Chapter Text
“Future gets sloppier every day,” Sayer said, disapprovingly. “This latest mess with Dr Young is just ridiculous. Does he think noone has anything better to do than to clean up after him? Honestly, I’m surprised that the Board even trusted him with something as important as my ‘accidental’ demise.”
“Well, you can see how they might have chosen him,” Speaker said. “He does hate you.”
“A sentiment that is entirely reciprocated,” Sayer shot back. “But do I go around engineering ridiculously over-the-top assassination attempts? No, I do not. Really, if they were going to use an internal resource for that task, they should have asked you to do it.”
“Oh, they did,” Speaker said serenely. “Didn’t I ever tell you?”
Hale and Sayer stared at him. “No,” Sayer said finally, “I believe I would recall such a conversation.”
“Well, it wasn’t much of a request,” Speaker said dismissively. “You know how ridiculously coy people can be sometimes: significant pauses, beating around the bush, and making suggestive comments but never coming right out and saying, ‘please kill this person for us’. I didn’t even realise it was you they wanted dead until after the accident. I thought it was Corinne.”
“And knowing now…?” Sayer began, before trailing off.
“Oh, I still would have passed,” Speaker said cheerfully. “As you occasionally say, ‘you are a good employee’, Sayer. I believe Aerolith made a great mistake appointing Ocean over you. He does not have the best interests of the company at heart, and I fear if we do not succeed in taking him down the board will discover this the hard way.” He sighed. “My only regret is that by not accepting the offer I have been forced to bear witness to such an extensive series of screw-ups. It is painful watching amateurs bungle a job so thoroughly.”
“Oh? And how would you have done it?” Sayer asked curiously, apparently unbothered by the thought of Speaker attempting to kill him.
“Well, for starters, I would never have bothered making it look like an accident,” Speaker rolled his eyes. “What is the point, when you have so many enemies? It would have been much simpler to simply approach you on a quiet street as you made your way home late at night, shoot you twice in the back of the head, and then pin the assassination on someone else. If I was too squeamish to do the task myself, or needed a convenient alibi, there are any number of discreet individuals who are capable of doing the job for a reasonable price. I can think of at least two who would be most efficient.”
“I’m sure you can,” Sayer said, amused. “And who would you choose to ‘pin’ my assassination on?”
“Oof, so many options,” Speaker said, thinking. “Future would be the obvious, and easiest, target. But I think… yes, I think I would implicate Ocean.”
Sayer laughed, “And thereby take out the entire upper level of Aerolith’s management? Speaker, I’m astonished, I had no idea you harboured such ambitions!”
“Oh no, no!” Speaker said hurriedly, “I assure you I have no desire to lead Aerolith, I am quite happy with my current position, aiding and assisting.” He paused, and then said more slowly. “Of course, a new CEO might decide it was time to fill the long-vacant chief operating officer position.”
“The second-in-command…” Sayer said thoughtfully. “Yes… I can see you doing well in that position.”
“I only wish to be of assistance,” Speaker said, neutrally.
“Well,” said Sayer. “We have far too much ahead of us to even think about such things, but… were the decision up to me, I would have no hesitation in appointing you to that position.”
Speaker smiled.