The man's eyes darted left and right thoughtfully. His small frame made him look comical as his chest heaved with each breath.
"Indeed, I wish to succeed, so I won't allow myself to die before that. However, if you disobey me, we all die together!" He laughed, as if anticipating her response.
After laughing, he returned to his chair, crossing his legs and leisurely sipping his tea. "All right," he said, "stop wasting my time with idle chatter. Mike told you much, but I advise you both not to get ahead of yourselves. You are no match for us."
"Us?" Lily raised an eyebrow.
"Surprised? You knew long ago we're an organization, not just me," he shrugged indifferently. "Lily, tell me. Have you made any progress?"
He propped his elbow on the desk, leaning forward and resting his chin on his clasped hands. The posture looked awkward on him.
"Nope," Lily replied readily. "The task you've given me has nothing to do with your ultimate goal. I have no idea why you're wasting my time. As you said, we're on a tight schedule. Shouldn't you hand me the task that truly matters? You're the one stalling."
The man laughingly shook his head, waving a dismissive finger. "No, no, no! Every project is important; each serves a different purpose. For example—"
"For example, numbing nerves and causing someone to lose their volition? Or letting a virus invade human bodies and using the immune cells to attack the victims?" Lily interjected.
The man's open mouth closed in a meaningful smile. He spread his arms wide. "See? I knew we were on the same wavelength. You know very well what we're trying to do!"
Lily refrained from voicing her sarcastic retort. "Since I do, then let me handle the toughest project. You have my help, so let's not waste my time on other projects."
The man sized her up solemnly and nodded. "All right! But you must complete the task under the supervision of my man."
Lily glanced at Mike. "Him?"
"Him?" The man chuckled. "He doesn't count. I've found you a good assistant who can surely help you with the task."
He clapped his hands gently. Footsteps sounded, and both Lily and Mike turned to see who was approaching.