Meeting after so long!!!

The announcement was made very formal. A lot of blah... blah... was there and when finally the important thing came, Jerika closed her eyes to be prepared for the thing she had been waiting for so long.

"I happily announced Dr. Antoine Mark to be our new Project Head" the announcer said. Jerika wished that she could break the announcer teeth with which he was smiling after breaking such a bad news for her and she could have done that if she did not planned to stay on the project after the announcement too. The project was still there and she wanted to work on it… she needed to continue to work on it if she wanted to fulfill her goal but here she was still struggling to make her way into the project even after she worked so hard for it.

Everything was finished for Jerika. She did everything she was suppose to do for this job but still she failed in the thing which was the need of her life. All the hard work was ruined. Everybody clapped for the new Project head and Antoine smiled looking around. His gaze stopped when his eyes fall on Jerika. Jerika was already looking at him and the duo stared at each other for some moment and then Antoine lowered his gaze and then smiled to himself.

After the formal announcement, the time was to celebrate and there was a small party afterwards. Jerika was not in the mood to go in the party.

"Ma'am… what are you doing here? Don't you think we should go?" Martin asked Jerika. He knew that Jerika was upset because of the announcement. He knew that her boss really worked hard for the job but still she was not given the prize she deserved. Martin was feeling bad for Jerika and he knew that Jerika carry her sentiments and emotions too close to her. She easily surrenders herself to her pain and to her emotion and withdraws herself from all others. Martin had worked for Jerika long enough to know her character and her weakness. Martin knew that Jerika was the only woman working in the station and that was disadvantage for her because when at work place only men are present then it becomes difficult for any woman to work fairly but Jerika was still working with everything inside her and struggling for fair stance at the station and within the project. It was obvious to feel bad but that does not allow you to take your back from the real things.

"Where do you think we should go?" Jerika asked. Jerika knew where this conversation will go. She knew that Martin was concerned for her and for him too. This project was important for him too but Jerika knew that not going to that useless party will be the best thing to do. Jerika had a feeling that not going to that futile thing will be best for her and for the peace of her mind.

"To the celebration hall" Martin said. He knew that Jerika did not like the things Martin was saying but it was for her own good too and partially for him too. That project was important for him too and he was on the project until when Jerika was o it. If somehow she gets away from it so he has to so it was very important for Jerika to hold on to the project no matter what and Martin needed to ensure the same thing.

"No Martin… I will go to home… I am very tired and I think I need rest and a good long sleep" Jerika said to Martin. She knew that Martin will not let her go so easily but she only wanted to go. Jerika knew that Martin was really good with words and he will soon say something which will somehow persuade her to go to the party she did not want to go.

"It does not matter ma'am who is the Project head. The project is still in your hands" Martin said and he was right but it was still not enough for Jerika to persuade and Martin saw that in her eyes and in her smile.

"I do not think so" Jerika smiled and said. It was nice of Martin to try but it will not work so easily. He cannot persuade Jerika to go so easily.

"Ma'am… working in this project was the first thing you wanted and when you were selected for this project, you yourself said that you wanted nothing more than that remember" Martin said. He tried to give Jerika reason but Jerika was not ready to listen she had a past with Antoine Mark which was unknown to Martin so it was fine for him to say that the project was important and all the other thins but the project head was an archenemy to Jerika. He betrayed her in the past. He was nothing but a big liar to her and she had no desire to face him and to congratulate him for the things he did not deserve and Jerika was sure that all the success he was getting was because he stole it from someone else. Someone Jerika knew… someone who was close to Jerika and to Antoine too in the past but then Antoine showed his true colors and everything was ruined. Jerika will never forgive Antoine for what he did to her and to that man. She was not there because she had no choice but she chose it to be her only choice.

"Yes… but things are different now" Jerika said. Jerika could not explain to Martin how things were different but Martin was not going to give up and Jerika knew it so Martin continued.

"But the project is same and it is still the work you wanted to work on. It is one of the life times opportunities… please… do not give up" Martin said.

"I am not… I am not… I am not giving up on this project… I am just not in the mood to attend the party" Jerika tried to explain Martin and she wished that he will let her go and not continue this conversation but Martin was in no mood to back off.

"It will not reflect well upon the management if you will not come" Martin asid and this time Jerika knew that he made a valid point. The management was monitoring Jerika and Jerika knew it. She noticed that the changes occurring in the station and she knew that somehow it was all connected. Someone was keeping a close eye on each and everything and reporting to the management. It will surely not reflect well if she refuses to go to the party. It was not just the party for management but a celebration in management's eyes and management like controls. Not going to the party will simply could be taken as a disregard to the management decision and Jerika did not want to fight unnecessarily.

