Chapter 2: Rising Action
The conference room fell silent as Iro, still frozen in shock, struggled to process the sudden reappearance of Erika and Jay. The air was thick with tension, broken only by the soft hum of the overhead lights.
Erika, her emerald eyes sparkling with amusement, broke the silence. "Surprised to see us, Iro?" Her voice was like velvet, smooth and inviting, yet there was an undercurrent of steel that set Iro's teeth on edge.
Iro tore his gaze away from her, turning to Jay. "What are you doing here, Jay?
I thought you were... working in finance?" Iro asked, his brow furrowed as he tried to piece together the puzzle of their sudden reappearance.
Jay opened his mouth to speak, but Erika cut him off with a sharp glance. "Jay's just here to assist me, Iro. You know how clumsy he can be." She flashed a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Now, let's get down to business, shall we?"
Iro hesitated, still thrown by their unexpected presence. But he was a professional, and he knew how to play the game.
Iro pulled out a chair for Erika, who took it with a gracious nod. Jay stood behind her, his hands clasped in front of him, his eyes cast downwards. Iro couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, but he pushed the thought aside, focusing on the task at hand.
"So, Erika," Iro began, taking his seat at the head of the table. "It's been what, ten years? You look... well."
Erika laughed, a sound like tinkling bells. "Why, thank you, Iro. You don't look so bad yourself."
There had been a time when Iro thought he and this woman may actually try to make a life together. But when school had ended, she'd told him, with no uncertainty, that their lives were going different directions. She'd promised they'd meet up again, one day, but he'd never imagined it would be like this. And the coldness in her tone was unexpected as well. He had tried to keep in touch with both of them after college, but they were the ones who had ghosted him. They didn't even end up at the business they said they'd been hired at. He'd called and checked.
"How was life in California? Or was it Washington?" He asked, hoping to glean some clue as to where she had been all this time.
"Oh, well. Both are actually quite lovely this time of year."
Iro felt himself getting angry and took a deep breath. Elizabeth came around the table to stand behind his chair.
One moment was all it had taken for Iro's entire presentation to fall apart. He couldn't think of a single word. He took another deep, steadying breath, then rose from his seat.
"Elizabeth, allow me to introduce you. These two are Erica Harper and Jay Walen. We were school roommates, and possibly even friends. As for you two, this is my assistant Elizabeth. Now, if you'll give give me just a moment."
Iro took a couple more deep breaths. Elizabeth looked around the table. For people who had been friends, the only one who seemed excited about this reunion was Jay, who was staring at Iro with a grin on his face like a puppy looking at his owner.
"Alright, I'm sorry for the wait." Iro said. ""Now you came here today so that we could talk about...
----
Elizabeth watched the presentation, paying close attention. It was nothing overtime, but Erika seemed to be intentionally trying to make Iro uncomfortable. She stared at him with piercing blue eyes, asking questions in inoffensive ways, yet the way she phrased the questions showed how close she and Iro had once been.
It was like she knew exactly which buttons to press to rattle him. Iro, trying to maintain his composure, answered each question with a calm and collected demeanor, but Elizabeth could see the tension in his shoulders, the slight clench of his jaw.
Erika, seemingly satisfied with Iro's responses, leaned back in her chair, her eyes never leaving him. "You've certainly come a long way since college, Iro. I must admit, I'm impressed."
Iro nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Thank you, Erika.
It's been a lot of hard work, but I'm proud of what we've accomplished," Iro replied, gesturing to Elizabeth. "We make a great team."
Erika's gaze flickered to Elizabeth, and for a moment, her expression softened. "She's quite remarkable. How did you manage to snag such a talented assistant?"
Iro felt a pang of unease at the question. He knew Erika was fishing for information, but he wasn't about to reveal the truth about his relationship with Elizabeth. "I was lucky, I suppose. She was looking for a change, and I was looking for someone capable.
It was a perfect match," Iro said, keeping his tone casual. He could feel Elizabeth's gaze on him, but he didn't dare look at her. Instead, he focused on Erika, trying to read her expression. There was something in her eyes, a spark that hadn't been there before. It made him uneasy.
Erika smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I see. Well, I must admit, I'm a bit envious. Jay here is... well, he's Jay." She waved a dismissive hand in her companion's direction.
"But enough about me. I'm more interested in what you've been up to, Iro. You always did have a knack for making things happen."
Iro relaxed slightly, taking the change in topic as a good sign. "Well, as you can see, I've started my own business. It's been tough, but it's been worth it. I've got a great team, and we're growing every day."
Erika's gaze flicked to Elizabeth again, lingering this time. "And what about your personal life? Any...
special someone in your life?" Erika asked, her voice laced with a subtle undertone that Iro couldn't quite place.
Iro hesitated, glancing at Elizabeth. Her expression was unreadable, but he could feel the tension radiating from her. He knew she was aware of Erika's true intentions, even if Jay seemed oblivious.
"No, not at the moment," Iro replied, keeping his tone neutral. "I've been too focused on building the business to consider anything serious."
Erika nodded, but the spark in her eyes didn't dim. "That's a shame. Although I suppose you did always like to mix business with pleasure. Our study sessions were always so...motivating." She smirked as she eyed Elizabeth.
