"We met under mysterious circumstance..."
"Excuse me?" said Jesep, he turned around to see a young woman, standing behind him as he waited for the elevator. He quickly realized it was not just any young woman but...her.
He'd seen her from afar, a few weeks ago, on the day he'd first moved into his new building. Her orange hair and large sunglasses, would of course draw anyone's attention but she also had a way about her that had kept his attention beyond the standard odd glance. She had large headphones on and seem to be oblivious to the world around her as she twirled about. She appeared to be in her early twenties but dressed in rather strange miss matched attire that didn't correlate with her supposed age.
At the time he didn't know what to make of her…or rather the feeling she invoked within him. Jesper usually didn't take "notice" of other people. He considered most to be beneath him. Unless they had some inherent value to him, he didn't bother. Give him an equation, a puzzle, a seemingly impossible task and a deadline and he was more then content to lock himself away from the world for days or even weeks on end and yet...there had been something about this woman that had sparked his...interest.
He raised an eyebrow now as she stared up at him intently. She barley came to his chest, most women often did. Jesep has always been tall and lean, in the last few years, he'd put on some muscle but still had a ways to go, in his opinion. He examined the woman more closely, she wasn't wearing her sunglasses today. Her eyes were larger then most and a shade of green that was...was...breathtaking.
Jesep found his chest tighten as he stared back at her. By all means this was a rather awkward interaction, she'd yet to answer him and just continued to stare. Yet rather then take action, Jesep found he was more then content. For nearly a minute the two just stared at one another in silence.
Eventually, someone else entered the lobby, a clumsy man with reddish orange hair. He was carrying several shopping bags as he staggered up to them. Nearly breathless, he called out to the woman "There you are Genoa, how many times have I told you, not to run off like that!"
"Time waits for no man," said Genoa, not taking her eyes off Jesep.
"Well it is a good thing that you are Genoa and not Time," said the man. He let out a heavy sigh and then turned, finally taking notice of Jesep. The man quickly stepped between Jesep and Genoa, blocking their view of one another.
Jessep felt as if he'd almost been in a trace, he looked to the man as he repeated the woman's name in his head, 'Genoa...her name was Genoa,' He felt his tongue moving in his mouth and fought the urge to say it aloud, like his name, it was peculiar
"She wasn't bothering you was she?" asked the befuddled man as he shifted his bags about.
Jesep sized this other man up, rather quickly before simply responding, "No."
"Good," said the man he seemed quite relieved.
Jesep wondered if this wasn't a common occurrence for this, Genoa, to approach strangers, with such random interactions. He took a step to the side so he could see her once more. She no longer looked at him but instead seemed focused on a large red balloon that had floated to the top of the vaulted lobby ceiling. She smiled up at it, pushed her lips out and blew.
Jesep watched her and then the balloon. It suddenly shifted as if it had been hit by a burst of air. It had to be mere coincidence, surly her breath could not have reached such heights. A bell sounded and the elevator opened behind Jesep. He swallowed turning back around, he had nearly forgotten what he was doing, a rather rare occurrence for him.
He let out an annoyed sigh, stepping into the elevator, it felt like it had taken forever to arrive. He hoped this wasn't its usual pace but could not be certain. This was his first time riding the public elevator. While he had lived in the building for nearly a month, he owned the buildings penthouse, one of the perks was having a private elevator all to himself. However he found it substandard and had made arrangements for it to be enhanced. Until the work was complete, he would either have to take the stairs or the standard elevator that everyone else used. So far neither option was looking very promising.
He moved to the back of the elevator and turned around once more. He watched the man struggle with his bags as he grasped hold of Genoa's arm. She was still focused on the balloon, the man pulled and then pushed her until she got into the elevator. Once she was inside, he finally stepping in himself. He then turned and began pushing several of the elevator buttons, entering a code, most would have missed but Jesep only needed one glance to see it was 8425311.
When the man was finished he pushed a green button and the turned to look at Jesep. "Do you know someone in the building?"
Normally Jesep would not answer such a question, he considered himself a private person and his business was his own. Yet it appeared this man was the supposed gate keeper to this...Genoa, knowing him, would undoubtedly allow Jesep to in turn know her. He took deep breath and answered, "I just move here."
"Oh," said the man, his eyes lit up, "The penthouse?"
"Yes," said Jesep. "I suppose word has gotten around?"
"Oh yes," said the man, "Sorry, it's just the biggest place in the building and no one has occupied it for quite some time,"
"Curiously so," said Genoa, scowling at Jesep. Normally such an action would have agitated him, yet coming from her it was-
"Genoa!" hissed the man, "Be polite!"
Genoa titled her head, from one side to the other before turning her back to Jesep. Somehow this action seemed more offensive to him. He found, he would have preferred her to keep looking at him so in tern he could continue looking at her. He watched the back of her head closely and once again wondered, just what was it about her that captivated him so.
"Well I'm Harold," said the man, "And this is my little sister Genoa, we live on the eleventh floor, welcome to the building."
Jesep nodded opening his lips to speak, "It's-
"It's a pleasure," said Genoa.
Jesper stared at the back of her head...she'd taken the words right out of his mouth. He didn't like it. She looked at the elevator buttons and then moved to touch them but Harold quickly swatted her hands away, "Don't touch the buttons," said Harold. She dropped her hand and began to rock back and forth on her heels. Harold looked at her for a moment before turning back to Jesep, "Sorry but uh...don't you have your own elevator?"
