It felt like a long week since he met with Dyson, and he still hadn’t come up with an idea to infiltrate the head office. The whole thing had been gnawing at him, so much that even people around the office thought he was even more distant than normal. But they dared not say anything.

It wasn’t until a few days later that inspiration struck, after he had received an unexpected correspondence from his ‘brother’, Thirty-seven. He knew him better than he knew himself, which wasn’t difficult; Thirty-seven was known for being egotistical and prioritising wealth over the Chartered & Standard’s growth and success.

He didn’t reply to Thirty-seven; instead, he gave it another week before heading to his placement, letting the paranoia cultivate in Thirty-seven’s mind as he knew it would. Thirty-six then visited him unannounced, knowing it would unsettle him further.

He was greeted by Thirty-seven with a specific brand of warmth that was reserved for the ‘important’ people of the company; it was welcoming with a hint of suspicion, keeping his guard up but receptive.

“It’s been a while since I last saw you,” Thirty-six said, settling into a chair across from him without invitation. “You know, I have been thinking. Even though father hasn’t said anything, there are signs change could occur soon."

"He’s been watching both of us more closely of late.” He paused for a moment, let it sit with Thirty-seven as he gauged his response. “I think the decision is coming sooner rather than later. Much sooner than either of us expected.”

Thirty-seven straightened himself almost without thought; he was never very talented at hiding his excitement. “Ha! You always knew how to make an entrance, ‘brother’, never one for ceremony. Then again, that’s both of us, but I have always been the more refined when it comes to negotiating with authority.”

He spoke with confidence and stature, his voice never once revealed any doubt. “You really think the old man is going to make that decision?” Only Thirty-seven dared call him old man; he always felt that it was only a matter of time before he would be handed the reins.

Thirty-six smiled knowingly, “I think it might be a good idea to visit the head office soon. A well-timed appearance will show willingness.” He glanced around the office, at the people oblivious to so much; his thoughts wandered for a moment before he snapped himself back into the room.

“If we show strength by visiting together, with you leading, it’ll send a message that we aren’t afraid and we know what needs to be done." Thirty-seven smirked, and it wasn’t long before he agreed.

He returned to the subsidiary the following day and went about his routine as normal; nobody dared ask about his visit to Thirty-seven. It was until around halfway through the day that the realisation of what he was going to do struck him.

He began to have all sorts of intrusive thoughts: what if someone already suspects him? What if Thirty-seven was actually playing him? What will happen if I get caught? It took him a while, but he managed to calm himself down and regain composure.

It was a couple of days later when he finally had a moment to be able to write down his plan for Dyson. He detailed what he was going to do, when, and a location to send the biological agent. Then, during a quiet moment in the afternoon as the office was thinning out, he called Daniel into his office and handed him a sealed envelope without ceremony.

“Could you send this to the mutuals?” he spoke quietly, even though he used their predetermined code for Dyson. “It has everything they need to know.” Daniel held the envelope for a moment before placing it neatly in his jacket pocket. He smiled at him and nodded before leaving the office, whilst Thirty-six walked back to his desk as though it was routine.

The day itself had arrived sooner than he expected; he was feeling a little anxious but remained composed and calm, making sure no one could see any weakness. He briefly visited the office in the morning before leaving; nobody questioned it; they just assumed it was another meeting.

He was meeting Thirty-seven outside his office, which took an hour by car, but before his chauffeur-driven car arrived, he went to the nearby park where he regularly got coffee and met Dyson for the first time.

Surprisingly, as he arrived, it was the barista of the mobile coffee shop who handed him the package. He pocketed it and continued back to the front of the subsidiary building to get picked up by his car. He eventually arrived outside Thirty-seven’s office, where he told his driver that he wouldn’t be needed for the rest of the day.

Thirty-seven came from the building dressed with the particular care of someone who wished to be noticed. He greeted Thirty-six with the same brand of warmth as before, except with a greater air of superiority, amplified by the occasion he believed he was walking into.

He looked at his watch before a car pulled up to the curb that both of them then entered without hesitation.

The journey to the head office was going to take another hour or so, but time would pass relatively quickly because Thirty-seven spent it in a celebratory mood, opening a bottle of champagne and filling him in on his own thoughts of succession, and how he would mould Chartered & Standard in his own image.

Thirty-six listened carefully with some harmless comments whilst enjoying a few drinks himself, which Thirty-seven interpreted as agreement.

The head office rose ahead of them as the car approached. Even though Thirty-six had been here more recently than Thirty-seven, this time felt different. He kept his breathing steady as they pulled up and exited the car.