The Elite Broer

Chapter 1

High Hopes

Monday

Chicago, Illinois

Adriana smelled the coffee she had set last night to brew at 7:00 A.M. wafting into her room. The tendrils of that wonderful aroma, reached out, floating her directly into her kitchen, nose first. Not quite awake enough to face the brilliant sun filtering through the curtained windows, Adriana blocked the brightness with her hand. Stretching and yawning, she worked at waking up, trying to find the energy she would need to function on a higher business and mental level than any other candidates. With coffee cup in hand, Adriana cranked up the radio to some heart pumping music, getting her into a groove for her morning routine. Feeling the groove, she sashayed and be-bopped her way into the shower, shaving her legs as she went. Toweling off, she got her hair together, then dabbed on her favorite cologne behind her ears.

Today was special. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach turning into bats. In just a few hours, a new journey would hopefully begin. Success, however, hinged on the interview process and physical exam, which she had been told would be very in-depth.

Elite Brokerage was one of the newest premier Fortune 500 companies in Chicago, getting an interview with them, was like hitting the lottery. Their New York and Los Angeles offices wouldn't even look at unsolicited résumés; they had their own headhunters constantly on the prowl for the best and brightest.

Adriana was thrilled to have gotten get the call from the human resources department at Elite. She was walking on could nine, even before she heard the voice on the line.

The department manager sounded more like a very strict librarian, telling her: "Ms. Manarro, this is Helen Carter from Elite Brokerage, H.R. Department. A car will be sent for you at 9:00 A.M. tomorrow.

You are to be in front of your apartment, in business attire, waiting for our driver, Kyle. You are to bring nothing with you except your purse, your identification, your health insurance card and a list of any medications you might need as well as two emergency contacts with complete and updated information. Should you not be able to provide the information and items that are required, your interview will be terminated immediately and you will be taken back home.

We prefer you wear as little makeup as possible and style your hair in a modest and feminine manner. The group here is very traditional and maintains a very high set of standards, with which you will become familiar, should you be welcomed into our employ.

I do not recommend drinking alcohol tonight, as you will want to keep your mind sharp for tomorrow. You may however partake of any drinks available to you once you arrive at our office."

Adriana's excitement was too great for her to speak, let alone gather intelligent questions for the woman.

Not hearing a response, the director continued. "Since you do not, I will look forward to meeting you tomorrow morning. Have a good day." Ms. Scrooge Librarian had hung up.

That was it. It seemed more mandate than invitation, which made Adriana uncomfortable, but the HR Manager was not the CEO of the company, sorting through the youngest and brightest professionals, doing the picking and choosing. From their short conversation, Adriana surmised the manager would be a peon and she was very grateful for that. A foot in the door with Elite Brokerage, Co., was a very rare opportunity; she wouldn't be the one to scoff.

Before leaving her apartment, Adriana did a quick check on the iron, coffee pot and curling iron, unplugging each to insure against the potential for a fire. Being late fall, the sunset came earlier in the evening, she turned on a couple of lamps. Tripping in the dark apartment would not be a good thing, if the appointment ran late into the afternoon.

Adriana felt the excitement course through her body, as she rode the elevator down to the lobby of her security building. Outside, standing under the canopy covering the doorway, she enjoyed the shade.

Mike the doorman, always the perfect gentleman, offered to call her a cab but she told him it wasn't necessary. She was waiting for a private car to pick her up and the driver would be here shortly.

Adriana was dressed for business, wearing her charcoal pinstripe, pencil skirt suit, crisp pressed blouse, white stockings and black pumps with modest heel. Her black handbag hung from her left shoulder, holding the items required to bring to the interview.

Mike was in one of those chatty moods, which he didn't get into very often. He commented on how lovely she looked asking her, "Will you be returning from work on time this evening, Ms. Manarro?" He would hold her mail for her if she were running late, so she wouldn't have to go around the dark corner of the lobby to retrieve it. A little nervous, Adriana could only smile at Mike's thoughtfulness and gave him a sincere, "Thanks Mike."