"It's under maintenance," said Jesep.
"I see...so this must be your first time in this elevator..."
"Yes," said Jesep.
"Well you have to enter your code to get to your floor."
"I see," said Jesep.
Harold turned like he was going to enter Jessep's code for him but Jessep had no intention of letting him. He carefully moved between the two siblings and entered the code in such a way, it would not be easy to recall. Once he was finished, he pulled back, intentionally brushing his arm against Genoa, he wanted her to turn and look at him again, to see those eyes of hers. Yet she didn't turn her head in his direction, instead she bit her lower lip and grasping hold of her brightly colored skirt, on either side, balling it up in her hands.
Disappointed, Jesep returned to the back of the elevator once more. He folded his arms over his chest as Harold pushed a green elevator button "Once you enter your code you have to push the green button to submit it, if there are others in the elevator they enter their codes and when everyone's done you push the blue button" Harold pushed the blue button and the doors shut.
A moment later the elevator began to move. The building had two large condos on each floor except for the top two floors which was the penthouse. The elevator opened on two sides, depending on the side your condo was on. Jesep knew upon purchasing the penthouse that the cheapest condos went for five million. The higher in the building you were, the more money you paid.
He knew only a particular class of person could afford such prices. From his own research, he knew most the people here were ceo's, investors, stock market tycoons, well off families, the occasional child of an ambassador, but no one that was too high of profile. Until Jesep could afford his own building, he was looking for privacy.
Jesep himself was consultant. He'd always been a jack of all trades with a high IQ. He put it to use lending himself out to various privatized think tanks and government agencies, of course it was just busy work until he could gather enough resources one day build his own empire. He examined the siblings closer, wondering just where they fit into the mix. Now that he knew their first names and what floor they lived on, it was only a matter of time before he pulled up their full dossier. Still it might not be bad, to gather a little more information while he had them here. He put on a false friendly grin and asked "If you don't mind me asking, what do you do Harold?"
"Oh, uh..."he seemed flustered by the question, "I'm in investments...I mean, I am an investor," His eyes shifted too much for it to be the truth. It appeared there was more to this Harold.
"Really," said Jesep acting as if he hadn't just caught him in a lie. He turned to Genoa "What do you do Genoa?"
"She doesn't need to work," said Harold, quickly before she could answer, "I make enough money for the both of us."
Genoa burst into laughter, finding something funny about what her brother had said. Harold nudged her and she quickly quieted. There was defiantly something odd about the both of them. Jessep glanced at Harold once more "Do you have a card Harold, I've been considering investing?"
"Sorry, not on me," said Harold. Another sign he was lying. Investors were always shoving their cards in everyone face, trying to sell them on the latest bullshit. He wondered just what Harold really did.
"What do you do?" asked Harold a moment later.
"I'm a consultant," said Jesep
"A consultant," said Harold, he nodded his head adjusting his bags. It was clear he didn't know much on the subject. He pursed his lips before saying "It must pay good...living in the penthouse,"
"Yes,"said Jessep.
The elevator suddenly stopped and Harold looked beyond relieved. "Well this is us! It was nice meeting you...ah...ahh...sorry I forgot your name."
"It's okay," said Jesep with a friendly chuckle. He hadn't given his name, nor did he have plan to until he'd done a bit of research.
Harold stood there awkwardly for a moment before turning back to the elevator buttons. He riffled through his pockets until he pulled out a card. He put it in a slot just below the elevator buttons and waited for a light to turn on. The elevator doors opened and he removed his card. Jesep's eyes darted to the entryway of their condo but there was nothing special about it. There were no decorations just a short hallway and two plan double doors. Harold grasped hold of Genoa, pushing her out of the elevator. She stumbled into the hall but paused, Harold kept going and moved passed her.
After a moment Genoa turned around. She looked back at Jesep with no expression on her face and said, "No,"
"What?" said Jesep confused.
"You're not excused." she said. She pushed a button in the hall and the elevator doors closed.
For the longest moment Jesep just stood there, even after the elevator had arrived at the penthouse. He replayed the recent interactions in his head, thinking she had to be the strangest women he'd ever met. After another moment he pulled out his card and entered his penthouse. He went straight to his computer room on the second floor. The walls were covered in screens the larges being in the center. Everything in the penthouse was set up to his voice and his voice alone. He put his hands behind his back, thinking for a moment before he cleared his throat and said, "Run information search, Varagata Gardens, eleventh floor, residents,"
His system moved quickly, bringing up a map of the city. It located the building and then the floor he requested, listing the occupants. One of was an heiress, Agantha Malek, who was from Andrune, several of his screens quickly filled with pictures of her and her various social media pages. A moment later several screens filled up with PK Investments. There was simply a name, logo and P.O. box, nothing more.
Jesep rubbed his jaw and then said, "Exclude Agantha," The screens quickly removed all of her information. Now only PK Investments remained. "Run detailed search PK Investments," His system quickly began working on his request. While he waited he went to his kitchen and ordered a coffee. His kitchen unite made it within minutes just the way he liked it. He took it back to his computer room and slowly drank it as he waited for all results to appear.
After nearly an hour of research he found PK Investments was nothing more then a shell company. He didn't find mention of Genoa or Harold anywhere. He found himself beyond annoyed, just who were these two, why were they so...weird and most of all why did he care?
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