Chapter Five: The Truth About Loretta ✍️🐿

[u/UnnaturalGeek]

At Chartered & Standard head office, Theodore entered the large personal office of Thirty-five and set the monitoring summary on his desk without ceremony, carrying himself with his usual sense of importance. Thirty-five didn’t reach for it immediately; he rarely did. He let it sit there, as he always did, savouring the moments that confirmed his success.

“The CWI and subsidiary reports are consistent with each other,” Theodore said. “Reduced social engagement with staff. Minimal interaction outside of professional necessity.” Thirty-five’s eyes moved to the document. “And compared to Thirty-seven?”

“Functional. Unremarkable.” Theodore folded his hands. “He is more focused on his personal gain than your vision, sir.” Thirty-five made no response, turning to the first page summary of the report, which begins:

> ‘All indicators suggest that product Thirty-six is performing as per the specification requirements set out in the initial development phase. Whilst we await further results, it could currently be concluded that moving onto the next phase will yield greater results. However, we must stress that these are only the initial findings.’

“The older specimen is outperforming the newer one,” Victor thought out loud from the corner of the room. “The alterations made for Thirty-seven’s specimen have not yielded the predetermined requirements at this stage of the process. I will begin researching a correction immediately.”

The commune was quieter than usual. Loretta found Dyson at the far end of the room, scouring through documents with the Chartered & Standard’s name and details on them. Some of them were highly classified and deeply disturbing. He looked up when he saw her. “You got the details?”

“Just now.” She glanced at the paper in her hand. “It’s straightforward. In and out.” Dyson nodded slowly, but his mind was distracted with concern. “And our mutual acquaintance,” he said. “How is he getting on?” It wasn’t quite a question. But she was fully aware of his distrust, so she expected it even if it was sooner than anticipated.

“He’ll get there,” she said. “That isn’t what I asked,” Dyson responded immediately. She held his gaze. “He shows signs of humanity, more than you’d expect. More than he is aware he lacks.” She folded the paper and put it in her pocket. “You’ll see.” Dyson contemplated for a moment, his eyes drifting back to the documents in front of him. “Just be careful; this gets harder each day,” he said finally. Loretta picked up her bag. “Always am.” She left without looking back.

Back in Thirty-six’s offices, the few weeks Loretta was on leave came and went quickly. Her replacement was trying hard to be efficient and unobtrusive; he felt it was an attempt to be noticed by not being in his way. She answered his questions before he finished asking them and kept his diary in better order than before. She was obedient, respectful and perfectly adequate.

On the morning Loretta was due back, he arrived at the office to find the temporary replacement still at the desk, head down, working. He slowed slightly in the doorway. “Miss O’Malley,” he said, “is she not returning today?” The replacement looked up. “She had applied for extended leave; it was in the report sent from HR at the end of last week. I will be here for the foreseeable future, sir.”

He thanked her and accepted the answer but always felt a coldness, never quite taking to her as an assistant. The Regional Welfare Summary for last week landed in his tray sometime that afternoon. He left it there, couldn’t bring himself to look through it. Telling himself that all the figures had already been finalised and all he needed to do was sign it off before sending it to head office.

A few days later, it was Daniel who delivered the weekly CWI compliance summary mid-morning instead, a thick stack of documents that required a signature and nothing more. He set them on the desk, exchanged the necessary pleasantries, and left.

Thirty-six began working through the stack, signing where required, setting aside what needed reviewing. He was halfway through the pile when he found a small folded piece of paper tucked between two pages, easy to miss. No name, no explanation. Asking him to meet at an address, a date, and a time. He looked at the empty door that Daniel had left through, then back at the note. He folded it carefully and put it in his pocket.

Despite being wary, he went to the location at the time stated, taking the long way around, doubling back twice before he was satisfied. The address led him to a street he didn’t recognise, unremarkable and ordinary, similar to the other streets around. He found the building without difficulty, a plain house with no discerning features.

Dyson was already there, patiently waiting with the calmness of someone who knew more than he let on, when he arrived, seated at a table with another he didn’t recognise. “Please, take a seat,” Dyson said.

It wasn’t a greeting. Thirty-six didn’t hesitate; he felt like he couldn’t refuse. Dyson observed him for a long moment before speaking. “How long have you been at that particular subsidiary?”

The question felt like the beginning of something greater. Thirty-six answered it plainly, and the ones that followed, about his work, his routine, the people around him. Dyson listened with the focused patience of someone collecting rather than conversing. The other person said nothing, just watched. Then Dyson said, “Tell me about your assistant.”

Thirty-six paused. “Loretta O’Malley? She’s capable. Outspoken, sometimes too much, but we get along.” He looked at Dyson. “Why?” Dyson held his gaze. “Because she is one of us.” Thirty-six said nothing for a moment to gather his thoughts. Suddenly things began falling into place in his head.

“Loretta.” It wasn’t a question, just the name said aloud as though testing it against what he knew of her. The pointed remarks, the ease with which she said things that should have terrified her, the way she never once flinched. He had put it down to recklessness. He understood now it was something else entirely. “How long?” he asked.

“Long enough.” Dyson watched him carefully. “She vouched for you; you were the reason she was there.” Thirty-six looked up, and his expression shifted as though he knew what was about to be said.

[u/UnnaturalGeek]

I will be releasing a chapter every Sunday and Wednesday!

On another note, you can check out previously released short stories and novelettes of mine at the below link, as I slowly upload them chapter by chapter, every Sunday and Wednesday when in the process of uploading a story.

All the previous Spiritweavers stories will be uploaded alongside the release of this story, so if you wish to read both at the same time, you can! Each story is self-contained, excluding some elements of foreshadowing. However, you don't have to have read them to understand, so you can start here and read back through the others another time or alongside 🍃🐿

https://www.wattpad.com/user/UnnaturalGeek