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The month went by like torture, but thinking about his paycheck kept Zac alive.
"Hey Zac!" Lonny's voice was heard behind Zac's back. Zac looked at him with a small smile.
Lonny chuckled and went towards him.
"Going to the chief's office?" Lonny asked.
"Yeah." Zac answered with a smile.
"Let's go together then." Lonny stated with a wide smile.
Zac nodded his head gently.
He didn't want to accept it, but he was tired. The whole month was like torture to him.
"You look a bit gloomy. You okay?" Lonny asked with concern while he stared at Zac.
"O-oh, yeah. Just a bit tired, that's all." Zac replied with a small smile, trying his best to hide the dissapointment.
Lonny nodded slowly. Zac knew that Lonny didn't buy anything and that Zac wasn't telling him the right thing.
They finally reached Christopher's office. Derick opened the door for both of them.
Zac noticed that a few of the detectives, that usually worked with Lonny were already present. All eyes were on them.

"Ah yes. Zac, is it?" Christopher asked tranquilly.

Zac was irritated on the inside but, nevertheless he nodded gently. Christopher gestured him to have a seat. He had a bunch of envelopes in his hands, which Zac figured, were paychecks. He immediately got excited.

Christopher gave Lonny his first.

"Wooh! Let's go to eat! It's on me." Lonny told the other detectives and they all laughed because of Lonny's cheer, while Christopher just smiled.

After all the detectives got their paychecks, it was time for Zac to get his. The detectives advanced to exit the door, with all of them discussing about the things they wanted to do with their paychecks. Christopher handed Zac's paycheck, and when Zac opened it up, he was dumfounded. It was so less!

"That's it?" Zac raised his voice marginally, making all the detectives stop at the doorway. Christopher just stared at him.

"Pardon?" Christopher asked placidly. Zac stood up gradually and stared at Christopher with dead eyes.

"I arrive here, at 4am, everyday! Go back home at 12 midnight! I hardly get enough sleep, as it is!  All for what?!" Zac yelled.
All of them stared at Zac at his sudden outburst. It was all silent.

Lonny immediately advanced towards Zac and held his arm, to prevent him from acting impulsive.

"Zac, buddy. Calm down." Lonny tried his best to cool Zac's temper.

"No! I'll say it!" Zac yelled and looked at Christopher again, who was just staring at Zac with no expression.

"Do you know how hard it is, to take care of a little brother, pay for his tuition, and to take care of a blind and old aunt?!" Zac yelled while all detectives were frozen in their places.

"Zac, snap out of it! What your doing isn't-" Lonny was pushed back a bit by Zac.

"Of course you wouldn't understand! Your Christopher Thorn! You wouldn't even care about the situation your subordinates are going through!" Zac yelled, with a mordacious smile, while he gestured towards Christopher. Zac threw the envelope on Christopher's desk out of anger.

Lonny rushed towards Zac again.
"Zac stop this!" Lonny raised his voice remotely.

Christopher raised his hand, to gesture Lonny to stop, without breaking eye contact with Zac.

"But sir-" Lonny was cut off.
"Let him speak." Christopher ordered with a deep voice, still keeping his attention on Zac.

Zac couldn't comprehend what was going on. His mind was blank from rage and anger, and after all that, guilt and regret. He regretted why he joined this firm in the first place, why he admired this 'devil' in the first place. He was lost. Everybody was waiting for him to continue, so, that's what he did.

"You seem to think that you can always gain superiority over others! You have to accept that this life will always be nothing but chaos, and there is nothing even 'you' could do about it!" Zac yelled while staring at Christopher. There was something about Zac's eyes and temper that showed something. Pain. Yes, that's what it showed.

"Nobody can live happily in this world! I haven't and I never will! This world is just an illusion for me and a game for you! If I'm wrong then start figuring it out!" Zac slammed his fist on Christopher's desk.

After Zac's yelling, it became very quiet. Nobody spoke. The detectives just stared at Zac and Christopher with wide eyes. Christopher, on the other hand, showed no expression and Zac, showed no remorse.
After a long time, Christopher broke the ice.
"Get out." Christopher said calmly.
Zac couldn't believe his ears.

"What?" Zac said blankly.
"There is no place here for unnecessary attitude. And there is certainly no place for a pathetic creature such as yourself." Christopher said in an even tone and turned his back to face the wall. His hands clasped with eachother behind his back. His back was facing Zac and all the others.

"Pathetic creature?" Zac scoffed.
"So that's what it is." Zac looked away. He was tired of yelling. He had no energy left in him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He wanted to say more, but he couldn't. He was tired and in too much pain. Not physical pain, but emotional.
Zac couldn't take it anymore. This was too much to bear. Zac sighed and started advancing towards the door.

"Don't come back tomorrow. Your fired." He heard Christopher's voice as Zac stood still at the doorway.
Zac looked back at Christopher with shock. After a few moments, he left without a single word.


"Sir, but-" Lonny tried to speak, but Christopher cut him off.

"Enough." Christopher raised his voice. Lonny stared at him with wide eyes, and sighed heavily. The detectives slowly started to leave one by one, Lonny left at the end.

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