Work Text:
When Athene Margoulis wanted to concentrate on something, it was incredibly hard to distract her. She would immerse herself entirely in the task at hand. You could play a trash metal band concert recording next to her, hold a school orchestra rehearsal, or even have an Italian wedding celebration — she wouldn’t bat an eye. It was this unwavering focus that made her such a splendidly indispensable employee.
That's why Athene was taken aback when the loud voice of Sarif, emanating nearby, caused her to look up from her report in surprise, her gaze directed towards the door leading to the boss's office.
"This is not up for discussion, Adam! We're not in a brainstorming session! I gave an order, your job is to execute it!"
Athene sighed and shook her head in disapproval. When, fifteen minutes earlier, the brooding chief of security Adam Jensen had marched into Sarif’s office, she instantly knew trouble was brewing. And when the ever-pleased Francis Pritchard emerged from the office, leaving David and Adam alone, it became crystal clear that yet another quarrel was on the horizon. "Issues with recognizing authority," that seemed to be the exact phrase in the boy’s file.
But what struck her as odd was the fact that she inadvertently became a witness to their altercation. After all, Sarif’s office was fully soundproofed.
Taking a closer look at the door, Athene noticed it was slightly ajar, perhaps the width of a finger. It seems Pritchard hadn't closed it tightly when he left.
"The law doesn’t bend," came the raspy voice of the chief of securitt. "Rules are the same for everyone. If you want something from the Police Department, there are already procedures and requests established for that..."
"Would you look at him, thinking he can school me! When I want to get lost in the mire of bureaucracy and bury an issue under a mountain of pointless paperwork, I'll be sure to come to you for advice!"
"Boss, think about it: what happens if someone finds out exactly how we got that information? There's something called reputational risks..."
"Are you kidding me, Adam? You suddenly became a PR expert and decided to give me a crash course? Wait, just let me find a pen and a notebook! How do you juggle it all? It's truly astonishing!"
Athene quietly chuckled to herself: when Sarif got angry, he'd shower his opponent in zingers as if he was shooting from an AK-47. In such moments, it wasn’t wise to provoke him further. It was better to find a point of agreement with him, de-escalate the tension, and then gently try to sway him to your side. Charging head-on was never the solution.
But Adam wouldn’t be Adam...
"Then write it down!" he snapped back, "because you clearly forgot! The police security audit happens once a year. And it’s not done by some self-taught hackers like our Pritchard, but by national-level experts. Now imagine what will happen when they find the bug! And they will find it, make no mistake about that, and then..."
Athene frowned and shook her head. It was a good thing she was alone in the reception area right now; this information was clearly not intended for outsiders. And perhaps not even for her.
"Don't sidetrack!" David exclaimed. "What the hell are you talking about with security audits? I said to hack the home computer of the Department head, not the work one! Are you even listening?!"
"It doesn’t matter. If you need information, there are a million ways to get it."
"But this is the fastest way! Maybe you've forgotten, Adam, so let me remind you: the future of all augmented people is at stake, so push your scruples aside and do as I say!"
"Everything is always 'at stake' with you, even if it's just a trip to the grocery store! Where's the proof? Where's the evidence that the actions of the Detroit Police Department head are in any way a threat to us?"
"That proof is exactly what I want you to get!" David shouted, becoming increasingly agitated. "Are you trying to get a rise out of me on purpose?"
"I refuse to break the law, Mr. Sarif," Adam responded calmly. "Rules exist to maintain order. The moment you start walking all over them, you slide into complete anarchy."
Athene smiled. The boy was an idealist, and she found that quite endearing.
But clearly, David didn’t.
"Naïve!" he shouted. "Infuriating! Intolerable! Stupid..."
And then there was silence.
Athene furrowed her brow, glancing at the door which remained ajar. The sudden silence was unsettling, she would have been less surprised by the sound of shattering glass or the thud of objects thrown against a wall.
She quietly rose from her chair, approached the door, and peeked inside.
Adam stood by the window, gripping the lapels of David's waistcoat, pressing him against the glass and kissing him passionately. David responded with equal enthusiasm, wrapping his hands around Adam's head, fingers tangled in his coarse hair.
Athene snorted. She had been friends with David since their college years, but she knew very little about his personal life: he never flaunted it, always staying in the shadows. However, Athene had always suspected: after all, David was a very meticulous, energetic, goal-oriented man, and the fact that he hadn't married or had children by the age of fifty-seven seemed quite peculiar.
At least now it was clear why the attempts of their mutual friends to set him up with numerous sisters and nieces never succeeded.
In the meantime, Adam pulled away from David's lips and, breathing heavily, pressed his forehead against David's.
"I’m not doing it," he said in a hoarse voice, "I'll try to negotiate with one of the escorts working at 'Miss Pompadour.' The Head of the Department often visits there."
"A honey trap, Adam?" David raised an eyebrow. "What about your favorite rules?"
"Technically, it's not breaking the law."
"I love your double standards policy," David smirked and pulled him close again.
Athene didn't watch any further — she quietly closed the door and sat back down at her desk, pretending to be engrossed in something very important and demanding her full attention. In reality, her mind was far from work. She was itching to discuss what she'd seen with someone, maybe write a letter to an old friend who had moved to Europe closer to her children ten years ago. Athene usually kept David's secrets as if they were her own, but they had no mutual acquaintances with Margie.
"I need to go," Adam's voice came from the office again.
"You do that," David replied hoarsely, clearing his throat. "I hope you come back with good news. And Adam? Next time, just do as I ask."
"We'll see," Adam replied cheekily and a few moments later walked out of the office with a determined stride. When he reached Athene's desk, however, his confidence seemed to diminish. He stopped in front of her, looking down like a mischievous schoolboy.
"Athene," he said. "I would be very grateful if no one in the company finds out what you just saw here."
"And what did I see?" Athene asked calmly, not taking her eyes off the monitor.
Adam nodded approvingly and headed for the elevator.
Meanwhile, Athene opened an incognito tab, logged into her personal email, and started a new blank message.
"Dear Margie! You won't believe what I found out today..." she began.
After all, Adam had said "no one in the company."