"….Mmm…. hello…"
Julias sleepy, croaky voice spoke into the mouthpiece of her housephone, waking her up before her alarm for work.
She felt like cursing at whoever it was for ruining her sleep, however the voice from the otherside just happened to be the person she most dreaded and feared, having been tortured by their mind-numbing calls that broke down Julia at times.
"Goooooood Morning! JULIA! RISE AND SHINE!" Carter's voice came screaming through the phone awaking Julia right up and ruining what left of her sleepy mood and she knew instantly her day was going to be long and arduous.
"I've got some great news for you today!
So, wake up and get dressed.
Also bring your daughter along today.
The office has been updated and prepared based on Esmonds thoughts.
All the instructions have already been sent to your email, with that to do.
Also, today is the first day for James Trudell, the new CEO so I hope we can have everything ready before he arrives."
Carter cut the phone, leaving Julia to wonder how much it would cost her later to buy a new housephone if she through the current one at the wall.
For a second, she calmed herself down enough to sit upright on her bed before another call came in.
"Also… the Gloomy Shadow Games have sent in their agreement by email for our takeover their business.
I have sent the information to you as of now.
Please make sure everything is taken care of as soon as possible so we can begin the next phase of Esmonds plans."
.
"AHHHHHH! FUCKING BITCH!" Julia slammed her phone down, making sure to hold back her strength just before she smashed her housephone.
"That prick always ruins my fucking morning!
We are already running beyond our means, but you keep pushing all this shit down on me!
One day!
ONE DAY!
I'LL PUMMEL YOUR HEAD IN CARTER!"
"Shut it mum! Its 5:30 in the morning for god's sake!"
Layla, Julias daughter and student, training to become her replacement soon and, if possible, replace that god awful Carter.
"Sorry baby… the asshole called. *sigh* He wants us to go in early and prepare the offices that've been updated apparently last night.
Anyway, get ready.
Seems like today will be another long day…"
.
The mother daughter pair rushed themselves through the house, quickly making something that resembled breakfast with last night's leftovers, while readying their clothes and showering.
They both cursed Carter in their heart for having ruined their sleep, but the two knew the work was intense but that just meant growth.
In their case, it meant great possibilities in the future as long as they stuck it through the hard times.
The two left their home, driving to the city, with no traffic on the road, they soon arrived at the office carpark.
From the outside, nothing had changed to the building, however as they drove into the underground carpark, they noticed the huge change from the simple concrete walls to what looked like a lively garden breathing life into the car park, illuminated with firefly like lights guiding them to their spot.
The walls of the carpark had wooden panelling with cut outs that were filled with plants and things to add a different type of atmosphere in the area.
Overhead there was luminescent lighting mixed into the ceiling with the vines wrapping together above, creating a huge web.
.
"Mum… what the hell-"
"Baby… I have no clue what's going on… lets just take it all one step at a time."
The two of them slowly stepped out of their car, finding everything incredibly overwhelming to look at.
Even their steps were illuminated under each and every step.
Eventually they arrived before the elevator taking them up.
The inside of the elevator was more open and a much smoother ride with the changes and updates made.
When the pair arrived on the ground floor, they notice the huge banners welcoming James that they drones had all set up, but what caught their eyes was the updated walls, floor and equipment that looked decades ahead.
The mother daughter pair had to drag each other to look around the ground floor so they could see all the improvements made overnight.
After looking around at the offices on the ground floor, they checked each and every level of the building, seeing a galore of new tech and various elements that helped both improve their efficiency while working but also gave them things like slides and zoned areas created for rest and relaxation.
.
Julia told Layla to take pictures of the place and changes before they went over to their offices and settled down for the day.
Layla was given some tasks to do while Julia sent the photos and their experience so far in the updated building to her close friend and Esmonds mother, Ruby.
Without her, Julia wouldn't have this job, so she always felt it necessary to let her know about her child's behaviour in case things were to go wrong one day.
After all, she considered Esmond like her own nephew and never wanted him to do something that he would regret later, however so far all she could do was deal with Carter while Esmond floated around the world.
Having sent the email, Julia laid her weary head down on her desk before trying to close her eyes, until an unrecognised voice came out of the computer in front of her.
.
{Good morning, Julia, my name is ED, your virtual assistant!}
"What fresh hell is this..."
…
..
.
>Julia has arrived at the office, sir<
"*Sigh* Finally… well, continue to operate in part as the virtual assistant for the organisation.
If you need more servers to help manage the work, then let me know.
I'll do my best to help when I can.
For now, all the work is on our shoulders so we can't faulter one bit.
In time, hopefully Esy creates another A.I to help or even take over managing his business, leaving us to focus on other matters.
Either way, continue with your work and don't forget to let Julia and the others about Eds abilities."
