NEW LIFE : A SECOND CHANCE

[Are you seriously going to give everyone you meet that killer aura from the start, brother?]

Kyle smirked as he answered [Saves time. Can't be bothered to always have to push myself up to prove myself to them. It's better to intimidate them first, then smash their faces down ... ]

[*cough* I mean, smash their egos down] Kyle corrected quickly.

[Yeah, rii-ight. I believe you meant the first one, brother]

[Well, okay, fine. I have to make as big an impact now. Let the word spread about it and it will make the rest easier to go through. Plus, it'll be easier for Zero's team to get things done]

[Noted. Zero confirmed that they'll be arriving tonight]

[Good. It'll be a good time introducing them to the rest, too ... but not the MIB part. Just their cover for now] Kyle said, feeling a little sad.

[Patience, brother. Patience. They'll understand once you tell them] Kay said, trying to comfort him as she felt the sadness he was feeling.

Kyle didn't answer, his attention seemingly focused on Charles who was busy introducing him. There was nothing that he could say now, could he?

"Now that you know who I am, let's start the presentation. Project A? You may begin," Kyle said as he looked at the first group.

There were four groups presenting that day, each with a time limit of 10 minutes. They had to pitch their ideas and a copy of their proposals was in front of each person at the meeting. There were also 10 minutes allocated for any questions from the floor.

Kyle looked back and gestured towards Sam, indicating with his hands to come over.

At the same time, he told Kay [Tell Sam to come and stand behind me - or anywhere he feels is the best position - to observe the expressions of everyone at the meeting while the presentations are going on]

Sam saw Kyle gesturing him to go over but just as he was about to get up, Kay stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder. She whispered to him Kyle's instructions and he nodded, not even wondering how Kay knew what Kyle wanted him to do.

It wasn't the first time it appeared like the twins could read each other's minds and he merely accepted it. In fact, he took it like they were two peas in a pod - they may have two separate bodies but were of one mind.

Sam reached Kyle and stood just beside him stoically, as he angled his body slightly so that he could see everyone at once. The ones he needed to observe were everyone other than Charles and Kyle, thus his location was perfect.

Sam took note of everyone's facial expressions and gestures while silently jotting down a few notes. He had his own shorthand system, so if anyone managed to get hold of his notebook, they would not be able to understand it. He didn't know why, but he had this nagging feeling like there were some people who would be extremely interested in his notes. Hence, he decided to act on his instinct and write in code.

As the first presenter was preparing, Kyle flipped through all of the proposals and had finished reading them by the time the first presenter started. As he listened intently, he also took note of everyone's expressions and listened to the questions posed.

In truth, Kyle already had identified the people in that room that would be fired. However, that was all based on the reports and data that he had studied. Kyle didn't want to make decisions based entirely on data, so he wanted to also confirm it with his eyes and evaluate them as to whether the analysis had been correct.

Kyle also wanted to test Sam's observational skills. If Sam was as good as Kyle pegged him to be, one part of his job would be easier - if Sam ended up working for him, that is. He could just delegate certain tasks to him.

As people droned on and on, it could be seen that Kyle's face was getting more and more unhappy. The pressure the people felt were getting stronger and stronger. However, he didn't direct his gaze towards anyone, in particular, thus sparing them a little. They could actually breathe.

For now.

Kyle was busy writing on the proposals in front of him while the presentation was going on. Due to the immense frightening aura that Kyle was radiating, no one thought that Kyle was jotting down notes of the presentation.

In fact, it felt like he was the Principal, grading their assessments. Or a warden, signing their death sentence. The room was silent, with only the voice of the presentor droning on getting shakier and shakier.

Ali and Xing Han were busy discussing the presentation, their heads close together.

"Am I the only one who feels that the standards of presentations are below par?" asked Xing Han with a frown.

"No, it really is badly done," Ali agreed, "It looks all impressive with their points and flowery speech but where's the risk factor? There is no such thing as any project not having some sort of liability. Why are they only pointing out the good points?"

Xing Han nodded, "I don't know about the figures, but it sure looks over-inflated to me. When something looks that good ..."