"You know what you should be my boss… look at you trying to order me" Jerika said mockingly. She was just joking but looking at Martin's face it was evident that he was taking it in the wrong way and Jerika did not know how to take her words back she just said.

"I am suggesting the things for your benefit ma'am. I am sorry if you thought that I order you" Martin said. He apologized because he thought that he was not speaking in correct manner and he somehow managed to offend his boss.

"Naahhh… I know you are right and I hate you for that. Okay!!! What could go wrong? It is a party… maybe it will cheer me up" Jerika said straitening things with Martin. Martin too relaxed on learning that Jerika was not angry on him for his adamant nature.

"Sure…" Martin said with a smile.

**********

Jerika went to the celebration hall with Martin and Martin gets busy with his lot. Jerika tried to avoid Antoine as much as she can but when she was alone to grab a drink for herself, he came into her direction. When Jerika noticed that she knew that it was too late to run away and now she has to listen to his stories and to his lies. Jerika drank the full glass in one go and she knew that it will hit her hard. Above that, she grabbed another glass of wine because she knew that she will not be able to handle Antoine without alcohol.

"I never expected to see you here after such a long time" Antoine said. Jerika looked at Antoine who was standing beside her, putting one of his hands in his pant pocked and grabbing a champagne glass on other. Jerika knew he was trying to bluff his position and his smile and his whole existence was false… Jerika's head was boiling with anger and her heart was thumping too fast. Jerika could feel her blood pressure growing up but still she tried to manage a straight face in front of the creature trying acting so nice in front of her.

"Congratulations Dr. Mark" Jerika said. Jerika congratulated the man with the only hope that it will drive the man away but he kept standing there to test Jerika's patience even more.

"Thank you Dr. Stoll. I can't wait to start working with you" Antoine said. Antoine was meeting Jerika after such a long time. They use to be very good friends earlier but then he went away because of word and his relocation and then they just lost the touch although he knew that Jerika was still upset about certain things happened in the past but there was a fact that no one can change the past and you need to move forward and let the things stay in the past as well. Antoine only hoped that Jerika would have forgotten her past too and she was too looking in the future then clinging to the past and its haunted memories.

"Well I cannot promise you anything" Jerika said and Antoine knew that Jerika had been still clinging to the past and it was not good for them and for the project too. They were going to work together. It will be better if there will be no differences and conflicts between them because that will make the work environment healthy and prosperous for them and for the sake of project too as Antoine knew that Jerika was incapable of controlling her emotions and holding them back for long. If the problems between then continues then surely it will lead to troubles between them in long run and it will also affect the project too and the project was very important to get ruined because of some stupid brawl.

"Jerika... please stop. You are getting me wrong. You have always got me wrong and you think that I am the villain but I am here to help you" Antoine said. Antoine wanted to clear his difference with Jerika and he wanted her to understand that whatever they were discussing was of no use as it was not important to debate on that topic anymore. Whatever happened… it is done… it was all in past and nothing can bring it all back. So what was the point in fighting over all that?

"You were not there to help me when I needed the most and never again try to touch me like that ever again. We are not friends Antoine and it has not been that long, it has been two years, twelve days and five hours. I know this clearly because this matter to me and I thought it mattered to you too but again I think we were again on dissimilar page and it looks like our differences never seems to cease trouble between us" Jerika said. Jerika could not believe that man in front of her was saying that he was her friend. What kind of friend was he? When she needed a friend the most then he was nowhere to found. He was not there to help her in fact he went away. He did not ask her once how she was doing and he did not bother to check on her and after two years he was acting like nothing big happened and she was making a deal out of it. It was no fair that he above all was belittling the problem when he was the cause of all.

"There were no differences before two years, what changed now?" Antoine asked. It seems like he was not getting Jerika's point or he does not intent to understand it. He was telling his story… his version of truth whereas Jerika was telling her version. Both were speaking about the same things but on different terms.

"You are asking me!!! I am the person I have always been but you are the one who changed somehow. You did something... something horrible, I know you did something you should not have done and we... many of us... I... you so proudly called as friend paid for it and you did not had guts to face me so the next thing you did was you ran away to the other continent on the planet" Jerika said. According to Jerika, Antoine was not just a bad friend but he was worst among all and she knew somewhere that he was hiding something… he has at fault… he definitely did something and that is why he ran away two years back but why did he came back now? Why now when Jerika was not expecting him to come back? Was it because of the project? What was going on that man's mind? Jerika was not sure of Antoine's intentions but she was sure that they will not be good for her.

