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A bony finger stabbed the bright, flashing red button, as if it had offended her greatly. The speaker crackled to life and static hummed along with the disapproving voice.
“Mediocre,” The lady hissed, her mouth pulled into a grim, taut line. “Put more of your body weight into it.”
“I. Am. Trying.” Growling through his clenched teeth, the boy swung his fist backward before slamming it into the metal, hearing the satisfying groan from the android. It collapsed in a heap, spread out in front of him vulnerably, like a prey offering itself to its predator. For a moment, the boy bent down to inspect his handiwork: a nice dent in the titanium where his knuckles had collided with. Lifting his left feet up, he brought it down on the android’s face.
He looked up at the lady for further instructions, knowing that the sickening crunch was all the confirmation he needed. “Happy now?”
Behind the glass, the lady folded her arms, her hair arranged in a neat, tight bun, as if she had been born with that hairstyle. “I do not like your tone, Preston.”
“I do not like your tone, Preston.” The boy mimicked, scrunching his mouth up disrespectfully. “My name is Quinn.”
The lady untangled her arms and brought them to her temples, massaging them. Curse my luck for presenting me such a disagreeable and headstrong child.
“How did I do?” Quinn demanded impatiently, tapping his foot on the cement, his arms akimbo.
The lady regarded the boy furiously, responding coolly, “Need you ask?”
“Duh,”
“Do not expect an answer from me, if you continue to display such arrogance, boy.”
“Fine. Would you please tell me how well I performed?” Quinn implored with false humility, retrieving his towel from the corner of the containment unit.
Following a brief silence, the lady snapped, “Don’t let your hopes up on being chosen as an Alpha. That was a pathetic excuse for a training session. I expect better results in future. Now get out of my sight!”
Slinging the damp towel over his shoulder, Quinn punched a code into the keypad beside the steel door. It slid open and the boy sauntered out, “Thanks for nothing, old lady!”
She could hear her teeth gnash together, eroding whatever was left of her enamel after her previous sessions with that insufferable child. Such impudence!
It was not to be tolerated. Absolutely not.
“The boy may be rude, but he is good. We should consid-“
“Mr Collins, I do not recall asking for your opinion.” The lady interrupted sharply, her piercing gaze causing the stout man beside her to shrink back even shorter than he already was. “The decision is mine and mine to make alone. You will give your views only when you are asked, otherwise you are…?”
“A s-silent observer, l-lady M.” The man stammered, clasping his sweaty hands together tightly.
“Am I clear on that subject?” She barked.
“Crystal,” Mr Collins gulped, scurrying out of the room as soon as the lady waved her hand in dismissal. He had learnt his lesson. You only speak when you are spoken to, by a formidable lady such as M.
M stood quietly, looking into the empty containment unit and scrutinised the android. She wanted to declare the boy as a terrible fighter, nothing exceptional.
But such an admission on her lips would be a lie.
What really bothered and irked her, was that the boy knew it. And he knew that he stood on a higher platform than her.
The woman’s lips twisted into a frightening smile.
Time to change that.