"It can't be good," finished Ali.

"Yet, no one is commenting on that," Kay said softly.

All three of them nodded.

"Kyle really doesn't look happy," Xing Han commented, "Look at that frown on his face.

Ali tried to scrutinize Kyle's face, "What frown? It's just his normal stone cold expression!"

"No, see - his eyebrows are getting closer together," Xing Han insisted and turned towards Kay, "Kyle's annoyed, isn't he?"

Kay nodded, "He'll blast off soon. Just like with Pauline, he's stocking up and counting."

Ali looked at Kay and Xing Han, then back at Kyle. He then leaned back on his chair. Okay, fine. He can't see it but he's not really bothered about it. Kay would know since she's the twin. Xing Han has always been highly sensitive - and possessive - about his BFF position so he tends to notice such stuff. Sam was highly observant so he most probably would have noticed it as well.

As for him? Didn't really matter if he couldn't catch these small hints and whatever of Kyle's mood. So long as he wasn't on the receiving end, alls good. It's enough that they got along and he could clown around with Kyle.

Finally, after over an hour of the voices droning on, the presentations were done. Throughout the entire time, Kyle did not say a word nor asked any questions, further cementing the belief that he didn't know what was going on.

Charles cleared his throat, glancing briefly at Kyle before addressing the rest.

"Now that it is all done," Kyle said in a rather low and hypnotic voice, "I'd like each and every one of you to put in front of you, the projects that you support. It can be one, it can be all, it can be none at all."

With that, everyone did as they were told. Each proposal was in their own distinctive file, so Kyle could see exactly which projects were being supported.

"Everyone done?" Kyle asked, twirling a pen in his fingers.

They nodded.

"All those who supported Project C, you are fired. Leave the meeting immediately," Kyle said.

Pin drop silence for a second before those who voted for Project C started to complain, their indignance and anger giving them the adrenalin rush to forget their fear of Kyle.

"What is this?! How can you say that?" one demanded, standing up.

"Yes, on what grounds do you have to make us resign?" another shouted, his face flushed.

"Project C has the highest number of people supporting it!" yet another pointed out.

Kyle smirked, snapped the pen in two and then slapped his palm on the table, silencing everyone immediately. The pen wasn't a cheap flimsy one either that could be snapped so easily like that!

"On what grounds do YOU have to support Project C?" Kyle asked back, his voice low, seemingly dripping with venom.

"It is riddled with inconsistent data, the profit projections are based on inflated prices and there is no market analysis of customer preference to the product!!"

"For you to actually support the Project can only mean one of two things. One, you are so incompetent that you only know how to be fooled by a rosy trumped-up presentation or two. You've been bribed."

"Either way, Company LV does not need such employees!"

With that last sentence, Kyle released his killer aura like a wave, spilling onto everyone in the room. "I am not here to play around. Either walk out or get thrown out."

Kyle turned to Charles and said, "Get security here. I have more purging to do."

Charles nodded and immediately called them up. Those that had been fired quickly got up to go, but one did turn around and say bravely, his voice shaking a bit, "I'll sue you for wrongful termination!"

"Please do, Mr. Ryan," Kyle said, "After all, I'd just LOVE to bring to light all the reasons I have in firing you. Oh wait. No, that's wrong."

Kyle paused for a second, "Why should I wait? You should be getting a notice soon. I advise you to lawyer up very soon."

Kyle's gaze fell on the others who were walking out, "That goes for all of you, too."

Of course, Kyle knew that with such warnings, the cleverer ones would most likely run away. He didn't care about that. He just wanted them to know that he knew about all the illegal activities that they had been doing in the company.

Kyle didn't care about the money that had been lost. A long-drawn-out battle in the courts didn't really achieve much. What was important was that they were cut out of the Company so that they couldn't do more damage. As long as they had not done anything to directly sabotage the company, he was willing to let them go.

After all, there was more than one way to get them to pay, which didn't involve the courts. Firing them and putting a black mark on them would be more than sufficient to make them suffer.

If they decided to fight though, Kyle will certainly make it that they are beaten down so badly that they can never get up again.