Adriana saw the car slowing to a stop directly in front of her. The driver parked the car, walked around to the passenger rear door and opened it for her. "Ms. Manarro, I am Kyle your driver. May I help you into the car?"

Adriana, tickled at this kind of treatment, simply took Kyle's hand and slipped gracefully into the car. "Thank you sir," she said smiling at him.

"Oh no Miss! You must never call me sir in front of any of the Elite Brokerage Company employees. You may call me Kyle at any time and I am happy to answer to that. Now let's be on our way Miss, so that you are not late for your interview."

The dark blue sedan was well appointed with seats that were plush and comfortable. The material was soft to the touch as she ran her hand across the fabric. Once the car pulled out into traffic, the butterflies in her stomach began to flutter again making her feel a little giddy. Kyle, although quiet, gave off an air of authority. Knowing he was a company man gave her the feeling he was not to be troubled by innocuous questions or comments. The motion of the car, even in the flow of dense traffic was quite soothing. Soon Adriana slipped into a thoughtless calm that finally allowed her to relax.

Although Adriana lived outside the Chicago Loop the trip to the Elite Brokerage office seemed to take forever. Kyle managed the car like the pro he was, weaving in and out of traffic through the heavily populated streets. Most of the ride was spent driving up and down streets she had never explored in all the years she lived in the city. He didn't use the Dan Ryan Expressway or approach Lake Shore Drive. It seemed as though Kyle was 'trying' to disorient her in her own city doing a very good job of it, too

Finally they pulled into one of the many underground-parking garages. Kyle slowed the car to a stop in front of an elevator bank marked only 'EB'1. "Here we are Ms. Mannaro. Please allow me to help you out of the car and give you some instructions". Kyle got out of the car, coming around to open her door; he extended his hand to assist her. "Once you are inside the elevator, there is only one button. The elevator will take you to the fourteenth floor where you will find a reception desk. Give them your name and you will be instructed from there".

Her legs were a little shaky now that she was actually here, but Kyle merely smiled. She held his hand a little firmer than necessary to keep her balance. "You will do well Miss Mannaro; I wish you all the best".

Adriana approached the elevator and pushed the button. As she stepped in, she saw the sedan pull away, leaving her with no option. She pushed the button that led to her next destination.

The elevator door silently slid closed. Without so much as a hiccup, the car traveled upwards like a small rocket, making her legs shake even more. Adriana held the handrail as her stomach did a small flip. It was so quiet with only the sound of wind in the elevator shaft and a low mechanical whir. All too quickly, the elevator came to a stop and the door opened. Just as Kyle had said, she found the reception desk and stopped to give her name. The woman behind the desk was rather surly, telling Adriana to give her the purse and have a seat.

Adriana complied, becoming a little agitated. She felt as if she were being treated like a terrorist, but without the x-rays and body search. "Ha! That comes next." Smiling a little at her thoughts, she once again relaxed a little taking the first available seat. She wouldn't be sitting there for very long.

The double doors to the right of the receptionist's desk opened to reveal a tall, matronly woman. She looked every bit the typical old librarian, wearing a severely pulled back hairstyle, navy blue business suit, and dark rimmed glasses complete with chain to keep them from falling off. "This has to be 'Ms. Scrooge' from the HR department," Adriana thought.

Ms. Mannaro, I'm Helen from the HR department."

Adriana held out her hand but found that an unwelcome gesture. She smiled and said, "Hello, please call me Adriana". That got a huff from Helen as she turned her back, expecting to be followed.

She led Adriana down a long hall with only one door at the very end. Helen stopped in front of the door, looking Adriana up and down, as if she were bug under a magnifying glass. "I guess you will do for now. I will introduce you to our lead broker, Mr. Adams. He will ask you many questions, which you will answer truthfully. He is on a time schedule and doesn't have time for nonsense. You are not his only appointment for the day. No matter how private, embarrassing or humiliating the question may seem to you, do not falter or stall with your answer. Lack of an answer or too long of a hesitation, will see you dismissed from this appointment and your chance of working for Elite Brokerage will vanish. You will never have this opportunity again. Keep that in mind. Any questions you have you may ask now. Mr. Adams will not tolerate questions and again, will find this as grounds to disqualify you."

