Title: Best Served Cold
Author: Rhyssa Fireheart
Characters: Rob Lucci, Angelina (OC), Spandam
Pairings: None at this time
Fandom: One Piece
Rating: K
Prompts: None, but word limit was 1000 words total.
Disclaimer: Don’t own it, never will. Just like to play around with it in my mind.
Sitting at her desk, the Assistant Director for Cipher Pol tried to ignore the indistinct voices yelling outside her office. After several exchanges, silence descended until a knock on her door. Her secretary stepped into the office, deftly sliding the door closed behind her and blocking out the other person outside.
“He’s back again, ma’am. Do you want me to send him away?” she said briskly.
“Actually, I’m ready to see him today, Rose. I have an answer.”
“Then I’ll send him in now.” She turned and opened the door, striding out to confront the man pacing around the waiting room like a maniac. “The Assistant Director will see you now, Mr. Spandam. Please go on in…” Her final words were cut off as he strode past her and slammed the door behind him.
“Finally! Why haven’t I been given another team? I shouldn’t be wasted here at HQ.” He slapped his hands down on her desk, scattering papers onto the floor. The Assistant Director sat back in her chair, looking quietly at the partially masked man before her.
“Spandam, as I’ve told you previously on multiple occasions, the Director hadn’t found an appropriate posting for someone of your… talents.” She paused for a moment, as if trying to gather her thoughts. “However, a new position is now available and the Director agrees that it would be perfect for you.”
“Excellent! Just tell me where my squad is and I’ll take over,” he crowed in delight.
“No, I don’t think you understand.” The Assistant Director sat back in her chair and clasped her hands together. “You will be reporting to another Cipher Pol unit as a member of the team; you won’t be in charge of the team yourself.”
“WHAT? You can’t demote me like this! I’ll have my father speak to the Director about this insult!” He tried to say more but instead slipped on a fallen piece of paper and fell flat on his back. “OW! Owowowow! My back!”
The assistant director simply watched without expression as he levered himself off the floor and into a nearby chair. He spent several moments shifting and twitching and moaning about his back before she’d finally had enough of his nonsense. Without warning, she lifted the cane next to her chair and slammed it down across the desk, pointing it in his direction.
“Mr. Spandam! Behave yourself! I’m trying to tell you about your new assignment, but if all you want to do is complain then you can do so as part of another organization. Cipher Pol doesn’t need members like that.”
“But, but… I was the leader of CP-9 and my father….” He started to whine.
“If I recall correctly,” through the door she faintly heard ‘You do!’, “your father isn’t particularly well liked by the Director, so invoking his name does you no good here. And I think you should hear exactly what the position is before you go crying to your father.” She gave him a stern glare.
“Fine,” he said sulkily.
“Good. Now, I’m sure you’ve heard of our CP Aegis Zero unit and in fact, we have a new member who just recently joined. Each squad member is allowed to organize a team of subordinates reporting directly to them and he’s expressly requested you be part of his team. If that is acceptable to you, then I will complete the paperwork and for you to meet him today.”
“A member of CP Zero wants me on his team? Oh yes, that is definitely acceptable to me! I’m honored really!”
“Then we’ll meet again in… hmmm… say an hour and a half in the Seaside Room. Please don’t be late.”
“I’ll be there! Thank you! And thank you to the Director for approving this!” He practically danced his way out of her office, pleased that he’d been assigned to the premier unit in Cipher Pol, a unit even more feared and renowned than CP-9 had ever been. With a sigh, she started signing the paperwork necessary for the assignment.
“Ma’am, The package you’ve been waiting for has arrived and your next appointment is in fifteen minutes.”
“Thank you, Rose. I’ll take it with me.”
She tucked the small box under her arm before limping down the corridor, cane tapping on the stone floor. Arriving at the room where her next meeting was, she didn’t bother knocking and entered the room quietly. The tall man standing in front of the full-length mirror was being fitted with a white suit, the tailor straightening the coat sleeves and assessing the fit. Once the man saw she had arrived, he dismissed the tailor with a curt word and that man gathered his tools before bowing himself out of the room silently.
“Hmm, I think I prefer you in black.” She paused to set the package on a side table, leaning her cane against the chair and walking over to where he stood. She smoothed open the collar of his shirt over the lapels of his jacket. “But you do look very good in white.”
He reached up to take her hands, holding them in place against his chest. “How did your meeting with him go?”
“It went perfectly. He accepted without even questioning why someone would ask specifically for him. In fact, I’ve set up a meeting with him today in about thirty minutes, if that’s fine with you.”
“That’s fine, but I’m surprised the Director agreed to this.”
“He was quite amused when I explained your request to him. I think he feels it’s the perfect justice, after all.”
“Oh, it is. Ready to head to the meeting?”
“Yes, it’s in the Seaside Room,” she said, grabbing her cane. “I have something for you, by the way.”
“The mask finally came?” he said, taking the package and holding the door open for her. “Thank you for finding it for me, Lina.”
“You’re welcome, Rob. Now, let’s go introduce Spandam to his new boss.”