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The hotel was ... Huge. That was the only way to describe it. ODB had already opened the door for Niks, offering a small bow with his huge form, "After you, Nikki." Soon he was escorting her inside, pausing long enough to have random/brief conversations with others in passing about the upcoming MMA event happening on the weekend. "So, what is it you're going to be doing for B-3?" Flashing a grin so wide, that custom made grill was reflecting quite a glare from some of the lights. Nodding to one of the girls at the front desk, on the way to the elevator. She nodded in return, placing a call.
Niks settled into step, her carry-on rattling softly behind her.? Yes, this was a little more than she was expecting, but she was playing it semi-cool: her jaw hadn't dropped open, and her eyes hadn't gone huge and round.? She did look around though, watching what she could. "Beats me.? Just hired me, and he never really told me what it was he wanted me to do, which if you ask me is a little strange.? Maybe he just wants someone smart to type his memos.? Someone who knows were the comma goes."? Niks shrugged, glancing at whomever he was giving the nod to.? Well, this will be interesting.
"Girlfriend?"(d)
"So, you just up and came here without knowing what you're being hired for? That's a little strange if you ask me, Nikki." Looking over to who she was referring to, with a small shake of his head. "Nah, she's just calling B-3, to let him know you're on your way up." While everyone was coming and going in the other elevators, no one was getting into the one they were standing in front of, save for those in very expensive suits, and other business like attire if they were women.
"Booyah!! Here we go."
Making sure the doors didn't close on her, ODB pressed a button that would take her up to the main floor. "Have fun, and don't be a stranger to us little folk, k?" Flashing that blinding grin once more, and nodding to one of others inside the elevator, before letting the doors close.
Niks knew it was strange; she'd had to explain herself a few times to a few people for it all.? She knew she was being impulsive, but sometimes that was what was needed in life.? She knew so much, and as the doors closed - the smile bright for ODB until they'd id - Niks wondered just how little she knew and just what the hell she was doing.
Niks didn't look at anyone, if anyone had caught the ride up with her, she just stared in front of her and waited.? Just stared.? It seemed like the best thing to do.? Wait and stare.? "Fuck me..."? Her voice was soft, but in an elevator there was no such thing as an unheard whisper.? She hadn't even bothered to see what floor she was going to.? She supposed the top, but still.
There were several *suits* that were already on board prior to Niks getting on, and well ... She was being glanced at. You know the look ... Was she lost? Wrong elevator? Mini televisions inside the elevator had various things playing on them. Beats the old school boring music, right?
"Don't let all of this freak you out, Ms. Wright. It's just all show, and a serious waste of tax dollars if you ask me. We have people living in card board boxes, but they can put little televisions inside elevators. And they wonder why the USA is loathed more than ever.? Welcome to the jungle, I'm Everett Preston, Brehnic's personal accountant."
The man addressing her had to be at least 6'4, dressed in a black suit with a red power tie, and a brief case in his left hand. Rolling his eyes at the other *suits* that were inside, Everett leaned in close ... "Ignore them. I do every chance I get. I hope your trip here was a good one?" Standing upright once again.
Niks looked up...and up.? Okay, she was beginning to wonder about Brehnic hiring requirements - were all the men supposed to be big and all the women?? Actually she hadn't met any of the women who worked for him, but still. This was just a little disconcerting.
"Right.? Uhm, what?"? Niks blinked, her mind finally catching up.? It wasn't that she was stupid, but sometimes her brain didn't fire like most. "Well, why would I care what a bunch of suits thought?? It's not like any of them would be paying my ..wait, will any of them be handlin' my paycheck?"
"No, that'll be me." Still grinning upon reaching their floor, Everett let her out first, then slipped into tour mode, as he showed her around/about the vast area, where it seemed like everyone was either on the phone, in front of a computer or both."Can I assume that he didn't tell you one single thing that you'll be doing?" Spoken with a half grin.?
"Well, you may assume.? I'm sure you are quite capable of doing so as well.? Just...no, he hasn't told me a thing.? I suppose he's got some idea, but didn't clue me in.? He said it wasn't illegal - I'm not doing anything illegal." There wasn't any question in there.? Niks would walk right out of the building if she thought he was intending to put her in a not so great position.? In fact, she'd tell him to shove it, get a job in a casino for a bit, and then be back wherever without a by your leave.? She was tiny, yeah, and she hadn't done much in life; but, what she had done, it was more or less what she wanted to do.
"I'm a little curious.? "What exactly am I going to do here?"