Adriana was in shock; this didn't feel like a job interview. What was with all of the 'no questions' and 'you will answer even if embarrassed or humiliated'? This wasn't making sense to her. The whole thing seemed to get more confusing as it went along. Feeling as if she had just slipped down the rabbit hole, Adriana looked at Helen and asked, "What kind of job am I applying for, that I have to disclose private information and can't ask questions?"

Helen stared at Adriana, cocked her perfectly penciled eyebrow and said, "Why my dear Miss Manarro, you are applying for one of the most coveted jobs in our company. You wish to make your dreams come true? Would you like to live a more comfortable life with more meaning? Do you wish to travel? Learn new cultures and all with a company that will foot the bill for your advancement? If this is not what you hoped for, then now is the time to make that decision and leave. I hear McDonald's is hiring. Is that where you would like to be?"

Adriana was stunned! Never had anyone spoken to her in such a demeaning manner. Her bottom lip trembled. Unshed tears formed in her eyes. She would not give this evil woman the satisfaction of crying in front of her. Feeling dejected, she looked at the floor, then back to Helen replying, "No Ma'am".

From her pocket, Helen produced a tissue. "Let's not waste any more time then. Here's a tissue. Dab your eyes and let's get you in to see Mr. Adams before you turn to jelly. This is the opportunity of a lifetime young lady. Now, put on a pretty smile and go be your very charming best and give him everything he asks you for!"

Though Adriana was ready to break into tears, to run screaming back to the reception area, she thought, "This woman is right. I do want all those things! I know I can do this!" She took the tissue Helen had given her, dabbed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I just don't want to fail before having the opportunity to show the company that I am the person you need for this job." She said with a sniffle.

"At this rate you will fail Miss Manarro. We don't want failure for you either. Our headhunter chose you specifically. Your qualifications meet our needs exactly. Now, give me that tissue." Helen looked down her long angular nose, one hand on her hip and tapping her to on the tiled floor as she wiggled the fingers of her outstretched hand huffing impatiently. Adriana took a deep breath, nodded and handed over the dampened tissue.

Helen knocked then opened the door. "Mr. Adams, this is Adriana Manarro." Reaching into her pocket, Helen produced a small flash drive, handed it to Mr. Adams, telling him, "I'll be at my desk should you need anything further."

"Thank you Helen, that will be all for now." Taking the flash drive, he plugged it into the laptop on his desk. Adriana stood perfectly still, waiting for Mr. Adams to look at her. His eyes never left the computer screen. After a few seconds, he said, "Have a seat Miss Manarro and let's get started, shall we? Our headhunter was very impressed with you. He gave you exceptionally high marks in all areas for future employees. Your college education, though lacking in some regard, is quite thorough and your grades, excellent. Should you be chosen, the company will train you further getting you up to speed as needed. I spoke with your current employer. Your supervisor gave you an excellent review. Apparently you adapt quickly, follow directions to the letter, have few problems with authority and work well given specific guidelines. When allowed to work independently... blah, blah, blah..." Suddenly, his words trailed off.

Adriana, caught up in her own thoughts, looked searched the man before her. He certainly wasn't the typical nerdy broker she expected, but was quite handsome. She watched his hands as they glided gracefully as swans over the keyboard, long fingers hovering to peck at the keys. His eyes, behind silver rimmed glasses, were a warm hazel; his face was narrow with nose, cheekbones and lips chiseled as a Roman statue. "My God," she told herself, "This man is gorgeous, the man of every woman's dreams." Her mind drifted. She felt his hands roaming softly over her body, giving pleasure...

"ADRIANA!" He snapped, making her jump.

"Holy crap! Where did those thoughts come from?" Startled and ashamed, she let her gaze fall to the floor She was embarrassed at being caught staring at him, not paying attention.

"Yes sir. I am so sorry. It won't happen again." She said.

"Good! Now, when you entered the room, I told you to take a seat yet you are still standing where Helen left you. Sit so we may continue. As I was saying, your current employers are very happy with your performance. They did not, however, know you were looking for a position outside their company. Are you unhappy there, Adriana?"

