“Then why are you arguing?”
The Black CEO looked toward the small security camera mounted near the ceiling.
“I’m not.”
The Office Manager followed his gaze.
“You think the camera helps you?”
“Yes.”
Her mouth tightened.
“Security is coming.”
“Good.”
The Black CEO stepped half a pace toward the elevator.
That was when she placed her hand against his chest.
Now.
The moment where everyone had started looking away.
The Black CEO kept his hands raised.
“Take your hand off me.”
She removed it.
Then pointed toward the lobby exit.
“Security is coming. This is your last opportunity to walk out voluntarily.”
The Black CEO lowered his hands.
“You don’t need to call them.”
The Office Manager laughed.
“Oh?”
“They already received a notification from me.”
“From you?”
She stepped closer.
“You don’t even have authorization to use this elevator.”
The Black CEO opened his leather notebook.
Inside sat a slim corporate device.
Not a phone.
An encrypted executive terminal.
He touched the screen.
The Office Manager shook her head.
“You can tap whatever little app you want.”
He looked up.
“I’m not tapping an app.”
“Then what?”
The corporate lobby tablet behind reception chimed.
Then another device.
Then the screen mounted beside the executive elevators changed.
A gold corporate crown appeared on black.
The receptionist gasped.
The display read:
EXECUTIVE OVERRIDE
FOUNDER ACCESS VERIFIED
ELEVATOR PRIORITY ACTIVATED
The Office Manager turned.
Her expression changed.
Not panic yet.
Confusion.
The elevator behind her opened automatically.
No button pressed.
No floor requested.
The doors simply separated.
Inside stood the Regional Director.
Gray suit.
Coffee in hand.
Phone against his ear.
He was saying:
“Yes, I received the founder alert. I’m downstairs now.”
Then he saw the Black CEO.
Saw the Office Manager.
Saw the receptionist.
Saw the employees standing at the edge of the lobby watching.
Saw the manager’s hand still half-raised from pointing toward the exit.
His coffee lowered.
His phone lowered.
Everything lowered.
The Regional Director stepped out.
“Sir.”
The Office Manager looked between them.
The Black CEO closed the leather notebook.
The Regional Director stared at the manager.
“What is happening?”
The Office Manager found her voice.
“This man attempted to access the executive elevator without proper identification.”
The Regional Director stared.
“This man?”
“Yes.”
The Regional Director looked toward the CEO.
Then back.
“You mean the founder?”
The Office Manager’s face emptied.
Not pale.
Empty.
The Regional Director continued:
“The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the corporation?”
Nobody moved.
The Black CEO looked toward the Office Manager.
She opened her mouth.
Closed it.
The Regional Director glanced toward the large lobby screen.
The system had expanded the profile automatically.
FOUNDER