That morning started like any other morning as I parked my car at the bureau's parking lot, fashionably late only now I couldn't blame the alarm clock. Tasha and I exchanged a nod and walked side by side into the building where we grabbed hands. Such a small gesture that drew all the gazes toward us. People we stumbled upon us cleared the way as if saying they didn't want to have any part in the office gossip mill, but they lingered in their cubicles watching our every step.
"Isn't that Bob?" Someone gasped.
"Who's that girl?" Asked another and I could hear the clamor of whispers coming and going.
I walk with the confidence of someone who knows he didn't do anything wrong, but Tasha's grip on my hand became steely as she felt the weight of the stares. I kept the pressure steady to calm her down. It's just a cover, no need to be so anxious. That is what I thought until we reached the director's office and received a reaction none of us expected.
Instead of the usual dismissive nod or blatantly ignoring us like I expected, the director broke into a full on laughter that lasted two entire minutes. I took the time.
"Pardon my rudeness." She apologized teary eyed.
"We are here to disclose our intimate relationship." I informed as if the two minutes never happened.
"That much I understood, but I need to ask a few questions." The director glared at us with sharp eyes that did little to hide her amusement.
"We met outside the bureau and didn't know the other was also an FBI agent." Tasha said with a small voice. I tried to add some details, but the director cut me off before I could speak.
"I need to know if you two know what you're doing."
"We're both consenting adults." I shrug.
"We also work in different departments so there shouldn't be an issue." Tasha added and the director replied with a puzzled look. Something feels off, there's no way a romantic relationship between two agents can be so funny as to make the director laugh like that. I wonder if the reason is because Tasha pretends to be shy at work or if it is because I am perceived as someone who would never be involved in this type of situation.
"With all due respect, I just wanted to sign the form, not to get laughed at my face."
"Form? What form?"
"The one to disclose our romantic partnership."
"You sound so cold, honey." Tasha said in what pretended to pass as a sweet voice at the same time she stomped my foot. Good thing she doesn't dress up for work because instead of sharp heels she used flat shoes.
"There's no need for that, actually. You could have sent an email or just stayed quiet about it. Not that I don't understand your situation, since you are both new to dating in the office."
"I'm sorry, what?" Somehow both Tasha and I speak the same words in unison.
"You really are a cute couple," The director chuckled. "here's the thing. Dating within the office is frowned upon, yes. But everyone does it, even I have probed the waters a little..." She rested her back on the chair and looked at the ceiling as if reminiscing.
"Are you absolutely certain we don't need to fill a form?"
"That is for marriages only and I don't think you're at that point... yet. Don't get me wrong, there are several ethical and moral regulations, namely conflict of interest. In this case, however, none of you are aware of any such issue which is why you may continue to pursue your relationship without issue." That last comment felt cryptic, but I get it.
Tasha believes we work under the same bureau because on paper we do, but on reality I belong to a different department. The otherworld affairs department at the FBI has the largest budget and the top clearance level in the entire government. Our existence is so secret only a few people outside the department is aware of its existence. I think not even the president knows about it.
"It could have been worse." Tasha sighed then finally let go of my hand. Not five seconds after, her words were proven wrong when her cliche walked in to mock her.
"I knew you had a thing for him!" Giggled the most popular of the bunch.
"We shipped you so hard from the beginning." Added another then they swarmed Tasha asking for details as she seemed to become smaller. I met the group before at the break room and I'm sure they told me their names, but to me they're just background noise.
"Look who just became a man!" Said Ericssen as he bumped into me with his shoulder in what attempted to pass as a playful gesture. Whenever he did it in the past I would hurt for the rest of the day while pretending I didn't feel a thing, but now I really didn't. Now, however, I just felt a slight prod while he grimaced.
Tasha took the chance to head to her post and I was left to deal with the gossip that buzzed around me wherever I went. Some people even asked me about it and if Tasha really was my girlfriend which I confirmed only for them to pass around cash from hand to hand as if they had made a bet. The one silver lining of the day was I didn't need to go to Lithurien since I still needed to practice riding a horse.
***
Five agents sat at a round table in a meeting room in a secret sub space dimension at the FBI. It was protected with cameras, scanners and the top technology available at the bureau, but there were also several magical measures in place such as barriers and alarm spells. All those precautions may have seemed over the top for just a meeting room, but considering the fate of the world had been decided on that very room many times in the past, it made sense to keep it so guarded.
"I'm telling you, the new guy is an absolute menace!" Hale slammed his fist on the table.
"I head he's dating that cute little thing." Yawned Wang with disinterest.
"I don't think anyone other than you would call her 'little thing'." Hale lunged back.
"Don't tell me, you're jealous because he's with Tasha? I'm definitely telling on Rita. She's gonna kick your ass so hard!" Laughed Hawke, Hale's self proclaimed arch enemy.
"Forget about Tasha, I want to know more about the elf. Was she really as hot as they say?" Harper asked.
"She's the queen of the elves, of course she was hot!" Hale gritted his teeth remembering how despite him defeating the returnee it was Bob who was rewarded with the queen's custody. Not just that, his attempt to intimidate Bob into forfeiting custody of the elf failed spectacularly when Bob not just matched his hand grip, but doubled it almost breaking his bones.
"So lucky," Harper let out. "just think of the possible rewards he might get. Heck! If he plays his cards right he might even end up married to her and become the king of a world."
"Hold on! I know for a fact he's dating Tasha." Wang's skills for gathering information where unparalleled and they didn't just apply to spying on targets, but also to office gossip.
"That's why I'm telling you he's trouble. That guy didn't show the slightest interest."
"But that's good... isn't it?" Wang asked. Cross who had remained silent up until that moment stood up to answer.
"Beauty, money and power... those are the three things humans lust over and the fact that he isn't moved by them is what makes him dangerous."
"Maybe I'm a fool, but shouldn't it be the other way around? If he doesn't want any of those things it means he can't be corrupted."
"You're misinterpreting it, Wang. I'll put it in a way you'll understand. What can the bureau offer someone who doesn't want anything? And if the bureau can't offer him what he wants, what's stopping him from wrecking havoc just because he felt like it." Before Cross finished speaking the director walked in and placed a folder on the table.
"That's enough idle talk," The director took her time to scan the room and make sure everyone was silent. "there's been an undead breakout by the port district."
"Then what are we doing here!? I'll go there immediately." Hale stood up, but the director held him up with a gesture.
"It's already been contained, I was just excusing myself for arriving late."
"Wow! You already took care of them? Just as expected from the boss!" Hawke, the self proclaimed top fan of the director, cheered waving his hands in the air.
"If that's not why you summoned us here then it can only be one thing." Cross murmured as he fell pensive and the director nodded.
"It's just what you suspect, we have a mole."