The Ruthless Boss

Isaac remained silent, reflecting on the phone call he'd just received. Something had gone wrong at Eastlake, and it involved the Bull-Headed Aberration. He couldn't ignore the possibility that things were taking a dangerous turn.

"What's wrong, babe?" Lila asked, sensing the tension. They had just finished taking down a smaller anomaly and were preparing to hunt the next when the Exorcist Bureau called.

"There's trouble brewing near the Bull-Headed Aberration. I think we need to head over there," Isaac explained.

"Then let's go! We can't let others beat us to the punch," Lila said, her tone urgent. She didn't want all of Isaac's hard work to go to waste.

Isaac studied her for a moment before asking, "This could be life-threatening. Are you ready for that?"

"Hmph, of course! If we go down, we go down together!" Lila declared boldly, her voice firm, showing no hint of fear.

"Alright, together," Isaac smiled, reassured. Without further hesitation, he scooped her up in a bridal carry and, with a powerful push of his legs, launched himself towards Eastlake.

As they sped through the night, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, Lila nestled into Isaac's arms and murmured, "After this, how about coming home to meet my parents?"

"Sure, but I'm going to tell them it was you who lured me in," Isaac teased with a playful grin.

Lila pouted, lightly tapping his chest, "Lured you? You were hardly a little boy when we met. Besides, who told you to look exactly like my type?"

Laughing, Isaac retorted, "And what about now? Do you still like me as a werewolf?"

"Of course! Werewolves are badass!" Lila gave his fur a playful tug, making Isaac wince slightly but laugh nonetheless.

Their banter carried them through the city, their bond growing even stronger as they ventured into the unknown together.

At Eastlake Park, Commander Sean Burke stood among a small group of Exorcists. Most of their forces had been deployed across the city, and this left them short-staffed. Yet, they faced a bigger problem—the park was shrouded in an impenetrable cloud of dark mist.

"I'll give it a shot!" Sean gripped his weapon, a peculiar blue-glowing staff. With a mighty swing, he struck the mist, but the blow did nothing. The cloud remained dense and unyielding.

One by one, other exorcists tried their hand, launching various attacks with their enchanted weapons, but none could break through the barrier.

"We'll have to call in Captain Vera," Sean muttered in frustration. He wasn't a particularly powerful fighter, having been promoted for his managerial skills rather than combat prowess. But now, without the top fighters available—either stationed in neighboring cities or on leave—he had no choice.

Steeling himself, he dialed Captain Vera's number, fully prepared for the scolding he expected for disturbing her while she was still recovering from her recent injuries.

"Captain Vera, we've got a situation at Eastlake. We're low on manpower. How's your condition? Can you come?" Sean asked, bracing himself for the inevitable outburst.

"On my way," came the icy, one-word response before the line went dead. Sean blinked, startled by her brevity. He hadn't worked with Vera much and didn't know her well, but her no-nonsense attitude caught him off guard.

Hanging up, Sean's worry deepened. The longer they were unable to penetrate the mist, the greater the danger his team inside faced.

"Commander!" One of the exorcists called, snapping Sean from his thoughts. He turned to see a terrifying werewolf standing a short distance away, accompanied by a figure cloaked in mist.

After a moment's hesitation, Sean approached the wolfman. Captain Vera had formed a temporary alliance with this particular anomaly, so it wasn't likely to attack them.

"I'm Sean Burke," Sean introduced himself cautiously.

"What's the situation?" Isaac asked, his deep voice rumbling.

"Looks like we're dealing with whoever's backing up Zachary. They've probably come to free the Bull-Headed Aberration," Sean explained briefly. "Can you break through the mist?"

"No," Isaac admitted. "Whoever conjured this mist is far stronger than me."

Sean sighed, disappointed. "I've already contacted Captain Vera. She's on her way."

Isaac raised an eyebrow, his tone skeptical as he asked, "Don't you have any other top exorcists? Why are you working Vera to the bone? Isn't she still recovering?"

"Uh… that's classified information…" Sean nearly spilled the truth about their manpower crisis but quickly caught himself. He realized it wouldn't be wise to share too much with an anomaly, even one they were temporarily allied with.

"Hmph, you heartless boss. Squeezing every drop out of your employees," Isaac scoffed before walking away with Lila, who remained shrouded in mist beside him.

Sean nearly choked on his indignation. Had he just been insulted by an anomaly?

"I'm one of the best managers in the bureau!" he muttered to himself. "I always ensure the best benefits for my team!" If only circumstances weren't so dire, he thought bitterly. He didn't enjoy pushing Vera like this, but with their resources stretched thin, he had no choice.