Perfidy, The Debacle Series

He aimed the remote at the 3D visual holographic screen hanging in front of him. The weather report flashed another sweltering May morning. The temperature was 37 degrees Celsius at 7:00 a.m. “Good Morning from Dubai.” The meteorologist spoke.

The screen disappeared as he kept pushing the button on the armrest. With each minute, his stomach grew louder because of his forgotten dinner. A cup of coffee became a solution to his cravings. He signaled the humanoid, and the fresh aroma of brewed coffee soon filled the air.

He texted Abu Satanilla to meet him on the landing pad to look at the diagrams for his new international building. His annoyance swelled with each passing second of unanswered ringing in his ear, a growing knot of frustration and simmering conflict.

The sneaky scoundrel. He pondered.

Melekh’s overt disdain for Abu simmered, a resentment poised to overflow. He loathed Abu’s deceptive methods but acknowledged his value in navigating their country’s traditional customs. Abu’s astute tactics and skill were profitable to the company. Even with his cunning maneuvers, the tension among them persisted. Abu had swindled money from him in a stock exchange transaction ten years ago, and Melekh never forgot the two million dollars Abu stole and then lied to cover his tracks with the investor.

Melekh peered out the window, ogling futuristic flying vehicles as they zipped through Dubai’s congested skyway, creating a mesmerizing sight. As his sleek black spaceship dogged and darted toward his new headquarters, the Persian Gulf shimmered in the morning sunlight.