One of the coffees in Eliza's tray started to wobble. She grabbed it and jammed the cup back in the cardboard carrier. With her luck she would spill it all over her white blouse. She glanced down to see if there were any stains, but so far, the top and skirt were spot free.
Her new job's dress code made her sigh in frustration. Why did they require business professional? It turned out junior marketing associate meant glorified gopher. Her twelve plus hour days consisted of running errands all over New York for more important team members. She'd helped with zero marketing.
"Six months Eliza." She exhaled and balanced the coffee with one hand and her chin to summon the elevator.
Once the six month probation period was up she could put in for a promotion. Getting a job at Binary Incorporated was an amazing opportunity. They were changing the world, two steps at a time, or so the slogan went. But it was only day three. Eliza had her doubts she would make it six days, let alone six months.
The elevator doors dinged open. At least it was empty, two pm wasn't a popular time for people to leave their offices. There wouldn't be a million stops between her and her floor. She was worried the coffee run had taken too long as it was.
She tapped floor 65 and went back to holding the tray with both hands. Alone, Eliza kicked off her heels and dropped three inches to her normal 5'5" height. The shoes were one of the worst parts of the job.
If Binary wanted their gopher's more effective they really should let them wear yoga pants and tennis shoes. That would be efficiency two steps at a time.
"Hold on." A hand stopped the door from closing.
Eliza groaned. The Binary headquarters had sixteen elevators in this bank. This asshole should've summoned another one. Before Eliza had a chance to scream louder in her head the doors opened all the way.
Her lips parted and blue eyes went wide. Warm brown ones met hers, a devilish grin on the man as he stepped inside. She would recognize that face anywhere, hell the entire world would.
Trent Bolivar had a strut to him, his dark hair hanging over his brow and prominent jaw line. He looked like a million bucks, but was worth closer to a billion.
"Hi." His eyes ran up and down her body. "Nice shoes."
Eliza was snapped from her trance and tried to shove her feet back into her heels while keeping the coffee balanced.
"Be nice Trent." Seth Teller's voice almost made her topple over. "I don't see you in heels."
Binary's other founder joined her in the elevator. Eliza had seen their photos all over the news, internet, and building. Seth was taller and leaner with blond hair and blue eyes. The all-American boy. Neither of their photos stood up to how gorgeous they were in person.
Eliza's coworkers mentioned bumping into the founders in the building before, but they made it sound like a rarity and always at a distance.
"Come on, we don't have a dress code." Trent turned and looked at her, his goatee making his grin that much more sinister. "Nobody makes you wear heels honey. I think there's a shoe store on level 4. You want to stop there and pick up some flats?"
"Knock it off Trent." Seth put his hand on his partner's shoulder but looked at Eliza. "Don't mind us, Miss."
"It's fine." She shook her head in disbelief.
These were two of the most powerful people in the world and neither of them were forty yet. Their technology was changing the landscape, well Trent's was. Seth was known for the business side of things, but his acumen mixed with Trent's creations led to the powerhouse.
"Sorry Rapunzel." Trent reached out and hit random floor numbers. "Secret code, we're going to my floor first. Then the elevator will take you back down."
"Rapunzel?" Eliza's strawberry blonde locks came to just below her shoulders. She looked at the ends, half expecting her hair to have grown inches in the last few minutes.
"She doesn't like to wear shoes either." Trent laughed and Seth smacked him on the back of the head.
The blonde mouthed the word sorry, but the embarrassment had settled in. Eliza took a few steps back and leaned against the wall, hoping to remain a fly for the rest of the elevator trip.
She stared at their backs as they rose. Neither of them wore business professional. They were both in jeans and t-shirts. It wasn't fair. Trent might not have a dress code, but the head of marketing did. Eliza wondered if they even knew that. Binary had 65,000 employees worldwide. At least 20,000 worked in this building. There was a good chance neither of them even knew who the head of marketing was.
"What's in the envelope?" Seth pointed to the cardboard in Trent's hand.
"Not sure." He lifted the thing in front of him. "Polly was going to send over some contracts. Looks a little thin though."
"Maybe it's the deed to the ranch?" Seth spoke as if Eliza wasn't in the same tiny moving box.
