1 is the breaking news

I don't believe a word.
This is the thought revolving in his mind, allowing very little of W-Mig speech to filter through.
"Really unexpected. His conditions  deteriorated quickly. Was a new kind of chemical, kept on burning even after amputation."
He doesn't care much: the only important words came in the beginning.

"Angelo died about an hour ago."
I don't believe a word. And this is, really, his  only clutch on reality. Denial.
Around them, Tara and Arya of the cleaning staff are packing up all of Angelo's mortal belongings in brown cardboard boxes; the other half of the room looks empty, already, like Angelo has never been there. Well he hasn't, for some days, while secluded in the medical unit, yet it didn't appear this definitive. Better, he was expecting his roommate to be back in not more than a couple days more.

Not prepared for this scenario, for sure.

"I'm sorry, Lucas. Really am." W-Mig pats him on the shoulder. He flinches, but doesn't subtract from the contact, and looks at his superior unable to say anything. Any word now could blow up his cracked up persona.
"You're shocked." W-Mig starts again, readjusting the knot of the regulamentar tie. "He was your roommate, after all. And now this invasion of your room. So soon. But I hope you understand."
"I do, boss." He replies through cringed teeth. "Better a single sending: body plus all the accessories. His relatives will be satisfied. Can I see him, at least?" The words exiting his mouth could have been pronounced by Angelo himself. He should be the sensible one. Careful!
W-Mig is looking at him.
"Sorry boss," he adds, raking his fingers through the hair. "Really am shocked. All so soon. His conditions looked quite stable as I got him here. And I couldn't see him, after he got hospitalized. Not a single time."
"The doctors didn't want him to be perturbed, after. - Pause - Anyway. Not even I was allowed to visit him, only got medical bulletins, and I have to say they were not this worrisome. Now, we had to get ready asap to get his body back to his family. They want him to be cryogenized."
"Looking for brighter times huh?" He mutters. "Hey, wait! That belongs to me!" Arya freezes, a battered processor in the right hand. He turns to W-Mig.
"It's my old one. Angelo was borrowing it, since his own one got broken."

Without waiting for a reply, he gets near Arya and retrieves the device from her dark hands.
"This would't be the procedure", W-Mig tries.
"I know, boss." He says, "but I'd like to have my possessions back." At least.
W-ming shrugs. "It's ok. I know you well enough. I haven't seen anything."
"Thanks boss." He's even able to feign a pained smile. Well, about the pained, he is. Really. Strange enough.

In the low whirring of his electric cart, here comes Kumi.
"I'm here for the boxes, sir." He says to W-Mig.
"I think the girls have almost finished." The boss replies.
"A matter of ten minutes, sir." Tara says.
Kumi looks at them, uttering lowly something he doesn't understand. Indian, probably. Arya nods, a concentrated look on her face.
"Should I start loading these ones, sir?" He asks to W-Mig.
"Proceed." Is the reply, then W-Mig turns back to him. "Have to go, now. I'm sorry, have things to tend after. You take a day off, Lucas. To unravel things. And remember you can count on me. Anytime."
He nods, avoiding W-Mig gaze.
"Will do, boss. Thanks for your support."
"You're always welcome, Lucas. I told you already that I value you more than other people in the Organization. Your achievements have been totally outstanding, even in this case, with such a tragic outcome. Do whatever you need to maintain it. Even without your partner."
He lowers the face. Anything, not to show his eyes.
"Yes, boss. Will do my best."
W-Mig pats him again on the shoulder, then hugs him. A cold, manly hug.
"Take care." He says letting hold of him. He turns, almost colliding with Kumi, busy in loading boxes on the cart.
"Still here?" He asks.
"Doing my job, sir." Kumi replies, positioning his load on the cart.
"Well. You know what to do don't you? Can't wait until you've finished, have lot of things to do."
"Yes sir, no sir." Kumi bows slightly. But W-Mig is already gone for good, brushing the shoulders of his black jacket.

Kumi turns to him with half a smile.
"I'm very sorry, Lucas." The elder indian says, looking him in the eyes "You two coupled well."
"Doesn't matter much, now. Worse for me."
They look each other, at short of words.
"Maybe it does." Kumi says.
"How? He's dead, now. Dead. Fuck it, my life is just the replaying of the same script. Maybe I have some karma to break. And."
"And?"
"And so damn unexpected. I was the one getting him here, Kumi. I was there. I can't say he was unharmed, okie? But nothing life threatening, it seemed to me. And now. Dead. Not even three days after."
Kumi bends his head sideways, like listening to something he can't hear,
"Do you suspect anything?"
He looks at the man, just to make sure he's not making fun of him. Well, Angelo was not much liked within the Organization, yet. Impossible.
"What do you mean?" He finally asks.
Kumi's stare is very sharp, as he steps sideways, getting nearer.
"You know me, Lucas, don't you?"
He half smiles. "Yeah. You're good old Kumi, doing all the things no one wants to do. Once you retire, this place will fall in pieces and everyone but me will wonder why."
Kumi smiles back.
"Correct." He says. "It has worked well."
What? He searches for an explanation in the lines of Kumi's face.
"I've been working within the Organization since before you were born. Probably. This place's like a marriage: till death sets you apart. Your death, obviously." Kumi smiles again, a satisfied cat. "Yet, during this period I haven't worked  for the Organization only. Money doesn't matter much to me, but I have a big family to support, in India. And I am a curious man. I was able to discover a lot of things about the Organization. Much more than you."
There, he freezes. Sure, he did his own investigations on the people he worked for. Just to be sure. Just not to make some faux pas. But Kumi? No way.
Shit.
There's a bemused expression on the man's face, as he steps away to collect the last of the boxes. He counts six of them, on the small metallic cart. Not many, to contain a whole life.
"And do you know what?" Kumi says passing by and putting the load on the cart. "They have become more and more sinister, overtime."

He shakes his head. Difficult, believing in all of this. Were his little activities uncovered? Was Kumi sent just to test his loyalty? So why was W-Mig so full of appreciation for his work, minutes before? Everything looks so twisted, today, like his angle was shifted and all the well known things appear. Gloomy. Is this really good old Kumi, he shared so many cigarettes and chitchats with?
The man is standing near the cart, hands on the bar; he nods at Arya and Tara, who shift sideways in front of the desk, but don't approach to follow. He looks up at Kumi, the man doesn't lower his gaze and smiles, just slightly.
"You right, Lucas. I speak and speak. Look." Kumi grabs his shoulder as if making him turn. He feels the man's finger running along his back and something thin being slipped in the front pocket of his trousers.

"What?" Following the direction impressed to his body by Kumi, he focuses on the only thing left in Angelo's half of the room. His colleague's mention of honour for a well done job. An affair he doesn't know much of, it was before he was recruited within the Organization.
Angelo's favorite quote comes to his mind. Never trust anyone. So true, he didn't need his colleague to remind him costantly, but it was reassuring.

"We're leaving, Lucas. You have loose ends to tie up. And the second floor toilet is waiting to be fixed. Sorry for the long chat."
"Always a pleasure, Kumi."
"See you around, then." Kumi nods again to Arya and Tara. They move nearer, following him as he starts to manoeuvre the electric cart.
"Yep. Thankyou."
Kumi raises a hand as he exits the door. Tara and Arya turn and bow slightly, smiling. Then they're all gone, shutting the door behind.