"You'll be with me, baby sitting all of those people we just passed, making sure they are doing what they are supposed to be doing, or we pull a Donald Trump and go all Apprentice on them." Opening a set of double doors, revealing the ultimate office. A person could live out of there, it had EVERYthing. And the view ...? "Cassie? Can you come in here for a second?" Glancing about the room, the pair would be met by a petite red head, with a file in head, and a blue tooth in her left ear.
"Cassie Anderson, this is Niklas Wright. This is her first day here, and it's up to us to make sure she doesn't turn tail and run out of here screaming." Cassie extended her hand with a friendly smile. "Welcome to Hell, and I hope you brought some ice water.? J/K Seriously, welcome aboard!! Glad to have someone else I don't have to sprain my neck to talk to!!"
Niks took the hand, keeping the comments to herself for now.? She gave the woman a quick shake, not so quick she looked like she was doing it because she had to, but Niks wasn't bout to walk hand in hand with some woman she'd never met. Then she broke out in a smile. "Yeah, donno what sorta gene pool he's trollin', right?? Nice to meet you.? And I don't think I'm qualified to go Apprentice on anyone.? I'm just an English type."? Though from the sounds of things, she might have forgotten some of what she learned.
"One question. Do you consider yourself... Normal?" Cassie would ask, peering over the tops of her glasses.
"Depends on the working criteria for said 'normal'.? Do I think I am compared to my family?? No. To those people in this office?? Perhaps.? If they are the norm, then no, but putting them on scale with the rest of the world, possibly."? Niks' head tilted slightly.? Well, she had been asked a question after all, and she did like to give answers, even if they were the straightest.
"I could certainly pass for normal."
Everett and Cassie would look at each other, then at Niks, before smiling. "You'll do just fine." Everett would glance away for a second, touching his own blue tooth. "Yeah, she's here. Cassie's with her now. Alright. see you in a few." Cassie was just happy to have someone *normal* to talk with for a change. "So ... what do you think?" Motioning to the vast office. "Anything you would change?"
"Uhm...I'd probably ...don't know."? Niks just stood there, looking around.? She wasn't really sure what to make of the place.? It seemed a little large to be considered an office. "Honestly, it makes me think of 'Devil's Advocate' with Al Pacino?? The huge office.? At least it doesn't have that huge bit with people or the fire place."?
Niks turned around to make sure it didn't. "I really don't want to end up in some version of that movie.? Not that I think I'm the devil's daughter - look nothin' like Bridgette ..no Connie Nielsen."
Cassie stood quietly for a second before turning to punch Everett in his arm ... "HA!! I told you it was a good idea to take that picture out of here!! Um, it does have a fire place, though.? This is your office."
Niks blinked at the arm punch, but she just shrugged it off. "Uhm.? For what exactly?"
"Becuz ye be part of de group, Niklas." That accent could only belong to one person. With cane in hand, Brehnic offered the trio a wide grin. "Welcome!! Tis be me baby, ye like?" Cassie would roll her eyes .. "She's been here all for five minutes, Brehnic. She still doesn't know exactly what she's going to be doing, what we're all about, what to where, or if she's going change about the office."
Brehnic was already looking around. "Wha' happened t' de picture dat be remindin' me o' de Devil's Advocate?" Everett was shooting Cassie a look, that she better not hit him again. "Come on, Niklas, I'll fill you in on the do's and don'ts. "
"Sure." Niks looked between the pair who seemed very..well..who knew.? Her eyes drifted around the office, that was more of a studio apartment than a real office.? Well, maybe an efficiency? "And is there a dress code?? I'm not really one for all this business nonsense, and I'm not puttin' any of that metal in my mouth."? She found a place to set her things, just out of the way. "And what am I doin' here anyway?"
Everett motioning with his arms ... "All of this, is like the next step in Ebay, only more global. It's it's out there, we find it for them, for a fee. Our department makes sure what we do find is the real deal, and not some fake.? Research and all that good stuff. That's why we have special perks. Doing all that reading is bound to drive someone crazy, right?"
Cassie would chime in next. "Brehnic here decided to broaden the scope ... He was recently in Morocco ... Which didn't turn out too well." Pointing to the cane. "Cass, luv. Niklas was dere. Dat be why I wanted her here, yanno?? Cass an'? Everett been wit me from de start. Cass was a victim o' Katrina. Everett was from Chicago. Former broker. Best o' de best. An' nae ye, Niklas. She be havin' history knowledge. Book smarts. An' a tongue sharper than any letter opener. "
"I'd like to think it's sharper.? Letter openers tend to go a bit dull after so many uses."? Niks shrugged slightly before looking over the trio.? They made an interesting selection really.? "He might be talkin' me up a bit, thinkin' I've forgotten about all the promises he made me."? The way she said it, it seemed like he'd promised something personal, but then the smile slipped across her lips and she was definitely joking, well, sort of.
