Tyson and Bodhi went back to their apartments in the southern building, Marco on the other hand headed to the corporate western wing. The inside was much tidier than the others, it almost smelt like a hospital. With his certifications, Marco had almost full clearance to go wherever he pleased here, one of the few exceptions was the security committee boardroom. Near the back of the building, he approached fully steeled off double doors, flashing his badge at a camera in the corner. He was buzzed in and stepped inside.
The room was spacious, a few chairs lined up alongst a wall with a single plant in the corner. A single desk wrapped around a lady who was writing something down on a piece of paper. Her hair was in a tight bun with very light makeup, she fixed her glasses without looking up. "May I help you, Marco?" she asked as she scribbled. He cleared his throat and stood straight, "I'm here to see Daniel." She continued writing without glancing up, "Do you have an appointment?" Before he could answer, a click came from her desk, "Let him in." Spoke Daniel through the phone, finally she looked at him, pressing a button on her desk as a door that was on her left clicked.
Marco stepped through, one long corridor ran far down with multiple doors spaced far apart from each other, not too dissimilar to the void cruiser's chamber hall. He walked about halfway through, stopping by a door with a plaque, it read "Agent Daniel, Security Staffer." He raised his hand as if to knock but the door slid open.
Lyle, or the man in the red tracksuit, sat facing the door. Rather short, barely taller than Bodhi, he made up for his small size with a loud presence. His office chair reclined as he had his feet kicked up on his desk. The walls were covered with bookcases filed with portfolios and record keeping books. Two empty rolling chairs sat in front of the desk opposite to Daniel, he was tossing a ball back and forth between his hands. He had a wide smile across his face as he said "welcome! I was wondering when you'd arrive."
Marco rolled one of the chair backs, sitting down with his hands clasped at his lap, he frowned. Lyle extended his hands forwards, placing the ball on the desk and resting his hands flat on it. He opened his mouth, leaving it open while he came up with the words, "how is my dear friend Tyson doing?" His voice was low, almost as if he was lowering his tone on purpose. Marco winced as if in pain, "Oh, he's really shaken up after that beating you gave him."
Lyle smiled, opening wide and parting his teeth, he chuckled loudly as he leaned back on his chair, pointing his finger at him. The smile disappeared from his face as he opened his eyes wide, speaking in a monotone voice, "you're full of shit." He picked up the ball again, tossing it back and forth. Marco cracked his fingers and grabbed onto his chair as he spun it lightly with his feet. He felt as the room got colder and colder.
He raised his hands and shrugged, "Full of shit how?" Lyle stopped tossing the ball and leaned forward again. His chair creaked as he adjusted his stance. "We may both be handlers Marco, and you may have been here longer than me-" he tossed the ball, way above and past Marco. He dashed from his chair in an instant, so fast anyone without a trained eye would have missed it. The chair spun as he stood behind Marco, catching the ball with his hand high up as he lowered it to inspect it. "-but we both know I'm a step above."
Marco kicked the floor, turning the chair around. His hands still at his side as Lyle turned around. Lyle also turned around, placing his hands right in front of where Marco had his his on the armrest. He leaned in uncomfortably close, his face only a few inches from Marco's. He shook his head as he spoke, tilting it side to side, "I don't know what's up with your boy Tyson, but how I see it, he's not someone I can easily control." He stood straight again, and tossed the ball again in the direction of his chair, dashing back just as fast and catching it as he sat.
Marco didn't turn as Lyle sighed. "Arthur told me to keep an eye on you. Specifically 'your crew' and I believe I may have found the odd one out, am I right?" Marco turned only his head slightly, nodding slowly. Lyle smiled and stood up, tossing the ball into the air and catching it on the spot, "right then, now, it's one thing for a handler to have a security concern." He walked around the desk as he bounced the ball on the ground. "but it's another ballpark when ARTHUR of all people is concerned. After all, he's one of very few people here in port Arturo that has a higher authority than me." He leaned back on the desk as he stood behind Marco.
He stood up and turned to Lyle, nodding his head while looking down at him. Lyle scratched his forehead with the back of his hand and put the ball down. "I'll be keeping an eye on you, Marco. You can leave now." Marco saluted with his hand on his fist and began to walk towards the door. "Oh, one more thing-" Lyle said, "-hope you're all ready for your health evaluations." You could hear the smile in his voice. Marco finally stepped out, walking down the hall and outside of the lobby where the lady still sat by herself.
As he walked out to the courtyard, he duplexed Darren. "We need to meet, soon. We need to check the cruiser inventory."