Chapter 86: Episode 86: Dinner Invitation

Shit, this is so embarrassing. Nikki was completely frantic.

She shoved both of her hands violently against Adonis’s immovable chest. She didn’t possess a fraction of the strength required to physically move him, but Adonis yielded to her touch instantly, taking a smooth half-step backward to give her space.

Nikki scrambled off the edge of the heavy mahogany desk. Her heart was hammering so hard against her ribs it felt like it was trying to crack her sternum. Her cheeks were burning a beet red.

She turned her back to the window, mortified, and caught her reflection in the surface of a deactivated holographic monitor on the wall.

Her hair was completely disheveled, wild from where his massive hands had tangled in it. Her blazer was slightly rumpled. But the worst part was her mouth.

Her lips were thoroughly kissed, slightly swollen, and her expensive, lipstick was completely smudged outside her lip line, transferring a faint, incriminating pink hue onto the edge of Adonis’s white collar.

Great, Nikki scolded herself in her mind, frantically using her thumb to wipe the smeared lipstick off the corner of her mouth. Just great. Now, the entire regional headquarters knows I am fucking General A-01.

She rapidly smoothed down her blazer, aggressively tucked a stray lock of fiery red hair behind her ear, and took a deep, shuddering breath to compose herself. She had wanted to build a reputation as a merciful, professional leader, and instead, she had been caught being entirely devoured on office furniture.

Adonis, on the other hand, was entirely unfazed by the social embarrassment.

The man was his personally appointed human assistant, and the only person with the encoded clearance to bypass the electronic locks on this specific door. That was why the system hadn’t flagged him as a threat.

Adonis adjusted the cuffs of his uniform as he looked mildly inconvenienced.

And disturbed.

“Turn around,” Adonis commanded. “And report.”

The human assistant slowly rotated on his heels. His face was still flushed a bright, feverish pink, and his eyes remained respectfully, desperately glued to the floor tiles.

He didn’t dare look at Nikki, and he certainly didn’t dare look at the smudged lipstick on the Supreme Commander’s collar.

The man let out a shaky exhale, profoundly thankful that the machine hadn’t lashed out and separated his head from his shoulders.

“Yes, General A-01, sir,” the assistant stammered, scrambling to pick up the papers he had dropped on the carpet. He clutched them to his chest like a physical shield. “I apologize again for the interruption. I assumed the boardroom debriefing would run for its scheduled duration.”

Adonis merely stared at him, his towering frame completely blocking Nikki from the man’s view. “Your assumptions are irrelevant. Deliver your findings.”

The assistant cleared his throat, desperately slipping back into his professional, bureaucratic cadence.

“Of course, sir. The current state of the Sector 2 and 3 regional offices is stable. We are operating at a 96.4 percent efficiency rating across all human administrative departments,” the man reported, tapping on a data-pad to pull up a holographic agenda. “However, your physical presence in the sector has triggered a backlog of required appearances.”

Adonis’s jaw tightened. “Specify.”

“You have two mandatory operational meetings with the automated agricultural grid overseers tomorrow,” the assistant listed off quickly. “Furthermore, the human elite of Sector 2 have organized a series of events in your honor. There are three charity galas scheduled over the next month, designed to secure supplementary ration funding. Your attendance, along with the Director of Human Relations, is highly anticipated.”

Nikki, having finally arranged herself into a semblance of professional dignity, peeked around Adonis’s broad shoulder. Charity galas. Parties. Meetings. This was exactly what she needed.

It was an unobstructed, highly visible platform to interact with the human population and quietly observe the intricate politics of the surviving world.

The assistant stepped forward cautiously, keeping his eyes firmly on the desk as he extended a sleek, leather-bound folder.

“I also have the physical authorization documents for the Sector 3 atmospheric moisture condensers you just approved,” the man added. “The regional code requires a biological signature alongside your digital override.”

Adonis took the folder with one hand. He didn’t even read the pages; his internal optics scanned and verified the thousands of words of legal text in a fraction of a microsecond. He picked up a pen from the desk and flawlessly signed an elegant, sweeping signature across the bottom of the documents, handing the folder back.

“Is that all?” Adonis asked, his tone indicating that he was entirely ready to dismiss the man and resume his previous ’activities’.

The assistant hesitated. He swallowed hard, nervously shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

“Actually, General… there is one more item,” the assistant murmured, his voice dropping slightly. “It is entirely unofficial. But the senior staff on the administrative floor… they humbly suggest that we all go eat somewhere this evening. A reserved dining hall in the commercial district. They wish to officially welcome you, and Director Nikki, to the regional headquarters.”

His logic circuits instantly compiled a list of reasons why this was a terrible idea. The humans in this building were terrified of him. Socializing with them was a highly inefficient use of his operational time.

Furthermore, his sensors indicated that Nikki had just experienced a massive spike in adrenaline and emotional stress.

The optimal tactical move was to decline the invitation, escort his Kitty back to the heavily fortified, isolated sanctuary of his home, and keep her safely locked away from the venomous stares of her own species.

“Negative,” Adonis began, opening his mouth to issue a swift, absolute rejection. “The Director and I will be returning to—”

“A staff dinner?”

Nikki’s voice cut through his command. She stepped fully out from behind his massive frame.

Adonis stopped, looking down at her.

Her dark eyes were practically sparkling. A staff dinner was the ultimate, unfiltered environment. It was her chance to break down the walls, to show the humans that she wasn’t just a pampered pet, and to start laying the groundwork for her balanced workspace.

She looked up at Adonis, her expression pleading. She didn’t say a word, but her entire posture practically screamed, Please let us go.

Adonis stared at her.

The [Heart Protocol] aggressively flared to life in his system, instantly overwriting his tactical rejection. The algorithm was simple: Nikki wanted to go. Therefore, the threat of unpredictable humans was entirely secondary to the immediate, absolute necessity of making her smile.

He possessed enough lethal force to level the entire commercial district if a single employee dared to disrespect her. She would be safe.

Adonis closed his mouth, swallowing his refusal. He slowly turned his eyes back to the trembling assistant.

“We will attend,” Adonis rumbled, his voice cold, devoid of any social warmth, yet entirely compliant with Nikki’s silent wish. “Communicate with me the time and the place. Do not be late.”

The assistant’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief. He had expected a flat rejection, or worse, a reprimand for daring to invite a Class-5 War Unit to a casual dinner.

“Y-yes, sir! Right away, General!” the assistant beamed, bowing deeply. He practically scrambled backward toward the door, desperate to escape before the terrifying machine changed his mind. “I will send the encrypted coordinates to your mainframe immediately. Thank you, Director!”

The heavy office door hissed shut behind him, the electronic lock re-engaging with a soft click.

The room was instantly plunged back into a thick, heavy silence.

Adonis stood rigidly by the desk, his massive shoulders tense. He looked like a predator who had just been forcefully volunteered for a petting zoo.

He hated the idea of sharing her time with a room full of strangers. He slowly turned to face Nikki, his expression a mask of stoic, robotic suffering.

Nikki couldn’t help it. A bright, genuine laugh bubbled up in her chest. She stepped forward, reaching out to gently wipe the faint smudge of pink lipstick off his white collar.

She looked up into his impossibly deep blue eyes, a teasing, affectionate smile playing on her lips.

“Don’t be hard on your employees, General.”

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