Elizabeth felt no shame at being available to care for all of her masters needs, and refused to blush as she was eyed like a cut of meat.
Instead, she held Erika's gaze, her expression cool and composed. Iro, sensing the tension, decided to intervene.
"Erika, if you're done with your... interrogation, perhaps we can get back to the matter at hand?" Iro said, his voice firm yet polite. "I believe there was a contract you wanted to discuss?"
Erika's smirk faded, replaced by a look of resignation. "Of course, Iro. Business first, as always." She turned her attention back to the documents in front of her, but not before giving Elizabeth one last knowing wink.
Elizabeth blinked. Was this woman jealous? Or was it something else? She suddenly felt like something was coming, like she was in a trap, but she couldn't tell where the danger was coming from. It had to be her.
"Now Iro, I have every confidence that you will be able to provide what we need. There's a significant amount of paper work to be signed, but I'm sure you have a lawyer that can look through everything. Basically it states that for a trial period of the next two years, we will rely on your company to provide -"
Elizabeth zoned out the words and began looking around the office. Something was....
"Elizabeth," Iro said. "Is everything all right?"
"Yes, sorry." This time she did blush. This meeting was important and she needed to pay attention.
"Now,"Erika continued. "As I said, you may take your time with the contract. Look it over, have it looked over. But our company also likes to hear it directly. My boss just like a simple read statement in which you agree to taking the job in good faith."
Erika handed him a piece of paper with just a couple lines written on it, then turned on a recorder. "Anytime you want." She said.
Iro looked confused, but started to read. "Iro and Elizabeth, as sole owners and operators of Reflection Industries agree to pursue all goals as agreed upon in the contract." He paused for a second, then squinted. "P.S. Elizabeth bark like a dog...Shit!" Iro looked at Elizabeth to stop her but she was already beginning to bark.
Elizabeth loved when her master ordered her to do something, but as soon as she finished with her bark, she shivered as if an icicle had been driven down her spine. She and Iro both looked at Erika, who was smiling ear to ear.
Iro didn't want people finding out that she served him, and while she didn't understand the problem, she still didn't hesitate. She jumped across the table to try and grab her, scratch her, anything.
"Elizabeth, stop." Iro called out just as Jay stepped up and grabbed her by the collar, more like a cat then a dog.
Elizabeth froze as she was ordered, though she was also held quite expertly by Jay, who seemed much stronger than she'd expected.
Erika looked slightly shaken at the sudden attack, but she laughed. "Well, that was certainly one of the anticipated responses."
Iro stared wide eyed at her from the head of the table. "You knew. You knew about the mirror this whole time?"
"You could say it's what brought me into your life, Iro." Erika said.
Iro looked at her, mind racing. "So, what? You work for some secret organization and you snuck into my life to try to steal the mirror? Did you kill Erika Kerns to get closer to me?"
Erika looked at him with a stern look, then rose from her seat. She'd always been shorter than him, but she loomed towards him now. Then her face twitched. Her lips curled up and she began to laugh.
"Secret organization? You have read way too many of Jay's comic books. I work for Spartan Global, just like I said. The mirror is more of a hobby of mine. I discovered you had it and the opportunity presented itself for me to meet you. Erika Karns is just fine, probably. Off living in some little town, raising a kid, who knows."
Erika sat back in her seat, still chuckling. "As for stealing the mirror, I am being completely honest when I say I don't even want to see the thing. I don't think it can be stolen. It recognizes one owner at a time, and can only be passed on when the time is right."
But that's enough sharing for now. That summer break when you were an intern, I tracked down your grandfather and listened to his story. It was horrifying. If you believed even a shred of it, I believed you'd never make use of the thing."
Erika leaned forwards. "So imagine my surprise when I heard that you'd been fired, and that the one who had gotten you fired seemed to disappear for nearly a week, only to reappear having decided to work with you. Quite strange, wouldn't you agree?"
This was the exactly moment Iro had feared ever since that day. But Erika didn't seem interested in... anything. She didn't seem to be accusing him, or trying to stop him. He didn't know what she wanted, so he just listened.
"Let's get to the point, dear Iro. I want to speak to miss Elizabeth for a bit. No tricks, no attacks. My goal is just to understand. I want to ask about her experience and how she sees it. But I want to do it unhindered by your presence. So why don't you amd Jay go catch up. Us girls will be fine."
Iro looked at Elizabeth, still held down by Jay. "Alright. Elizabeth. It's okay. Just speak to her." Things had fallen apart quickly, and he just needed to find some way to stay afloat. For now, Jay may have some answers.
Iro couldn't imagine what Erika was playing at, but he needed to think, and talking to Jay might help him figure things out. He stood up, gesturing to the door. "Come on, Jay. Let's go grab a beer and catch up."
Jay's face lit up, and he released Elizabeth, who straightened her clothing self-consciously. "Sounds great, Iro. Lead the way."
As they walked out of the conference room, Iro couldn't help but glance back at Elizabeth and Erika. Elizabeth glared at Erika like a wounded animal, while Erika sat calmly, waiting for Jay and Iro to both leave.