Brume got to the Bicycle Palace and saw a lot of cars parked at the parking lot reserved for the exclusive members and his intuition told him that he was about to be in a meeting with major players and stakeholders of the company. When he got down from his car, the manager was already there waiting for him, to walk him to the meeting place, the ground floor which can only be assessed using the elevator. At the elevator, there were 2 men armed and standing by it, same as at the ground floor elevator door. Everyone was seated at a round table that has a total of 70 chairs, and at least 2 people standing behind each person sitting down. Brume's arrival meant that the meeting would have to commence.
"Good afternoon, everyone, sorry for being late," said Brume.
"You kept us waiting for a long time, but it's fine," said Mr Johnson, the boss.
"Gilbert, brief us on why we are gathered here," Mr Johnson continued.
"Very well done, we all know why we are here, but for the sake of our new CEO I'll start from the top," said Mr Gilbert, making everyone laugh mockingly at Brume.
"And before you go on, let Brume promise that whatever is discussed here, stays here," said one of the members seated.
Brume stood up and asked, "how am I supposed to make a promise about what I do not know about?"
"When I am done, you'll know about it," said Mr Gilbert, then he turned to the man who asked Brume to make a promise and said, "perhaps, we can allow him to make his promise after I finish talking."
"Enough of the time wasting, let's get right to it," said the boss, and Mr Gilbert began to speak about the meeting.
The Bicycle Palace was a cover business for moving drugs in and out of the country and everyone seated for the meeting were in on every deal and has invested heavily in the company. The name of the drug they move known as zux in the streets has been one of the most effective and expensive drugs and it gets easily addictive. In the next 2 days, they'd be expecting a shipment of new sets of zux worth trillions in currency into the country and they needed their CEO to be there when it arrives, as a sign of his loyalty to the company and if he does that, they'd give him the respect he deserved as the CEO.
"I can not do this, I am only here to oversee a company that sells bicycles, and not to move drugs," said Brume.
"Will you be quiet," said one of the guests, a woman.
"Your predecessor was good at receiving the shipments when they came, and made sure it gets here without being detected," another said.
"But he decided to betray us by trying to report to the police. I wonder why people do that, be in the game and also decide to snitch on the game," said one of the guests again.
"And I made sure his story never got to see the light of day. I gave him a slow death," said a man sitting next to him. "Isn't that right boys?" he asked and the men standing behind him replied, "that's right sir."
Brume swallowed his words back and whispered to the boss, while the meeting was still going on, "I was never the permanent CEO, I'd like to decline the post from the moment going forward." He adjusted back on his seat.
The boss, Mr Johnson rose his hand in the air and everyone was at attention, waiting to hear what he had to say.
"Mr Brume here just told me he would like to be the CEO anymore and since he was appointed as a temporary CEO, he'd like to step down." He turned to Brume. "But hear me now, I have made you the permanent CEO, and any means of leaving will bring your downfall 6 feet underground. When the shipments arrive, be there." He stood up and everyone stood up too. "I have to leave now, I have another business to attend to, my brother here will carry on with the meeting." He left and they all sat down.
"Does anyone object to Brume being our new CEO?" asked Mr Gilbert, and no one answered.
"Mr Brume, don't worry, we will put you through, it gets easier with time," said the manager standing behind him.
"And from now on, you'd be our boss over the Bicycle Palace, I also have a place I oversee too. You are to make sure here is secured at all times for what you've learnt today, can not be unlearnt."
Mr Gilbert asked Paul, the manager to get the documents drafted out for Brume to sign, officially making him the CEO of the Bicycle Palace and the distribution of zux around his current locale. Paul brought the documents and placed them before Brume to sign, he thought deeply before considering signing them.
"If I don't sign this, there's no way these guys would let me leave here alive," he thought to himself.
When he was done with his thoughts, he picked up his pen, and appended his signature at the end of the 6-page document, he didn't bother to read it because he knew exactly what he would find contained in it. As soon as the crowd saw he had signed, they all stood up and bowed to him, and clapped afterwards. 4 men who were standing walked and stood behind him, together with the manager. He turned and looked at the 4 men and immediately knew they'd be his bodyguards Mr Gilbert walked up to him and brought out a pistol, made of fine silver and he was scared, he thought he was going to be shot, but Mr Gilbert instead placed it on the table in front of him.
"This is yours, it'll be your lifesaver when the time comes."
"A druglord by night and a bicycle racer and CEO by day. For my own sake, I hope I keep all my cover a secret otherwise I'll be a dead man," Brume thought to himself.
"Mr Gilbert, how is it possible that you guys know my location at all times?"
"That's because we put a tracker in each of our cars to know everyone's whereabouts in case of troubles, we'll know where to look first," replied the manager, even though he wasn't asked.
"I have to be on my way now, back to my base, I have given you every briefing you need, but when you need help, don't fail to put a call through to me," said Mr Gilbert as he walked away with his entourage.