"Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated."
-Confucius
R.O.S.S. Headquarters, Belle City, 7:12a.m
"Sir, I can't work with Brandon as my partner." Said Denella as she closed the door behind her.
"Oakley, we've been over this before. The only way we're going to solve this mission is if we all work together and cooperate," John tried to explain, "I don't care if you can't work with Brandon, or if in fact, anyone else, but you're just going to have to try a little harder. I've worked with you long enough to know that you're not a person who doesn't try their best."
"That's not what I'm trying to say. Brandon is . . . attracted to me and it's weird. He's supposed to be my partner, not anything more than that. He and I can't be anything more than that, and we never will!"
"What exactly do you mean he's attracted to you?"
There was a long pause before Denella spoke. She tried to explain what happened, but the words wouldn't come out of her mouth. It was as if someone had cut her tongue out. Finally, she took a deep breath and said, "He came to my house last night, and . . . he kissed me."
Before John could say anything, Brandon walked into his office. "Were we supposed to have a meeting today? Because I didn't hear about it." Brandon explained.
"No, Denella and I were just discussing something." John stated.
"Oh, okay. Just wondering." He said before he glanced at Denella, then closed the door. Denella peeked out the window to make sure he was gone before discussing the kiss even further.
T.E.R.S.E. Headquarters, Belle City, 7:28a.m
Raphael entered the building and headed to the elevator. He noticed that they finally finished renovating their lobby. The front desk was changed to a metallic shade of the colours blue and silver and they got new plants; golden pothos. The tiles also had a different pattern on them.
As Raphael reached the 28th floor, he saw his boss trotting up and down his office floors. Something was bugging him for sure. Raphael knocked on the door and stepped inside his office.
"Heath, there you are," Terrance started, "I've been looking everywhere for you! We got a lead on the case last night.
R.O.S.S. Headquarters, Belle City, 7:34a.m
Denella waited for John to come back to his office and say something like, "Maybe we should consider having someone else be Brandon's partner," or, "I don't think it will be appropriate for you and Brandon to be partners and work together." Overhearing the other agents, she found out that John had an emergency. It was something with his mother. She wondered why he hadn't notified her before leaving. Not knowing what to do, she went to Brandon.