Chapter- 09

"Ryan, I am sorry! Please open your eyes. Please. . ."

Ethan's heart drops, seeing Ryan slump to the floor in a heap. With quick reflexes, Ethan catches him before he hits the ground, and lays him carefully against the wall of the elevator. Ryan's face is utterly wishy-washy.

"What should I do now?" Ethan's lips move silently as his mind races, lost in the inner turmoil of his thoughts. Mr. Haughty, deviates, runs his fingers through Ryan's hair. "Ryan, can you hear me? Ryan?"

There is no response from Ryan.

"Ryan, can you hear me?" Ethan asks, leaning over him— his own breathing slightly deepens. "Ryan, stop this joke already!!" 

The adult's pursuit in reviving his personal assistant are all held to be ineffective. Ethan's breath quickly escalates, shallow and taxing, "Ryan…I…" he huffs, "...can't breathe too," his elbow serpents, coiling Ryan's stagnant neck, "What the hell is this net…" words are pulped into Ethan's inevitable wheezes. 

The smoke is growing stronger per passing minute, Ethan goes all out one more time to reach the rescue personnels at his office— to no absolute luck!

"My last hope…" his breath rasping in his throat, Ethan dials 911.

"Hello? Yes, Ethan Sm–" another croak cuts the man off, he is really groping with the air to survive, "Ethan Smith speak…ing. Trapped. Elevator. Come fast. Smoke, smoke…" the phone plops on the floor— Ethan's pride shutting off.

The paramedics, without purposeless dilly-dallying, crop up, at a flash, in sequence with the bundle of firefighters. 

One by one, in successfully the angels clothed in orange, evacuate the two stranded men— few intermediate workers fostering to Ethan's requirements, immediately equipping the ravenette with an oxygen supply. 

As opposed to his boss, Ryan is still stuck in the anonymity of a blackout. The paramedics are affording their services especially with glutting care, for Ryan. Two of the Emergency Medical Technicians lift up Ryan, and replace him on a stretcher, "Don't worry, Mr. Smith. He is still breathing. His pulses are indeed very weak, but there is nothing to worry about."

Ethan's eyes twitch, with a narrowed smile he nods, adjusting and re adjusting the oxygen mask, to breathe snugly with its strap looping over Ethan's head.

"Then, we will take him for treatment, sir," they push the stretcher at a greater distance farther. . .

The remaining EMTs are massaging Ethan's back, the latter gazing patiently at Ryan being taken away— his palm balls into a taut fist.

-

He sits up in an unfamiliar room, taking in his surroundings. All of the walls are painted a pale peach colour, and the furniture are sleek and modern. A large window is hanging on one wall— okay, Ryan identifies the room now, and it is not really 'unfamiliar' in that sense. 

The brunette's eyes slowly flicker open, when he tries to piece together all the events. His head is in a throbbing tunnel and Ryan's memory may be fuzzy, but not completely blank. He shifts lightly, wincing as he feels the pounding ache in his temples, with no clue of dissipating anywhere. 

Through the haze, Ryan notices a figure sitting on a nearby couch, by the bed, typing away on a laptop. It only takes him a few seconds to recognize his boss, Ethan. Ryan sits up abruptly, a churning growing at his stomach by the second. 

"Mr. Haug– I- I mean sir?" Ryan fumbles to fetch the right words, his voice groggy. "What am I doing here? Why am I in your bedroom?" 

"Mr. Miller, you are awake?" Ethan turns to face Ryan, casting him a look of concern. "The paramedics asked me to let you rest for an extended period. They told me there was nothing to worry about, but you just needed to rest in a comfortable, cool, relaxing atmosphere."

"You could have sent me to my home, sir," Ryan says, feeling embarrassed and bewildered. "Or you could have simply called my brother, Lillian. I know he would have come here right away, to pick me up."

Ethan waves a hand dismissively. "Mr. Miller, that would have been too much work for both of us. Just take it easy for a bit. You scared me for a moment there." 

"Scared?" Ryan echoes, sewing his brows. Ethan's comment only accumulates to his confusion— "You should say 'worried', not 'scared'."

"Is there a difference?" Ethan replaces his position, swivelling in his vinyl seat, deserting the laptop lolling on the couch— "Mr. Miller…"

"Hm?"

"I am sorry."

Ryan heaves a sigh, "Maybe things could have been better, if you listened to me."

"I know. And I am sorry because of that," Ethan releases a deep breath of resignation, "Fine! I was worried."

"For me?" Undoubtedly, Ryan is making a concerted effort to provoke a reaction from his boss, akin to rousing a fierce lion from its tranquil slumber. "Or for yourself?"

Ethan allows Ryan's words to seep into the core, "Look, Mr. Miller, we haven't got the time for this, if you are feeling better, we should probably get back to work! We have a lot to do."

"There goes your concern, huh?" Ryan grumbles, "Nothing unexpected, though!"

"Come on, get back to work and stop complaining already! I can see you're very fine," Ethan smoothly began gathering the folders and grabbing his coat, discreetly motioning for his Personal Assistant to accompany him into the office, "Get up. That's an order!" With purpose in his stride, Ethan made way towards the exit, anticipating his PA to tail his lead. 

"Hold on," none less than an audacity, Ryan talks against his superior, mustering up the bravery, "The elevator mishap was kind of…kind of strange."

"Of course it was!! What do you mean?"

"No. You misunderstand. What I am trying to convey is that the incident felt incredibly forced," Ryan's gaze darkens as he speaks, "Almost as if it was artfully created," the brunette's voice brims with a foreboding undertone.

Ethan barks out in frustration, "What is the matter with you? Cease these strange remarks and proceed to the workplace. No more words!"

"Fine! Fine!" Ryan surrenders, meekly falling in line behind his boss like one forlorn canine, "But…take time and reflect on it, why of all days, exactly today the Emergency personnel just had to be absent?" 

"I said no more questions!!" Ethan races up the staircase with Ryan tailing closely behind, his objections stifled. 

Upon navigating the final stair, Ethan and his assistant are seized by a throng of employees, their comments ranging from anxiety, to apprehension, to even pity in fact—

"Ryan? I got so worried, hearing about what happened!!" One male individual, one of Ethan's employees, distressed by the news and visibly shaken, closes in on the brunette, attempting to hold his hand and give it a gentle squeeze, "I was so worried about you."

"Yes I am fine. Thank you for yo–"

"Enough!!" A baritone blast emanates from Ethan, of course in a single day, he was straying too much— "Resume your works immediately, and don't bother Ryan, kindly desist from hovering around him! He has only recently recovered, do not overwhelm him with your stupid care. Get back to work! NOW!" He announces, while the onlookers disbands with mixed feelings about their overseer, like a herd of scurrying ants. The two companions then make their way past the glass sensors' range, flanked by Ethan's associate, Mr. Miller. 

Ethan waves towards the only chair across, his voice taut with urgency, "Please, have a seat," he insists.

Ryan complies, sinking into the seat as their surroundings masks them from unwanted eyes and eavesdroppers.

"So…not only you are unpunctual, forgetful and clumsy, but you also have the audacity to lie to your temporary boss?"