Being a fly on the wall didn't feel as good as she hoped. It dawned on her, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. She could have a literal elevator pitch with Trent Bolivar and Seth Teller. People would murder for this opportunity and here she was, squandering it. She could tell them some of her ideas, maybe get promoted out of her current role, but the celebrity aspect mixed with her own flaws and silenced her.
"That would be cool." Trent grabbed the corner of the envelope. "I've been waiting for that thing for at least a week."
RIPPPPP.
Of course, a week was a long time for a person like him.
A strange 'pft' noise filled the elevator. POP! Orange powder filled the space.
Eliza did not have a chance to scream before a coughing fit came on. She pressed her eyes closed as she keeled over. The two men in the elevator did the same. The tray slipped from her hands. The dust burned her lungs, as she wiped at her face hoping to clear some of it away.
The coughing didn't stop, but enough was off her eyes she peeped them open. A small haze filled the elevator as it started to settle. The tray had hit the ground without spilling any of the drinks.
Trent noticed the carrier first and grabbed a random one, chugging the coffee. Seth picked up another, but instead of drinking it down he handed it to her before taking one for himself. The sweet drink helped to clear her airway and settled the coughing.
"Are you okay?" Seth's eyes showed nothing but concern.
Eliza felt uncomfortable from his stare and looked to Trent as he slapped the emergency stop button.
Once the box stopped moving the dust bounced. Eliza nodded as she ran her hands over her hair, noticing the white blouse was covered in orange particles, though clothing was now the least of her concerns.
"Allen, do a scan. What is this stuff?" Trent was speaking to nobody in particular as he dusted his shoulders off.
"Inconclusive." A strange voice responded from the ceiling.
"Call the authorities." Seth looked up. "Evacuate the building."
"Oh God." Eliza felt her stomach drop. "Is this anthrax or something?"
"No." Trent glared at Seth. "Allen, do not evacuate the building or call anyone. Seal off the airshafts connected to this elevator. Did the powder spread anywhere?"
"Not yet sir." Allen's voice had a bit of a British accent, but whoever he was was of little concern to her at the moment. "Vents are sealed. The three of you have enough air for approximately seventy-two hours."
"Three days?" Eliza's fears started to outweigh any shyness. "Am I going to die?"
"No!" Both men shouted in unison.
"We have to call the cops." Seth leaned into Trent. "Get the CDC or the bomb squad involved."
"That could be a PR nightmare." Trent's shorter stature didn't make him any less intimidating as he clenched his jaw. "This could all be a prank. Allen, is this stuff natural or synthetic?"
"Initial reads indicate natural." Allen's voice showed no signs of urgency.
"Keep scanning, see if you can get a handle on what this is." Trent picked up the envelope.
"Scanning? Who is Allen?" Eliza's brain was going a mile a minute and couldn't think of filtering out a more important question.
"He's my A.I." Trent stuck his hand in the package. "He runs the building."
Eliza continued to wipe herself off as best she could, trying not to freak out. Trent pulled out a mechanical spring attached to a bag with a little bit of the dust inside. At least that explained the powder spewing.
Next he took out a single piece of paper. In giant block letters all it read were two words: HAVE FUN.
"Is there a return address?" Seth grabbed the envelope.
"What the fuck is going on?" Eliza started to shake. "This is anthrax isn't it? We're going to die."
"Look at me." A hand was on her shoulder, but she couldn't get steady. "LOOK AT ME."
The command forced her eyes to snap up. Seth was holding her in place.
"Nobody is dying." He squeezed down. "I promise."
"Call Rigg." Trent put an arm on the elevator door and leaned forward as a phone rang.
"Hello?" The voice was as recognizable as Trent or Seth's would've been.
It was Dr. Catherine Rigg. Chief scientist in Binary's pharmaceutical division. An area of research dedicated to creating new medicines that would be free to anyone. Eliza spent much of her interview talking about ways to highlight that effort. Though she couldn't tell if it was a comfort having one of the greatest minds in science consulted over this or if it added to the urgency.
"Can you get a hazmat team set up on my personal floor? Assemble a decontamination area, without alerting the press. Your division should have the supplies." Trent spun around so his back was against the door.
"Trent?" Dr. Rigg sounded confused. "What happened? Where are you?"
"We got doused with some weird powder. I've already sealed off the elevator. The rest of the building is safe."
There was a long pause before Dr. Rigg spoke again.
