,"

"Uhm..."

With a sigh, he interjected. "You need me to assist you in the piled up reports for today, right?"

"Well..." Matthew stated awkwardly, "Maybe,"

Ryan chuckled slightly as he had already seen through the man's scheme. Without saying anything else, he twisted the knob and opened the door before stepping in.

.....

2:00 pm.

It was the lunch hour for the members of staff of the Sky Broadcasting Organization. In the editorial department, the workers who had nothing much to do at the moment took the initiative by standing up so as to head to the company cafeteria. In groups, most of them began dispersing while the few still tied up in their work were still seated.

Ten minutes later, at the section of the heads, Ryan and two of his assistants, Matthew and Megan, were still seated among the few in the floor. Taps after taps on the various keyboards were the only noises that filled up the whole place presently.

"Grrr... I think I'm going to part with this for a while," Matthew commented with a groan, his eyes still fixated on the monitor.

Ryan looked up to stare at him, pausing his work. "Why?"

Matthew suddenly gazed at Ryan with a surprised expression. "It's lunch hour, Ryan."

Ryan instantly looked around. Upon noticing the few people remaining in the floor and linking it with what Matthew said, he awkwardly let out an "Oh." and got back to work.

Matthew turned his gaze to the ever so serious Megan who had her eyes immersed in the monitor. He asked, "You up for lunch, Meg?"

"Will be ready in five..." she suddenly stopped upon realizing something Matthew said. She tilted her head to stare at him and said, "I thought I told you never to call me Meg again, didn't I?"

Matthew smirked. "You pretty much know that Meg sounds way better,"

"D-bag." she snorted and looked away.

Matthew stood up from his seat. Straightaway, he headed for the switch which powers the connection to their desktops and turned it off.

"What the hell, Matthew!?" Ryan let out, a little exasperated.

"Have you gone nuts?" Megan cursed at him.

Rubbing his brown hair, Matthew grinned widely and replied, "Well, I'm hungry if you guys are not. And I know if I don't tag along with you guys, empty stomachs will definitely accompany you both 'til the end of today..."

"Oh, shut up," Megan blurted out and stood up, walking away from the section. Her destination? The elevator.

"You see," Matthew told the expressionless Ryan. "I did what I have to do."

Ryan ignored his statement and stood up as well. Together, they headed for the elevator to join the lady.

"It's time for lunch, go fill up your bellies," Matthew told the few subordinate editors still immersed in editing some works as they passed by. The elevator doors were already closing with Megan already inside and they quickly rushed into it before it went completely shut.

Inside the descending elevator, all three were silent. Not due to awkwardness, but weariness. To keep himself busy, Matthew took out his phone from the right pocket of his pants and unlocked it. He totally had his attention on it as he began surfing the net.

Ding!

As the elevator stopped motioning, Matthew suddenly let out just before the doors began sliding open. "Ryan, take a look at this,"

Ryan tilted his head to face him, "What's that?"

A phone was shoved towards Ryan's face, seemingly blocking his sight. At that time, Megan stepped out of the elevator, leaving both men. "John Ruben is in a coma!" Matthew slightly yelled.

"What?" Ryan quickly grabbed the phone from him and took a look at the screen. There was an article on it. He read the heading of the article which stated: JOHN RUBEN IN A COMA?....

They both quickly stepped out of the elevator as the elevator doors began closing. Ryan started reading through the contents on motion and as he got to the last line, he halted his movement.

Matthew stopped as well, wondering what had happened. "What is it?" he asked.

"The end of the article... it states it was written by 'anonymous'." His eyes were still fixated on the screen as he replied.

"Yes, it's just like the article of the time he was admitted to the hospital," Matthew told him.

He looked up to stare at Matthew. "Don't you think it's a bit... tricky?"

"Tricky? What do you mean by that?"

"Why does a content writer have to keep his identity anonymous in two different articles related to the same person?"

Matthew shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe he's just a stringer..."

"Stringers don't need to keep their identities hidden," He countered.

"What are you driving at exactly?" Matthew had to ask.

"Before this two recent articles, have you ever seen any article or news related to John Ruben's private life?" He gave back a question in return.

"No?" Mathew replied questioningly.

"This only proves one thing," He stated as he handed back the phone to Matthew. "There's an insider leaking confidential information about him."