Chapter - 12
Ethan looked at the elevator panel. He needed to get off this elevator as soon as possible. This prank was getting out of hand.
But when he looked at it, he saw that he was still on the 10th floor. The elevator was barely moving. He continued to stare at the panel and only after about half a minute or so did he reach the 9th floor.
"What sort of wizardry is this?" Ethan felt like losing it.
"I am in a slow motion movie, and this system guy is giving me ten million and a Bugatti?" Ethan recalled what he knew so far.
He looked at the floating text, "System, are you real?" he asked with hesitation.
[Every bit as real as you are.]
"But why a security guard? That woman just fired me. You want me to go work as a guard in the same building where I was just humiliated?"
[The host must complete the current job appointment to 100% progress to unlock a new job appointment and receive a memory fragment which will help you recover your memory.]
[Your employment record has been digitally altered and inserted into the Aura Media HR database. You are now expected to report at the Security Department. ]
[Do you wish to proceed and collect the Registration Gift?]
Ethan blinked. He looked at his reflection in the elevator doors. He was desperate. He had been living off the Smiths for some time now. It was time for him to not burden them any longer.
If this was a hallucination, life would go on, but if it wasn't…
"Fine, whatever" Ethan took a deep breath and decided, "If this is real... if I really have ten million dollars... who cares if I am a guard?"
"I will be the richest guard in the history of mankind. Sooner or later I will just buy this building and throw out Jasmine myself."
"Collect!" Ethan whispered, feeling a lot less foolish than before.
[Ding! ]
[$10,000,000 has been transferred into the host's account! ]
[ Your Bugatti Centodieci 'Édition Royale' is parked in the Aura Media underground parking lot, Area D, Spot 17. You will find the key in your pocket.]
[Thank you for your attention to this matter.]
Ethan immediately put his hand into his pants pocket, and his fingers brushed against something cool and heavy that definitely wasn't there a minute ago.
He pulled it out.
And it was a car key. But not just any key. It was a beautiful Bugatti emblem shaped key. It was custom made.
And before he could fully marvel at the exquisite key, he felt his phone buzz.
He pulled out his phone and the text message from the bank almost made his eyes pop out.
"Your savings card account ending in 4255: Incoming Transfer $10,000,000.00. Current balance: $10,002,101.15.
~Thank you for using our Bank of Kuber."
Ethan stared at the screen. Ones, tens, hundred, thousands, ten thousands, hundred thousands, million, ten millions…"
'Fuck!'
Ethan could not help but do it again and it was again ten millions in his account. Out of nowhere he was a millionaire.
"Hahahaha… This is real. It is actually real," Ethan did not care. He laughed out loud, not caring if anyone saw him in the elevator.
He was fucking rich.
[Ding!]
The elevator at that time reached the lobby. Ethan quickly straightened his clothes and calmed himself down,
As soon as the elevator door opened, he walked out, now a happy man, no longer sad about losing the job.
"Security Guard, huh?" He chuckled, "Well, let's play along."
He walked out into the lobby and straight towards the guard who was manning the entrance. Chloe was busy at that time, and Ethan was in a hurry as well, so he decided not to greet her at that moment.
"Hey bro," Ethan tapped the guard on his shoulder.
"What is it, man?"The guard grabbed his baton.
"No need to swing that, bro. I just want to know the way to the Security department. I need to report there. I joined recently."
The guard looked at Ethan and frowned. This bastard was too handsome to work as a guard. Why wasn't he shaking his hips and making some videos?
But then he remembered where they were. A lot of those rich and handsome men come here to do menial jobs just in the hopes of bedding as many flowers as they can.
He shook his head at the new competition he got, "Go back inside. Take the elevator to 'level -1' Get out and take the right. Walk straight down the hallway and there you will find it."
Ethan thanked the guard and followed his instructions and soon he was outside the Security Department.
He knocked once and entered.
The room was a complete opposite to the fancy upper floors. It smelled of stale coffee, donuts and thick perfume.
Monitors covered one entire wall, displaying various feeds of the building. Three burly men in blue uniforms were sitting around a small table, laughing at a video on a phone. And one young man was sitting in front of the monitors, looking at them with concentration.
"Uh, excuse me?" Ethan called out to grab their attention.
All four heads turned in his direction simultaneously.
"I am Ethan Smith. I am here to report for duty," Ethan introduced himself.
"Ah! You must be the transfer!" One of the men stood up, wiping sugar crumbs from his uniform, "Right! Ethan Smith, right."
"HR did send down your file weirdly fast. Said you were transferred from... the PR applicant pool?"