"Now, not that I'm unappreciative, but is there anyway we can make this a little less...well, I think I'd feel slightly vulnerable."
Everett nodded. "What's first on your list? The dress code? Not one. All of them out there? They work in the field, so they have to look the part. I was on a power lunch, and Cassie was finalizing a deal. We're pretty much a jeans group." Well at least his *suit* comment in the elevator made more sense now.
"Everett, let's continue this in me office, leavin' Cassie to get Niklas settled in, mmm?"? Steadying himself with the cane, Brehnic smile/nodded at the two women, before leaving the office ... Cassie shook her head slowly, pushing her glasses back upon her nose. "I swear, that man is more than meets the eye sometimes." Shaking it off, she looks over at Niklas. "Let's get you settled into where you'll be staying before drowning you with all this other boring knowledge, okay?"
Once the two men were inside Brehnic's office, he slowly settled into his executive chair, placing the cane close by. "So, wha' do ye be thinkin' mon? She be good fer de job, uh?" Glancing out the balcony windows, Everett hands were clasped behind his back. "Yeah, she's exactly what we need. I like her personality, but then again, you have this knack of finding the right people."
Brehnic simply gave his associate a knowing grin while his back was still turned.
<font color="#0033FF" size="1">[ March 08, 2008 07:33 AM: Message edited by: New Age Immortal ]</font>
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Niks stared at herself in the elevator's reflective surface.? How the hell had she become a glorified gopher?? Actually why did he think she'd be good with historical bits?? Researching maybe, but...bah.? Thankfully she had the day off, and she was going to use it to explore.? Well, she wasn't sure "explore" was the right word for Vegas, but she was going to be out and about.? It'd been a week or so since she first arrived, and what with work being so demanding, first weeks usually were, she hadn't gotten to know where she was exactly, even though a few of the hotel staff seemed to recognize her on sight.
Worn jeans, beaten All Stars, a few layered tops (never knew when they would come in handy), and the new Las Vegas girl was waiting patiently among some suits.? They didn't exactly stare at her, but they did give her that look of "who the hell does she think she is, anyway?".? Niks just stuffed her hands in her hoody pockets and stared at her reflection some more, counting down to the main floor.? She had to wonder when she'd see her "boss" - funny, she'd seen him more on vacation than she had since she started.
Mortals in general were creatures of habit. Mice in the preverbal maze, or the hamster running inside it's wheel. They all too often get looked within their own sad little routine, which makes them such easy? to keep track of. If one would happen to become that bored.
Niklas Wright wasn't a boring subject, as much a potential fascinating one. A Immortal butterfly trapped inside a mortal cocoon. Keenly aware of the eyes and ears placed about the hotel structure, it was only a select few that would pose any problem if certain paths were crossed. The ordered orange juice was more like a prop than anything else. A personal preference was 100% natural, not processed, but alas, it was the sad sign of the times.
What goes up. must come down, it was the law of physics, so it was only a matter of time, after all mortals were ... Creatures of habit. And so were some Immortals it seemed.
Niks stopped the elevator at the office level - the suits could stare all they wanted.? Why were they above the offices anyway?? She'd go in and check on Cassie, see if the girl wanted to hit a hot spot later or not.? Well, so what if Cassie was sorta her boss; Niks needed friends, and none of the suits were going to do it for her.
She walked by a few more suits; how many people worked for Brehnic anyway?? She'd have to check on OBD or was it ODB; she really needed to pay attention to letter placement sometime.? There was a pause as she peeked in on Ev, to give him a wave and to tell him the file he'd asked about was still waiting verification from some off shore company.
The business suit jacket was off, sleeves were rolled up, and game face was on. Everett was in the middle of a conference call, doing what he does best. "Sure you can wait until the bottom falls out, but even you know that you're not the only one thinking the same thing. This isn't about sticking your big toe into the water to see if it's cold. Study long, study wrong."
Pausing long enough to wave back at their latest associate, he'd give her a thumbs up.
Niks smiled, returning the thumbs up before letting him get back to wheeling and dealing.? Her next stop?? Cassie, of course.? More than likely the little woman was busy doing her thing.? Then again, there was no telling.? Niks didn't even know if she was in or not - Ev and Cassie came and went a good bit, which meant that she had to learn to keep tabs on them without seeming too clinging.? She was still working on that.
She stopped at Cassie's office, gave a quick knock, and a peek in.
