Chau looked on in admiration, twirling a twinkling brick of Ira between his fingers under the ornately dispersed lights within his huge conference room. An oblong table sat in the center of the dimly lit space. Armed guards sunk into the walls around massive room, blending in with the shadows. Chau sat at the opposite end of the table, the outside neons of the city creating a silhouette of the man at the other end.

  “What do you want from me?” I cleared the air after many moments of silence.

  Chau looked on, entranced by the piece of Ira, that may have been created in part by the body of his former associate.

  “Rebirth...” Chau spoke up, after an awkward pause. “Restoration. Re-purpose. All words with similar intent...yet some...mean more.” He placed the piece of Ira delicately onto the table in front of him and twirled around in his chair to look out on the city beneath him.

  “I get it,” I responded, annoyance dripping within my tone.

  “You are not one who appreciates the word,” Chau said, with a laugh. “Spoken nor written.”

  “I appreciate how few words can mean more,” I fired back.

  “Hmm...” Chau nodded. “Perhaps you are right.” He rose to peer out the grand window at the city-scape below. “Or perhaps slight deviances in verbiage lead to a greater understanding. A greater meaning. Words paint images with broad strokes, or delicate finishes. They are what our entire universe operates on. The stars in the sky. Our moons. The orbit we are ourselves on. Everything has a word. Everything has its place.” He stood in silence for a moment. “What is your place?” He turned to stare upon me, the white of his eyes cutting through the darkness. “What is the word that represents you?”

  If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

  I sat silent, trying to hold down my contempt for Chau and his stature, gritting my teeth complacently.

  “Ah...” Chau smiled, seeing through me. “Hunger.” He slowly rounded the table, walking towards me. “That is something we both share. A simple word to describe an ideal. The desire for more...despite the difference in our standing. While, you may hunger for a better life...I hunger for something different. Do you know what that is?”

  I glared at him. “You already have everything you could ever want.”

  Chau scoffed. “No, my dear. I hunger for change.” He closed on me and took a nearby seat. “There are those operating this city that look to bleed it dry. To commandeer it without care for those at the bottom.”

  “And you want to change that?” I said, in disbelief.

  “You may not believe me...but it is true.” Chau said. “There are many opposed to me, who seek to keep others as far from the light as possible. Tis election season soon enough. A dirty business it can be. Yet,” he winked, “with some unique skills, perhaps we can level the field.”

  I remained silent, hearing what he was implying.

  “A rising tide lifts all ships. Yours included.” His eyes widened, as if they glowed with the feverish excitement for potential that he was leading me on with. “There is no telling how high they may go,” he smiled, his thin lips stretching the length of his face tightly.

  I sat quiet for a moment longer, before rising abruptly and putting Chau’s guards on edge.

  I stood tense for what felt like a lifetime.

  “Selene...”I looked into his eyes, steadying my voice with firmness. “Selly.” I quickly corrected myself.

  Chau smilled. “Well met, Selly,” he said, rising himself and extending a hand. “Call me Raife.”

  I hesitated before shaking it.

  Raife grinned darkly. “I look forward to a very fruitful partnership.”