"We met under mysterious circumstances."
"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 seemed 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. Jesep 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 than 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 at her now as she stared up at him intently. The top of her head, barely came to his chest, which wasn't uncommon for most women. 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 than most and a shade of green that was- was- was- breathtaking! It wasn't like Jesep, to struggle to put something into words, but she...she literally took his breath away.
He put his hand to his mouth as he felt his chest tighten. He felt this sudden dull ache that was...oddly familiar, though this was the first time he could recall having it. He simply stared back at her. By all means this was a rather awkward interaction; she had yet to answer him, and just continued to stare at him, with those breathtaking eyes of hers. Rather then take action, Jesep found he was more then content to stare back at her. For nearly a minute the two 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, then turned, finally taking notice of Jesep. The man quickly stepped between the two, putting an end to their staring contest. Jesep felt as if he'd almost been in a trace. He looked at the man now as he repeated the strange woman's name in his head, 'Genoa. Her name was Genoa.' Jesep felt his tongue moving in his mouth and fought the urge to say it aloud. Like his own name it was unusual.
"She wasn't bothering you was she?" the man asked as he shifted his bags about.
Jesep quickly sized the man up before simply responding. "No."
"Good." said the man he seemed quite relieved.
Jesep wondered for a moment, if it wasn't a common occurrence for 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 looking 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 then 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 as he stepped 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. Of course 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 to be a private person and his business was his own. Yet it appeared this man was the supposed gatekeeper to 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,"
"Yes, not for quite some time, indeed" said Genoa. She put her hands behind her back, then turned and scowled at Jesep, "Curious that you should be here, in this elevator."
Jesep did not know how to respond...again which was rare for him. Normally someone scowling at him and questioning his actions would have greatly agitated him, yet coming from her he struggled not to smile, finding himself amused. It was-
"Genoa!" hissed the man before Jesep could finish the thought, "Be polite!"
"But it is curious," protested Genoa, "Does the penthouse not have its own elevator!"
The man nudged her and she grew quiet. Jesep noticed her lips, get a slight pout on them. He liked how full they were and how soft they looked. For a moment his gaze lingered on them as the man apologized, "Sorry."
"No it's quite alright." said Jesep, "That is very astute of you. I do in fact have my own elevator but am having work done on it." He got the sudden urge to reach out and pet her. He wondered how her hair would feel slipping through his fingers. How would it smell? Was it her natural hair color? He doubted it, yet the roots seemed to match. Perhaps she had just gotten it dyed. The man had a similar tone, though not as defined or bright, perhaps they had gotten it done together.
Genoa titled her head from one side and then the other, closely studying him. Her eyes were narrowed with suspicion and more breathtaking then ever. Her couldn't help but wonder what shade of green this was as they locked eyes once more. Everything else faded away and for a moment it was just him and her. There was nothing else in all of existence and then without warning she turned her back on him. His chest sunk to his groin and he found himself rather upset. Out of everything she had done so far, he found this to be the most offensive.
It felt like the sun had been shining on him alone, then suddenly disappeared behind some clouds without warning. He fought the urge to reach out and grab her arm. He wanted to turn her back around so that she would look at him, and so that he in turn, could look at her. He glared at the back of her head and wondered just what was it, about her that captivated him so.
"Well uh, I'm Harold," said the man suddenly breaking the tension with his awkwardness, "And this is my little sister Genoa. We live on the eleventh floor. Welcome to the building."
Jesep had no interest in Harold's polite babble. If he could eject him from the elevator he would. Still he nodded, hoping that if he spoke she would too and he would get to hear her voice again. He parted his lips and began to speak "It's-"
"It's a pleasure," said Genoa still keeping her back to him.
Jesep stared at the back of her head even more, if it were possible. She'd taken the words right out of his mouth. He didn't like it! She looked at the elevator buttons then moved to touch them but Harold quickly swatted her hands away like she was a small child.
"Don't touch the buttons," said Harold. She dropped her hands and began to rock back and forth on her heels. Harold looked at her for a moment before turning back to Jesep.
"So uh you're getting your elevator worked on?"
"Yes." said Jesep. He really despised getting information he already knew, repeated back to him, especially when he was the one to give the information in the first place.
They stood there for an awkward minute or so before Harold continued. "It break or something?"
"Or something," said Jesep. He made no attempts to elaborate.
Another awkward minute passed. Then again Harold spoke, "I see so this must be your first time on this elevator."
"Yes." Jesep said, he struggled not to add dumb ass.
"Well you see everyone has to enter their floor and code. Then we can go."
"Oh," said Jesep. He blinked several times and realized the doors were still open and the elevator had yet to move. They were waiting on him to entered his floor and code and it was the reason they had not taken off yet. He'd just been so fucking caught up, he didn't realize. "I see."
"Yeah," said Harold before pursing his lips.
After a second Harold pushed the penthouse button, then hovered his hand over the key codes like he expected Jesep to just suddenly give him his code. He had no such intention. 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 up 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 finally 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 main 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 people could afford such prices. From his own research, he knew most the people here were CEO's investors, stock market tycoons, artists, musicians, politicians and various families that came from wealth. None one in the building had too high of a profile. Until he could afford his own building, he was looking for anonymity.
Jesep himself was a sort of '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 to one day build his own empire. He examined the siblings closer, wondering just where they fit into the building's hierarchy. 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 grin then 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. Jesep glanced at Harold once more "Do you have a card Harold? I've been considering investing."
"Sorry, not on me." said Harold.
Yet another sign he was lying! Investors were always shoving their cards in everyone's face, trying to sell them on the latest bullshit, especially if they thought you had money. He wondered now just what Harold really did.
"What do you do?" asked Harold, a moment later, no doubt to take the subject off himself.
"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 Jesep.
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, one never could be to careful.
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 entryway 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 entryway 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 largest 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 unit 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 than 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...so weird and most of all why did he care?
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