"..... Tough titty said the kitty, but the milk's still good!!" You tell your boss, just because I'm a woman, that doesn't color me stupid, alright? If he wants cheap, then have him register with Ebay!!"? Rolling her eyes, Cassie pushes her glasses back up her nose, before flashing a grin to Niks, motioning for her to come on in .... "Okay. Now that number I can work with. Yeah, I can swing tickets for that show to boot. Have the paper work drawn up, and I'll have it ready by this eve. Buh bye now."
Tossing the blue tooth aside, she plops back down into her chair. "Gawd, it is utterly amazing how this world has not gone down the crapper faster being ran by our opposite gender!!! Hiya Nikki!!"
Niks' brows lifted as a "business woman" just spouted that little kiddie saying; Brehnic sure knew how to pick his staff.? The ex-grad student leaned against the door jamb and waited.? It wasn't so much that Niks couldn't be forceful; well, she didn't make it a habit.?? Niks' hand rose for a small wave as Cassie came back to the real world.
"Hey, Cassie.? Was that Brungelder?"? The man had been hounding Niks about some stupid contract for most of the week.? She'd also been searching for the manuscript to make sure there was still an extant copy.? "Hey."? Her hand waving away the question she'd just asked. "You busy tonight?? Or is there a no mixing of management and semi-lackeys policy?"
"If there is, I'm sure 89% of us here of broken it ... Several times. And no, I'm not busy at all. Just me, some fat free popcorn, and Lifetime, WE, Oxygen Television in my future. What's up?" Leaning over to send a quick email before devoting her full attention to her ...
"Eh, wondered you'd be up for some dinner or something. S'cool if you'd rather hit the girlie channels."? Niks was teasing, only a little anyway. "I'm bored, and if I eat one more meal created by this hotel I might have to scream.? Then again, I gotta see if I can't get an apartment - I miss a nice kitchen.? Not that I'm complaining about my digs; they're pretty cool."
A hand slid into a pocket as she continued to lean; the other hand was busy tracing patterns on the outside wall - she hated to look like she was fidgeting, but she liked staying completely still even more.? This way no one could see that she was sorta fidgeting - well, no one on the inside of the office anyway.
"Maybe hit a club or something?? I don't know."
"Well, you're not hurting for that department, kiddo. Clubs in Vegas??? Pshaw!! Count me in. So, you doin' okay with all this??? Not exactly working in a library, I'm sure that's much more fun than this." Scary thing? Cassie was being serious!! Pausing long enough to take another bite from her bagel.
"It's okay.? It's a job.? I don't think it's something I'll do for the rest of my life." Great words there. "But, it's getting things paid off.? I'll figure out what I want after taking care of debt.? I've got time after all"? Brehnic was probably laughing if he heard what she was saying.
"Cool.? Well, I'm going to go grab a bite then walk around abit.? 9 or 10?? We can meet up downstairs or something?? And funky or chic good for clubs?? Though I could use a place that's all about gettin' hot and sweaty.? Grinding and bouncing.? Oh..you know..like a disco tech!"? Niks rolled her eyes, but she was slightly serious about the dancing.
"Then I know of several such places. And we can meet down in the main lobby, near the slot machines." Okay, she was going to like Niklas. She was so not like she expected, when Brehnic announced he was bringing someone new in. Her first response was that she was being replaced, and that didn't sit well with her one bit. Everett convinced her to at least meet the new hire first before passing judgement ...
And she was glad she did.
"Great.? The big man in?? Or does he travel the globe while everyone works his or her"? A slight motion between them because they were definitely both hers. "ass off?? Constant vacation while we make him his money?"? Some people might have thought she was complaining, but that was Niks strange humor.? Then again, if she was going to complain about that little set up, it'd probably be to Brehnic's face, even if that wasn't the best idea for her career.
"And by the slots would be great.? Should we ask anyone else along?? Some of the suits look like they could use a little wiggling."
A thoughtful expression ..."You know, I have not seen him since Sunday. He was meeting an old friend at ... Sunday mass at church of all places. I swear he is full of surprises. " Leaning back into her chair, she smiles again at Niklas. "Truth be known, he spends a lot of time here in Vegas, unless he's looking into ancient artifacts or something. That's been his latest vice."
"Vegas?? Or artifacts?? And really?? Church?? Gods, I always said those places were for old biddies and their mamas to talk about who was doin' what last night with ole Fred.? Sorry, social places not at all for religion these days, but anyway.? You donno if he's in?? Not really that surprised.? You know how hard it is keepin' an eye on you and Ev?"? Yes, she called him Ev; it suited her to do so, and the man hadn't really corrected her yet.
"I guess I'll go give his door a knock?"