The man looked confused. "Why would a pretty boy like you want to work down here in the dungeon? PR pays double what we make."
"I saw there was too much stress up there," Ethan shrugged, lying smoothly, "So I quickly tweaked my application and they were more than happy to send me down here.
"Hahaha… I like this kid!" The man laughed, a booming sound that shook the room, "Welcome to the team, son!"
"I am Harris. You can call me Uncle Harris, Captain Harris or Captain Old Man Harris," The man introduced himself, "I am the Security Captain here."
"This fatso is Malcom. If you ever need to get an entry in a club, he is your guy. He has a lot of bouncer cousins."
"This one is Dave. If you need to get out of a situation, call him. He is your 'I know everybody guy'."
"And that small guy over there is Wang Li. He is also new here. Nothing ever goes past his eyes."
Old man Harris introduced Ethan to everyone. They all gave him warm smiles except for Wang Li who looked at him with a narrowed gaze.
"Why were you laughing in the elevator like a mad man?" Wang Li asked.
"That…" Ethan was embarrassed, 'So someone did see it.'
"I was just too happy to get the job. That's all." Ethan lied, but Wang Li just stared at him with his squinted eyes.
"Hahaha… That's the spirit," Old man Harris patted Ethan on his back, way too happy for no reason.
"Don't worry about the skirts upstairs. They might look down on us."
"But down here, we are all family. Sit, sit! Have a donut. But that chocolate glazed one is mine, don't touch it."
Ethan was surprised. Unlike those sleazy rich guys in that 'Lion's Den', these guys were genuine.
"Thanks, Old Man," Ethan said.
"Here, take this uniform and get changed," Old Man Harris pulled out a spare uniform from the cupboard and gave it to Ethan.
Ethan went to the locker room and changed into his blue security guard uniform. The uniform fit his muscular frame quite well.
He walked back out, adjusting his cap, "How do I look?"
"My man, you're going to steal all the ladies' hearts here," Malcolm stood up and walked over to Ethan sizing him up, "Chloe from the front desk already hates us, maybe you can change that."
'That sweet Chloe hates them?' Ethan shook his head, 'You guys don't know how to approach the ladies.'
Suddenly, the landline on the Captain's desk rang, breaking the wholesome moment.
The atmosphere in the room instantly froze. The laughter died. Malcom stopped chewing his gum. Dave almost went ahead to take cover.
Meanwhile, Captain Harris stared at the phone like it was a live grenade.
"It's... It's the executive line," Harris whispered.
"Captain, pick it up." Dave urged Old Man Harris.
Old Man Harris picked it up with a trembling hand, "Security, Harris speaking... Yes? ... I see. Yes, ma'am. Immediately. I will send someone."
Harris hung up as soon as he could. Then he looked at his men, as if he was going to break the bad news.
"Boys, we have a Code Red," He sighed, "President Clinton is in the underground garage. Her car broke down and she needs assistance immediately."
The room went dead silent.
"I... uh... I have to monitor the unclogging of the staff toilets," Dave said, quickly running out of the room.
"My stomach hurts, I think the donut had gone bad," Malcom clutched his belly and bolted for the bathroom, "Dave. Don't let them unclog yet."
"Come on guys!" Harris threw his arms in the air, "She's a beauty! Everyone calls her the Goddess of Aura Media. It's a chance to get some alone time with her!"
"Captain, she's terrifying," Wang Li spoke without tearing his gaze from the monitors, "Last time that Yuki guy opened the door for her too slowly. She stared at him so hard that the poor guy cried out after that."
"He ended up quitting the next day."
"I need to move out of my shared apartment. So I am not going as well," Wang Li flatly rejected.
Harris looked around helplessly. He was too old to be running around the garage. Then, his eyes landed on Ethan.
"Ethan! You are still new here! You haven't been traumatized yet!" Harris beamed, "This is your test. Go save the boss!"
Ethan looked at everyone's terrified expression and smirked. He shook his head, "You guys act like she is a monster. She is just a woman with a bad temper."
"You don't know her," Wang Li condescendingly said, "She eats souls."
"Fine. I will handle it," Ethan grabbed his cap and twirled it on his finger. "Consider it done."
"You are a brave man, Ethan," Harris saluted, "I will always remember you, no matter what"
Ethan chuckled and walked out, heading for the service elevator to the garage. He checked his pocket one last time to make sure the Bugatti key was there.
"Can't wait to see the look on her face," Ethan rubbed his hands, "This is going to be fun."
** ** ** ** **
[
Author's Question: How do you want Ethan to greet Jasmine?
Wrong answers only
]