Carter was up bright and early trying to sort out Echo with his new duties as the virtual assistant ED who would help the business with verifying documents and making sure things were up to code with business operations.
Using the name ED was just a small nod to Echos previous name and identity.
Also, he planned to ask Esmond to create an A.I that could take on the responsibilities of the business, instead of relying on him and now the unfortunate Echo.
…
..
.
"James, honey, you don't need to be so stressed out.
Take a deep breath before you get out of the car, ok?"
While driving to the office on his first day as the CEO of Primal Management, James's wife, Louise called to see how her husband was coping.
However, the rocky conversation immediately told her that James was struggling and panicking, finding it both cute and adorable, but concerning if he couldn't do as required of him at his new job.
Louise tried to continue soothing her husband with her voice and words, but James's mind was focusing on the environment around him as he drove into the underground carpark.
"Baby… I'll call you back later… I've just entered the carpark."
"Ok honey, good luck and I hope everything goes swell today!
Love you…"
"Love you too."
Cutting the phone call, James began to look at the luminescent lights above and the gardens from the walls to the ceiling.
Nothing told him that he drove into a carpark other knowing himself, as it looked like a garden fit for the wealthy few while also making you feel amazed by the level of technology and innovation within a carpark alone, what might the rest of the building contain…
Getting out of the car, he noticed the puzzled and shocked expressions on the various employees also walking by him as they headed for the elevator.
Nobody greeted each other, having lost their minds already by what they saw within the renovated carpark.
Once they reached the ground floor though, their minds were further blown…
.
֍ Moments earlier ֍
.
{CEO James Trudell is currently on his way up the elevator}
Echo, who controlled the simple program it created with Carters help to manage some of the confidential filing of documents and verifying files before they are sent or published, depending on what they concern.
Julia and Layla were working diligently since arriving, both ordering catering for the morning staff party with James's arrival but also working out how to use ED and what it could do to ease some of their work.
To her surprise, it had quite the control over business operations and documents being filed, even finding some errors already within the work of the new employees which Carter hadn't finely combed through.
Thankfully ED gave his recommendations on how to fix the errors, even able to fix it by itself, however Carter and Echo agreed it was best for the employees to learn from their errors, leaving it in their hands to edit and reupload.
ED became intricate with the new upgrade of the building, with the servers and data centre made from Ogryx alloy, making it one of the most advance sites in the world when it came to computer electronics.
.
As James exited the elevator with a handful of other employees, the crowd gathered by Julia and Layla all screamed, much to James's shock and delight.
'"Welcome to Primal James!"'
He was happy to see such a warm welcome, though the employees in the elevator with him felt horrified they had no clue who they were standing beside.
They could only try and sneak away while James was enveloped by the crowd.
.
"Hello James, my name is Julia, one of Esmonds assistants and manager of Primal Management, however I now am designated as your personal assistant now with my daughter taking part of my previous responsibilities."
Julia did her best to help James navigate the crowd of employees, all eager to introduce themselves to their boss, however there was much for James to take in on his first day already, so Julia wanted to get atop of the work while the others enjoyed the small party.
Layla got to stay back and enjoy some time with the rest of the employees, taking part of the role her mother would have in this instance if James weren't arriving on his first day.
She was thinking about some of the work on her desk that she needed to work on next after the small breakfast party, however her thoughts were interrupted, noticing someone was calling for her.
"Ms Layla, does that happen to be the owner of the company?"
"Not exactly… he is the new CEO since the owner would like to remain hands off.
Anyway, Corey, I need you to start filing all of the paperwork through ED.
We have plenty of free hands so grab them and have all the files scanned so ED can start checking everything.
Within the last few hours, it's already found so many errors that we've skipped over… my god it was horrendous to look at the numbers."
The gentleman in a dark navy suit and light chequered blue shirt underneath the coat, smiled and nodded, making mental notes of everything Layla was telling him.
So far, he'd been working closely with Layla as one of her many assistants and found her quite attractive that he actually wanted to ask her out one day.
But he came across Julia who was talking with someone on the phone about Layla and some other man, infuriating him that she might have someone already, but he soon calmed down realising that at the office, she was his more than the so-called person that Layla might be with.
He swore in his heart that he would win her over just from his attentiveness and charm, even bringing small gifts for the staff and her, all so everyone could see him as the lovely person he was deep down… so he could win over the beautiful Layla…
…
..
.
*Ding*
[Daily Wheel of Chance!]
[System Knowledge Databank]
[Host can upload knowledge they have found or know of themselves into the System Knowledge Databank for rewards, to unlock information from foreign species and much more!]
[Everything revolves around the Hosts commitment to upload that they will then receive benefits from the S.K.D]
.
'Now this… this is what I've been waiting for!'