The office lay in shadow, crossed by thin slats of light slipping through the blinds. Neo stood in front of the desk, arms crossed, her gaze locked on Ross. Every muscle in her body was tight with tension.

Neo: "I can’t accept this decision. It’ll put my team in far too much danger."
Ross:"It’s a risk, yes… but a calculated one. None of your agents will come to harm if they follow their training."

Neo’s jaw tightened.

Neo: "They’re my agents, Ross. But they’re also people with lives, with families. Don’t talk about them as if they’re just pieces on your board. You can’t predict everything."

Ross raised a brow, almost amused.

Ross: "And isn’t that what you try to do every time you lead them? Predict the unpredictable?"

To anyone else, it might have seemed like a normal clash between two leaders. But to Neo, every word Ross spoke was a wall hiding something. Her boots clicked softly against the floor as she paced around the desk, eyes never leaving him.

Neo: "Strange, though. You always have an answer ready. Always seem one step ahead of whatever’s about to happen."

Ross gave a faint, tired smile.

Ross: "That’s just experience, Neo. I’ve been at this more than thirty years… That’s all it is!"
Neo: "No. It’s not just experience. You talk as if you already know what’s coming. As if you’ve seen it before, haven't you?"

Ross’s smile faded. Silence stretched, filled only by the faint hum of the city outside.

Neo: "It’s always the same with you. Ever since you appeared out of nowhere. Every time I think I’m close to uncovering something… it vanishes. Files erased. Witnesses gone. Traces wiped away. And somehow, you’re always nearby. Always."

Ross clenched his jaw, holding his calm.

Ross: "Not everything that goes missing is a mystery. Sometimes things just… get lost."

Neo tilted her head, a cold smile touching her lips.

Neo: "Lost? How convenient. You don’t believe in coincidence, Ross. Neither do I."

Ross inhaled slowly, steadying his voice.

Ross: "Careful, detective… it isn’t what you think."

But Neo leaned closer, her bright green eyes cutting into his.

Neo: "You crossed the line the day you started talking to me as if you knew me better than I know myself."

Ross straightened slightly, trying to sound firm again.

Ross: "The truth is, Neo, you’re my best agent. And I… I only want to protect you."

Neo let out a dry laugh.

Neo: "Protect me? Call it whatever you like, but all I see is manipulation. You decide what I should know, and what I shouldn’t. You decide which parts of my life get to exist. Why?"

Ross stared at her with the heavy look of a disappointed father.

Ross: "You don’t understand what you’re saying..."
Neo: "Then make me understand. Who’s erasing my trail? Who wipes away every lead before I can reach it?"

Ross rose slowly, palms flat on the desk. The calm was breaking.

Ross: "Stop this… I’m telling you, stop now."
Neo circled the desk, her words sharp and relentless.

Neo: "Names, Ross. Who’s behind it? Why is it that every time I’m close to finding something, it’s already gone? What do you have to do with it?"

Ross’s breathing grew heavy, his knuckles white on the desk.

Ross: "Neo… don’t push this. You don’t know the consequences of what you’re asking."

The silence pressed down like a weight. Neo’s voice sliced through it.

Neo: "Who am I to you?"

Ross snapped. The words tore from him, raw and unguarded.

Ross: “You don’t know what the hell you’re doing! For God’s sake, stop it, Gloria!!”

Neo staggered back a step, her face stricken, her breath caught in her chest.

Neo: "…What did you just call me?"

Ross blinked, realizing the abyss he’d opened. He forced his tone low, searching for control.

Ross: "I said… stop chasing shadows that aren’t there."

But Neo’s eyes didn’t blink. The name echoed in her mind, each syllable seared into her skin like a word she couldn't erase.

I like it! that scene is golden! Is Gloria her name she was given as a child?

HOLY WOW
Poor Neo! You can feel the stress on both sides, with Ross trying to protect her from what's to come, and Neo determined to find out what it is he's hiding from her and to protect her friends. What a clash of interests... makes you wonder whether Neo will still trust him when he most needs her to!

And the implication that Neo might be able to remember parts of her 'previous life' if given the right information? Thrilling!!
I can't wait to see what drama arises! (call me a sadist but I do love a little pain and drama when it comes to peoples' OCs!)

usually my dyslexia and ADD stop me from reading long storys so i tryed to take my time and it was amazing! yet it did take me a few seconds to understand words haha.. its just me dont worry, good job! :thumbsup:

i knew what was gunna happen at the middle of the first comment

its really good chat 10/10

great story @sharp_eyed_detective