The Dragon Lady

Plans Before the Battle

The sun shone brightly outside as I make my way downstairs, desiring for a cup of coffee. My siblings were already seated at the table and eating, looking at me the way archangels would look at a lecher on judgement day.

"Move faster, Qalif. You're going to be late." Said Qeira, the eldest of my sisters.

"You sleep like your boss shoved gallon of her wrath on your throat!" Xyra retorted, piercing me with a glare that could rival with King Arthur's Excalibur.

"She's right, brother!" Reena, our youngest agreed. She was young, but no less of a tyrant compared to her older sisters.

"Sorry about that. I stayed up late last night, I brought home some work with me." I said, smiling lightly.

I made myself a coffee and sat down to eat with them. Thirty minutes later, I was already on my way to work. The Desilvia Corp. stood high and mighty, making the buildings nearby seem small and puny. The place itself screamed domination, daring the world to try and bring it down. I entered the building and made my way to the 20th floor, where my CEO's office is. I sat on my swivel chair and immediately set to work. As I was bent on completing my task a thought crossed my mind. The Wilfred Enterprise's' Anniversary celebration will happen tomorrow and I still don't know what to wear. I'm not worrying about looking fashionable. I never felt inclined to look good to catch attention, but this is different. I can't afford to look like trash standing beside her. It would set a bad impression on her and the company. An image of my boss flashed through my mind and I suddenly knew that it would be hard task to look good beside a woman like that.

Leaning to my chair, I took a deep breath. I already have a lot on my hands and the pressure of our upcoming business escapade is weighing down on me. I was about to go back to my work when the intercom beeped.

"Mr. Loward, are you there?" Merrylia's voice asked in a stern tone..

"Yes Ma'am, how can I help you?"

"To my office, now."

I pushed back my chair and stood up, careful not to make noises. I reached her door and knocked twice.

"Come in."

I opened the door and went inside, closing the door softly behind me. I adjusted my tie and fixed my suit before walking up to her.

"Good morning, Ma'am." I said politely, making sure to bow slightly. She looked up to me from her desk and nodded.

"Tomorrow will be the day of the event. I want you to wear this." She said and pulled a huge box from under her desk and handed it over to me. I walked closer to her, trying to act like I wasn't shocked. I grabbed the box and opened it and inside I saw a tuxedo. The fine linen was smooth and soft, no doubt that it was expensive. Beside the tuxedo lay another box. I opened it and saw a pair of shiny black shoes with gold strapping. I looked at her and was about to decline when I saw the look in her eyes. Her gaze told me that I am not allowed to complain.

"Before the event, I will assemble a meeting here. We must prepare. If worst comes to worst we'll be ready." She said, her eyes fierce and burning, like a fire about to devour anything that goes against her.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Good. Remain here, we have another thing to discuss." She took her telephone and dialed a number. The conversation was short and a 'yes' was heard on from the other line. Minutes later, Jackson entered the room and I stepped aside. He is the head of the security team. He was recruited a week after I was hired. He's a smart man, he had years of training under the military special force before he retired and took this job. His body is ripped with muscles and his stature indicated how disciplined he was. His height hovers slightly below mine and he had black hair, reminding me how light and girlish my blonde hair seems to be.

"Have you done what I told you to do?" Merrylia said to him, stretching her hands towards the pouch Jackson was carrying. He gave it to her and nodded.

"Yes Ma'am, the troops has already searched the area. Any possible entrance and exits has been noted. They are informed of where their positions are." She hummed in approval and unzipped the pouch. She motioned her hand at me.

"Come here."

I followed her orders and stood beside Jackson. She laid the contents of the pouch on the table. In front of me was devices that I never thought I would see up close. There were small hearing devices, a recorder, a tiny camera the size of a bug, and other things I do not know of.

"Tomorrow we're going to use this. Put this in your ear so I can contact you in case we get separated. Bodyguards can't enter the venue, I need someone to protect me." She picked up the hearing device and separated it from the others. My brows furrowed a little. I had nothing against protecting her, in fact, I would gladly do so. I just didn't expect her to ask a man to protect her, considering how ruthless she was. She narrowed her eyes as if reading my thoughts.

"Do you expect me to fight in a dress?"

"N-no Ma'am." Jackson chuckled in a mocking tone beside me.

"You can easily be read, Mr. Loward. Your face and eyes says it all. You should change that. We don't want you blowing up our disguise." I felt irritation flood over me. I fought down the desire to fling my glove at him. Not in front of Merrylia.

"Silence. We are straying from the subject," Merrylia, sensing the tension, increased it ten fold. She narrowed her eyes at us, daring us to continue. Jackson only lowered his head but I stood my ground. I didn't do anything. My pride is not big so I'm keeping it. Merrylia narrowed her eyes one last time and picked up another device.

"This spy camera will be placed on your suit. If you see anything suspicious, you know what to do. We don't know what kind of plan they have under their sleeves but I'll make sure they'll go down with it."

She too out a pen from her desk and showed it to me. She pressed the button on top of it and a small thin needle shot out and imbedded itself on the wooden desk.

"This is laced with poison. If you ever need to make use of it, make sure you do it secretly."

I listened patiently and took mental notes of the important things she said while she narrated what would happen at the party.

"That place would be crawling with media. We have to be careful not to make a scene or draw attention to ourselves unnecessarily once the party starts, you got that Mr Loward?"

"Yes ma'am."

She turned away from me and went back to ignoring my existence. As  I gazed at her and realized that the way she talked was as if she was used to danger. It wasn't hard for me to believe that.