"No sir, not really. They gave me my first job right out of college and I have worked for them ever since. Your headhunter approached me with information about Elite Brokerage and I felt that I owed it to myself to check out any opportunity that might be offered."

"A simple 'no' would have sufficed, young lady. Keep your responses short and to the point. So, you have ambition. Do you have the drive to do more with yourself and your career? As an employee with us, you will be expected to grow. You will strive to excel at every task and challenge. The words 'no' or 'I can't' are not tolerated by any of the brokers you will work with. Should you decline to perform as directed, your superior has the power to carry out disciplinary action or dismiss you without notice. We conduct business with many companies, privately owned corporations and individual investors globally. They expect all of our representatives to meet their needs to the letter without question. Now that I have made this clear to you, we will move on to your personal information. You will answer each question without hesitation or embellishment."

Adriana's heart was racing! Did she dare read into his words? It sounded as if she were already hired. As she allowed herself this wishful victory, she also had to consider what the opportunity would do for her life. Mr. Adams' words entranced her, pulling her in deeper with every word from his gorgeous mouth.

Mr. Adams had seen that look in a woman's eyes before. This beautiful young woman could and would be molded to perfection. She may not have the slightest idea what Elite Brokerage expected of her, but our needs would be made clear to her very soon. Knowing her personal information was displayed on his computer screen, he viewed the questions as a formality, a test to determine how much more pliable she would become. Would she become a willing employee or would she need a little coaxing?

"Would you like a drink Adriana?" he asked. "Water or soda?"

"May I have water please? My throat is getting a little dry."

"Bottle or a glass with ice?"

"A glass with ice would be perfect. Thank you Mr. Adams."

He walked across the office to the bar. Opening the mini fridge, he poured a bottle of water over ice into a glass. Grabbing a bottle of soda for himself, he handed her the glass. As she reached out, her fingers softly brushed his hand. He felt the slight tremble in her touch. A shock of excitement tingled up his hand. He knew right then this was the girl. Everything about her, her submissive answers, the way she lowered her eyes when she was embarrassed, even her skittishness, was delightful. If he kept the upper hand here, Adriana would not easily get away from him. He would see that she was trained by one of the best brokers in the company. He would have James teach her all she would need to know. Then he would take her under his wings. Teach her to fly.

"How tall are you Adriana?"

"Five feet, two inches sir."

"And how much to you weigh?"

"One hundred fifty pounds."

"What size clothes do you wear? You will need to keep a business wardrobe, cocktail dresses and formal evening gowns. Business is conducted in the office but there will be times that you will accompany the broker to a cocktail or dinner engagement to close a deal. You must be ready for any occasion at any time. A personal shopper will acquire the clothes for you. They are trained to know exactly the types and styles we want. You will be assigned a personal trainer who will establish a fitness program designed to get you in peak physical condition. For your height and body frame you will need to lose about twenty five pounds."

With a little more defensiveness than she meant, Adriana said, "I wear a size ten or twelve right now Mr. Adams. I don't understand why my weight or body shape should affect the performance of my job." She knew better than to question Mr. Adams, but her weight had always been a problem, a source of ridicule from her peers. His matter-of-fact attitude stung. Her reaction was simply a defensive reaction.

Irritation laced his voice, "Consider this your final warning Adriana! From this point forward you will give only direct answers to direct questions! I won't tell you again!" Mr. Adams stared at her with a sternness she hadn't seen since she was a child being yelled at by her Father. It made her feel small. Insignificant. Adriana wanted to melt into the chair, to become invisible. Hot, stinging tears spilled over her eyelashes. This time, there was no tissue to wipe them away. Mr. Adams saw her tears, had hoped for them, and planned for them. He needed to illicit a response from her other than embarrassment. Now he had. If he didn't act fast, this woman would run from his office never to be seen again. He wouldn't let that happen. He paused for a moment to take a deep breath and allow his voice to even out, telling Adriana, "Our motives in keeping you at a healthy weight are strictly from an investor's point of view, Adriana. You will maintain a desired weight so that you can keep up with the physical demands of your position. Everything being laid out for you will become very clear once you pass the physical exam after we are done here."