"I was relocated" Antoine said. Antoine did not want to get into that conversation because he simply cannot. Jerika was asking for the things she should not and there was no point in discussing all that now. It was all in the past and they were living in present but looking at Jerika it was evident that she was still in past. Now hoe to bring her to the present? If Jerika kept asking same questions and thinking in the similar way then she will become a threat and a threat to the project is not taken cared very well. There were certain protocols and certain rules unofficially set to handle such situations and such people but Antoine did not want to use the same methods with Jerika. He simply did not.

"And so was your cell phone" Jerika said and Antoine let out a deep breath. Jerika was scratching each and every surface of the past. She was getting into the details now. Everything was still fresh in her mind. Antoine made a mistake in thinking that he can handle her. She was an impossible woman. She does not know how to let go of things. It will not prove to be good for her but how to explain that to her.

"My number changed" Antoine said. It was the only thing that came up to his mind. It was a stupid excuse but it was something for Antoine.

"Do not take me as a fool Dr. Mark. I know very well what kind of person you are and I know why you came back" Jerika said. Jerika could no longer hide her true emotions and she could not falsify her nature like everybody else.

"That is ridiculous. I came back because I was appointed as a Project Head" Antoine said.

"Do you really want me to believe that huh... I know government is involved so it is practically impossible to seek some inquiry or to complain. Firstly, the whole management changes and then now a new Project head were appointed. You... out of everyone, why you? I think it is because of the nature of this project" Jerika said and Antoine looked around and he realized that people had started gathering around them to listen to their conversation because clearly they were not just talking but fighting and others were taking interest in that. Antoine was not sure what to do now but he cannot get back because that will imply that he wrong and he could not let that happen. It was not right. He has to stand to his guards and not let that matter slide. Jerika was getting out of line and she was not going to stop so easily so the best way to solve that problem was to make Jerika wrong in all this.

"The nature of this project!!!" Antoine asked to Jerika but he was more focused on people surrounding them and whispering about them. They were having nice gossip. A new Project Head fighting with the most potent colleague, what kind of message does that fight implies.

"Yes!!! This is the similar project on which you were working two years back and then that accident happened and now when everything is prepared and when we just needed to launch it, you emerge as our leader" Jerika said. Antoine did practically nothing for this project and the headship was platted to him on the silver plate. It was just not right. It was completely unfair and everybody knew it but no one will say it because everyone was selfish and sycophant.

"Either you are too drunk or too insane. You yourself just said that whatever happened two years ago was an accident and it was that. I mean whole world knows that so why are you trying to find the things in it which it does not have. I think you need rest and leave" Antoine said. Jerika was now crossing the line. She was saying things which no one had courage to say and it will reflect badly on his image. He was just not even started working and he did not want people to have ridicule gossip and an awful mindset about him. It can influence people against him and he was not ready for that.

"What?" Jerika said. She could not believe that Antoine was suggesting for leave when the project was at its peak. They were almost done. All the preparations were made and now were the action time and now she was told that she should take leave and that too from him.

"You need to take some leave and relax your mind" Antoine said. Maybe that is how she can have some peace in her mind and in her soul.

"I was working fine. I have not taken a single day leave in the past two years so why now? Are you so afraid that I will expose you in front of the world?" Jerika said. Jerika threatened Antoine in front of everyone and it was pretty insulting to him.

"Jerika you have been my friend. Now it does not matter what you think but you will always be my friend and I want you to be happy. I do but the direction you are leading on will take you to your grave and I have lost enough people in my life"

"You lost people and I lost my life" Jerika said and Antoine felt a pint of pain in hearing that. He knew that Jerika lost a lot and probably everything but nothing could be done about that now. Jerika needed to let all the things go and start fresh.

"Do not be so dramatic" Antoine told Jerika.

"Ohh Please Antoine, the drama as you called is just begun" Jerika said.

"What do you want? What can I do for you?" Antoine asked Jerika. He was defeated and just wanted Jerika to stop but it looked like she was taking out her anger on him from two years. It will take time to settle.

"Really… You want to do something for me then I want you out of this project now" Jerika said and Antoine closed his eyes and regretted, why did he said that? Why did he ask for what she wants? It was clear what she wants and she cannot get it… she knew it too but still she will fight for that. She was acting like a child now. A brat to be honest.

"Are you serious?" Antoine asked.

"Admit it… you know that you should not have been here" Jerika said and Antoine looked around people taking more interest in their fight. It was definitely going to cause trouble somehow but how to tackle it… how to stop it?

"And then who will carry this project? You!!!" Antoine asked. He knew she wanted that project and why did she wanted that it was very well known to Antoine and he knew that Jerika knew that too.

