********

…..

…..

" " Speech,

' ' Thoughts,

…..

…..

"Pha!"

The sound of a slap filled the room, followed by a crash as a man fell to the ground, shattering the glass table beneath him.

"What is this? What's happening around me? Can you explain why we are losing our assets on a daily basis?" The old man's anger was palpable as he glared at the rows of lackeys standing before him, heads bowed in shame. One of the unfortunate few lay on the broken glass, the victim of his wrath.

"Why are you all so incompetent? Why am I wasting my support and resources on you if you can't produce results?" His voice rose as he spoke, his fury made even greater by the lack of excuses and explanations.

"Leave! Get out of my sight and find the person responsible for this mess, or else you'll have to answer to me with your heads!" The old man roared, his rage sending tremors of fear through the room.

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed as the lackeys hastily vacated the premises, their fate left to hang i