"Lucky for you, I don't think anyone else is making their way here for the rest of the day, so my work should be complete." Yvette remarked, giving a monotonous tone of sarcasm
Liam followed as she paced down the intimidating hallways of the building.
"Thanks for going through the trouble." Liam retorted tauntingly in a similar tone.
The metallic white interior, Liam believed this building had to have been ripped from a sci-fi movie. Bright white lights made the room shine from the roof and sides.
Black colored tubes that looked like piping ran across the walls, curving down, then back up when a door of the same metallic white material got in their way.
Sure, it'd been a long time since he even bothered entering a place of work, but he believed that updates in standards like this in the past four years.
The sterile looking hallways went on for what seemed like hours. Yvette wordlessly lumbered across the halls as LIam trailed not far behind.
"Any idea on what we're actually looking for, Yvette?"
"If you'll keep following, an elevator is coming up just around the corner."
"Seems like my prayers for a rest have been answered."
"Only the words of some lazy bastard come from your mouth."
"Is that any way to talk to someone on your level in the office?
Yvette paused in her walk for a moment, snapping her head toward Liam with a menacing, yet expressionless face.
--
"--I'm above you. Don't mistake that. I've been here for about two years, and you've been for about twenty minutes."
She spoke in a way that was as expressionless as her own face, though it didn't stop it from leaving a large mark in Liam's memory.
--
Liam retracted for a moment, his brows bumped together in a scowl while his eyes avoided contact with hers.
"My apologies, miss."
"Don't address me with anything other than my name and we'll be just fine."
"Sure."
Her tone of disgust contrasted her chilled out tone drastically. Yvette really knew how to separate work from casual, though her tone sounded much more intense than someone just discussing work, even for her.
It was a realization that slightly frightened Liam, seeing her in a way that almost looked as though it agonized her.
Quietly approaching the elevator, Yvette selected the button to go upward.
"Your office space will be on the third floor. It's the same size as everyone's here."
"Where is everyone else?"
"They're probably already in their area, working. A lot of them were majorly early compared to you."
--
'Over-achievers? No. Not on the first day...right?'
Liam thought these words to himself. He made sure to plan out precisely so that he would be on time according to his acceptance letter.
It was possible that everyone else just wanted to be early, though he believed that in such a pool of employees, one was bound to be late.
'It's...9:22.'
--
"Well, don't wait for the doors to close on you." Yvette barked toward Liam.
"--O..Oh, yeah. Damn."
"That nervous attitude won't sit well with the President, if you intend to meet him."
"I'll remember that."
------------------------------
----
"Here, this is your office. Room number 312."
"I see, thanks. Want to stay and look with me?"
"Eh? Sure."
"I do need more information from you, regardless."
Liam opened the metallic door, swinging it toward the inside. What he found inside was the absolute opposite of the atmosphere he had just been exposed to.
A basic desk, swivel chair, and large file drawer with that brown office style carpeting. The whole room looked like it had been taken directly from a cubical in the early 2000's.
'Something of a let down.'
"It's fairly basic, but it's all you need. A computer is there for you to sign into when you see the President. Just go there and he'll help you set yourself up."
"What's his room?"
"Room 610, on the sixth floor."
Liam stopped in his trail for a moment, previously walking around in the small area that wouldn't be able to house more than two people without being cramped.
"Thanks, I'll report there soon."
"I'll be headed out then. See me in the main lobby if anything is needed."
As Yvette remarked, she swiftfully stepped out of the tiny office.
------------------------------
----
Approaching the sixth floor, Liam's feelings were similar to the ones he had outside the building. He was shaking, nervously pacing himself walking toward 610.
'This is going to be fine, I think. Yeah...Yeah. I'm sure he's less alarming now. Just like how nothing has been so far…'
With a mindset full of doubts, Liam approached the door to the room.
*Knock.*
*Knock.*
In a muffled voice, Liam heard the voice of the President.
"You may enter."
--
"No need for nerves to get the best of you. Liam Harris, is it?"
"Erm, yes...sir."
The man spoke in a deep, serious tone that didn't sound like someone Liam would want to fuck with.
To no avail, Liam attempted to calm himself. The pit in his stomach was similar to that of a child about to be punished. The sweat from his back could soak his shirt like it was being rained on.
The man in front of him sat behind the only object in the room, a large desk with nothing but paper on it.
In contrast to the sterile halls, the more dirty office he had was alarming to say the least. The only light was a small lamp on the man's desk, making the room almost completely dark aside from his face.
"You're the President of NTANIS, is that correct?"
"Yep, the one himself. If I may be honest, I'm not one to like honorifics when talking to someone of importance to me as well, so please, just call me Kensuke."
"Alright then, Kensuke."
With my reply, Kensuke's mouth formed a devilish smirk. His bright red aura radiated like a star in the sky. The brightness was similar to that of a flashlight in his eye.
"So, you've made yourself at home with the help of Yvette, I presume?"
Liam nodded, still standing in front of Kensuke's desk.
"Sit, if you would."
Wordlessly, Liam sat in the same chair he did in the interview, right in front of Kensuke.
"Yvette, I hope you enjoy her company. In the work you'll be doing here, she will be your partner. Though I assume you came for information on said work."
"It would've been nice to know before I came, but that's partially the reason. Though, you let a receptionist do this work for you?"
Liam spoke with pride, trying to sound as confident as possible.
"That dignity of yours smells foul coming from someone it isn't naturally on."
Liam gulped, wordlessly staring at Kensuke's smirking face.
"Yvette is just there for now to welcome all the new workers. She isn't exactly a receptionist, just she's acting as one for the time being. I do apologize for leaving you in the dark for so long, but now that you're here I think it is almost safe for us to talk. I intentionally kept our project secret from you as it was entirely possible you could just deny the position."
"What exactly is stopping me from leaving once I already know?"
"Asking questions that'd hardly apply to you. Though your point is valid."
The President could see right through Liam, he could easily tell. He just casually smiled at Liam, keeping his eyes on his every small movement.
"I don't think that would be in your best interest, Liam. To put it bluntly, you'll be signing a contract, but we'll get to that later."
"I see. When will it be?"
"I'd say, tomorrow. Consider it a test. In the short time you've been here, you've seen a small part of the system here, even if you haven't realized it. For right now, everyone arrives and simply begins their shift, staying away from all others at most times."
"Why'd that make someone leave?"
"Maybe it's the environment, or the yearn for social trivialities. Though, if this way of work interests you, you'd return with no questions."
It sounded like a dream to Liam. A shut in lifestyle even in a place of work. Liam thought about all the positives to such a lifestyle. Even if it meant being with Yvette daily, he didn't mind it.
--
'Although, it sounds too good to be true.'
The only thing on Liam's mind was the secrecy of Kensuke, and the lack of trust he already had for him.
'Will I even return tomorrow? I'm not sure.'
--
"With that said, there are a small amount of things that can be said today. It's something of a miracle."
Kensuke spoke with a deep passion, though keeping his tone stagnant in the process.
"Miracle?"
"A miracle per se. One to the primitive being like you and I."
Liam looked into Kensuke's eyes with a piqued interest."
--
"Liam. Before you leave, would you be interested in the concepts of the future of the evolution cycle of humanity?"
--
"--What, exactly?"