"Am I so bad?" Jerika asked.

"You are inexperienced" Antoine said and he was right.

"Says who?" Jerika asked again.

"You did… your inexperience is literally a live example by your choice of words and your understanding of situation. I do not understand why you have to make everything about yourself" Antoine said.

"I am sorry what?" Jerika said. She was offended with Antoine's words.

"You heard me… you… you… you are my friend and I will always wish the best for you but right now you are being the utter nonsense and I am sorry I do not think you can even be a part of this project" Antoine said. He was making things easy for himself and for Jerika too. The things will go better this way otherwise Jerika will end up getting hurt.

"I think you are mistaken… I have worked for this project so hard for last two years and you have no right to decide who is going to be a part of it and who will not" Jerika said. Jerika was acting as an immature person and she knew that. It was her weakness and she had no control over that.

"Guess what… I can decide and I decide you will not be a part of this project. You know why because I am the leader… I am the bloody project head and you are out of this project" Antoine said while busting on Jerika. Antoine was practically shouting on Jerika and Jerika was practically yelling on Antoine.

"What will you say? How will you justify your actions to the whole team?" Jerika asked. Jerika made her place inside the team very well and the team which was going to be leaded by Antoine and he will be going to be the one answering all the questions and queries of the team. The team will not accept this change readily because Jerika too had some loyal and real friends inside the project. There will be voices and Jerika will make sure of that.

"Simply… I will let them know that their colleague is unfit to take this job. She is disturbed and she needs rest to process her mind and her thoughts because she has not gotten in past two year after the great tragedy in her life" Antoine said and it was the hard blow for Jerika. How could he say that? How could he talk about her like that? She was not disturbed… and she was in her correct mind but of course he will say that because he was scared of her.

"You are such a bastard but let me be a true friend and help you in all this. I am leaving the station and I am leaving this project. Before going… I only want to say one thing… that you know… I used to think that because I am new and may be a woman… only woman working for this project then everything was going crazy around me but now I realized that it is not my sex but myself which makes me unfit for this job. I never thought that I will be this scary to you and I will be this danger for you all to go through so many things to just get me out of this project. I think now you and your management will be so happy and congratulations by the way but I promise I will take you down one day… I will expose you and your little management. I will take down those walls and I will let the world know that you all are liars" Jerika said and threatened Antoine in clear words. The words were clear that no truce now and also in future can be made between Jerika and Antoine as the distance between them was too deep and no one was ready to cover that distance. Antoine did not want to fall in the deep pit but Jerika seems like was already in the pit.

Jerika left and Antoine was clearly embarrassed by the whole scene created by Jerika. Everybody watched the fight between Jerika and Antoine and everybody was talking, whispering about it. Everyone got the hot topic for the day to discuss and Antoine was clearly embarrassed by everything. He placed his glass on the counter and went to balcony to get some air. His mind was repeating the Jerika's words again and again. He had no idea what to do and how to solve the differences between Jerika and him. In the midst of his thoughts, Antoine's phone blinked. He got someone's message.

[Meet us at conference hall now. Need to discuss the project detail and about the further proceedings]

Antoine read the message. He breathes heavily because he did his job brilliantly and he knew that the management will be very happy by him.

Antoine went to the conference hall and he saw the Mr. Riley sitting there.

"You did not come to the party sir" Antoine said while taking a seat in the nearby table.

"It is okay… I am enjoying myself from right here" Mr. Riley from the management said.

"I did my job" Antoine said.

"Oh… yes… I came to know that… it was brilliant by the way… some gossips will be there for some time but I think it is good for Zion. Everything we do for Zion Antoine and it was very important that Jerika stay away from this project" Mr. Riley said. "I was surprised to know that she was in the station to begin with" Antoine said.

"Oh… yes… I was surprised about that too… I am not sure how that happens and later she was a part of station somehow but then she was starting to cause trouble and I do not think that you will ever want" Mr. Riley said.

"I never thought that she could cause so much trouble directly to someone like you" Antoine said.

"Ohh do not make me so big… I am an old man still trying to fight the world but some noise makes me irritated and hence it becomes necessary to make them silent" Mr. Riley said. Antoine smiled on hearing that.

"Sir… do not worry… I do not think or I cannot imagine that Jerika will ever make any more trouble. She is gone now and as much as I know she is not coming back and even if she wants… she has to come through you and me and there is no way we are going to let that happen. Jerika's story is over. She can make as much noise as she wants but nothing will happen to her cause. She will not be able to do anything by standing outside the station" Antoine said making Mr. Riley relaxed about Jerika.

"Hope so…" Mr. Riley said.