Chapter 35: The Bitter Truth

Greta looked at the figure seated across from her. The air was dead silent as the two individuals were locked in a game of eyes, gauging who would be the first to break contact.

"Andrew Graves, at first looking at your records, I was taken aback that you hadn't dabbled in the world of kickboxing let alone fighting overall. Your prowess is something I've seen only a few individuals have, such people who are at the top of the world in this field."

Greta started off, her tone was intrigued as she shuffled through the documents in her hands. "But what I find rather intriguing about you is your situation." She gently put the documents down as her eyes locked onto his figure.

He was out of his fighting gear, now adorned in a light black shirt and some nondescript black pants. With how his calm and collected his appearance was at first sight, it would seem that a cactus was more intriguing than him.

He failed to draw attention to him and when it was, he made sure that he fully revelled in it. This was Greta's conclusion as she went on. "For a person with congenital analgesia, I wouldn't think that you would be participating. The inability to feel pain, it's an edge over your opponents however a lethal one at that."

Her eyes narrowing into slits. "I try to avoid getting hit to minimize any damages. Not to mention the agonizing visits I have to make to the clinic, don't get me started." His tone light as he tried to warm up the atmosphere.

"I'm sure that it must be rather tedious, however I do have to ask, how are you so good at what you do? Your age and your skills are on two different levels. No scratches or bruises whatsoever on your body. I'm sure that you would no doubt run into some cuts here and there during your training, right?"

Decisive and calm was her tone as her mind tried to decipher the enigma that presented itself in her office. She had encountered all kinds of individuals but none of them could compare to Andrew. "I'm clinically careful with my training, as for the experience, I'm sure that a brilliant mind like yours won't have a problem deducing."

His tone inviting her to a game as he sunk deeper into his comfortable black leather chair. Greta tilted her head in amusement, as if she had discovered a toy to play with. "You're most certainly an interesting individual, Mr Andrew. There's something about you that I can't quite pinpoint."

"But I don't mind the game that your proposing. I just hope that you know what your doing." A sly grin stretching across her crimson lips. "Though I do have one more question bothering me, Mr Andrew."

Andrew already knew what she was going to inquire about. "Your condition is extremely perculiar. When you faced Stan Smith the other day, what did you feel at the moment? During your collision with his body, his threats or your victory over him. Was it control or something else?"

For a regular person, facing Stan Smith would make them falter. And during a physical confrontation, they would show signs of strain from clashing with his excess flesh, fatigue or at the very least the thrill of victory however during the entire scene, Andrew failed to display anything.

Not fatigue, not fear or hubris with his win. He simply stared at him before taking his leave. His motions were precise and deadly and with the fight he had with Kevin, it was clear that the first encounter wasn't a fluke.

He knew what move he would make. Where to hit and when to dodge, such foresight was impossible to find average people unless there was something more to them and with Andrew, she believed that there was more. He felt mechanical with each strike, as if he had rehearsed it a million times before.

"My disease does affect my emotions, making me feel less along with my nervous system shut down. Facing Stan was like a slide show for me, something to be forgotten after a couple of minutes it was over." He wasn't cocky as he spoke, he was calm throughout.

"Mmh... interesting Andrew. It would seem that you have a lot of potential and I think that we can help each other here. You can have your own personal space not to mention all kinds of privileges that come with it. Even though you don't win, there would still be a lot of windows for you to continue with your passion."

Sliding a card, Andrew briefly examined it before putting it away. "But of course this means that you'll be running for me and I, Mr Andrew, don't like to lose. That should be it, I'm sure that we can be of benefit to each other."

Her smile growing even bigger as her eyes scrutinized his body, she rose to her feet as the two exchanged a handshake. "I'm sure we will." Andrew shot back as he replicated a grin before taking his leave. It wasn't long before someone else made it to her room.

She didn't need to look up to know that it was Jasper as she went over the documents in her hands. "Have a seat Jasper, I'm sure that we may have a monstrous prodigy on our hands." Jasper sat timidly opposite to her as she swivelled her chair to expose a television behind her.

She ran the footage of Andrew's encounters, with Stan and Kevin side by side. "His movements, it's like he knows what move they'll make." Jasper murmured as his eyes darted between the two scenes playing out.

One would have thought that the fights were choreographed, straight out of a movie. "The power behind his attacks are no joke, his precision inhumane as his eyes never falter, never blink or shudder. Like a thesis he's already simulated beforehand and executing it seamlessly."

"I still can't believe that he's actually twenty years old." Jasper raised as Greta shuffled the documents to him. The more he looked at them, the more puzzled his face grew. "No prior experience, no fights at school, no training whatsoever and yet he's able to do this with no effort? What?"

Greta too was taken aback the first time she went through them. "The only thing that sticks out in his report is what happened to him at the age of ten. From there, everything else is nothing short of average." Placing the files on the fine well furnished table, Jasper couldn't rack what Andrew was.

The more he thought about him, the more puzzled he was. "An anomaly perhaps? But then again what he's doing takes years of experience and yet at the age of twenty, it's able to replicate it. It would seem that he's likely to win but he makes no logical sense the more I look at him."

Greta let out a desperated sigh as she sunk into her luxurious lavish chair. The more she applied logic to it, the less sense it made. "Regardless of what he is, he's out ace in the whole. Not to mention a lot is on the line. I should have more on him by the end of the week."

Jasper was given a set of instructions to execute by Greta before taking his leave.

***

On an uber to Cassie's, Andrew head had a multitude of thoughts run through his mind. The simulations that he ran as to how she would react in comparison to what would actually occur. He wasn't planning on hiding what he did with Juliette.

"Oh Andrew, come on in." Her tone warm as she grew accustomed to his presence. She was still in shock that there was a time that she would treat him like a stranger. The warm and cozy apartment that she holed in inviting as always.

"I was just making some brownies. I hope that you're in the mood." She made her way back from the kitchen, a tray of chocolate chipped cookies in her hand before heading back to Andrew who was patiently waiting on the simple yet comfy couch.

His demeanor slouched in, his leg placed one over the other as he picked up a glass of milk and a cookie. He took a bite of the cookie, the crunchiness, the sweetness and the smoothness of the milk to wash it all down.

But at this point, Cassie already knew that he was putting on a facade with his warm compliment. "It's actually pretty good." Her face flat as if offended by his sarcastic remark. "You don't have to lie to me like that."

Her tone amused as she threw a pillow at his figure. With a swift motion of his arm, he was able to catch it with ease. As if a bomb dropped out of the blue, he divulged the reason as to why he was here. It lacked subtilty and care.

"I slept with Juliette Cassie." His tone monotone as if discussing about the weather. "Nice joke Andrew but don't joke about stuff like that." Still under the delusion that it was a joke, she let out a dry laugh however Andrew failed to reciprocate.

"I'm serious Cassie." Realizing that he wasn't joking, her demeanor shook and flustered. Her movements halted as the lump in her throat came to a grinding stop. Nearly choking on her milk as made a mess on the table and on the floor.

"Wha- Please tell me it's another lie." Her tone skeptical as her eyes scrutinized his figure. The unnerving silence further confirming his earlier statement. It was clear that he wasn't lying. Her face contorted into disbelief.

For her, she had always lacked someone who could truly resonate and understand her and when she thought that she had thought she had found someone trustworthy, it turned out that he had slept with someone else.

"..." Her mind tried to come up with a reason behind his action. "Did, did she force you to do it? Maybe get back at me for what had happened at the van, right?" Her voice shaky, wishing that Andrew wasn't in control during the situation.

Coercion and manipulation being the reason but once again recalling what he was capable of, she failed to believe the delusions she was lying to herself. "It was because of a promise I made. After all I am what you wish me to be. For you and those close to me."

She stood up, clearly not having it. "No! You knew that that would happen and still went with it regardless. I- I thought that I could trust you."