Blue Hour

Looking Inside

We don't get to know people when they come to us, we must go to them to find out what they are like. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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The Peninsula Hotel was in Midtown and I wasn't surprised, when we pulled up next to fitness studio elevator just minutes later.

"So, what do you want to show me? We do not go to the studio together, do we? I would rather not fight off a bunch of hyenas." I pinched his side with my index finger. Ouch bloody stony muscles.

"Hyenas? How fitting for them. No, we won't. See how the studio is seemingly the top floor this elevator can reach? It isn't. If you have an authorized card and press the highest floor PLUS 1,2,3 or 4 you can reach the ones above. With the benefit that nobody knows about it."

"That is genius!" My remark was accepted with a smug grin. 

"Sometimes even I have good ideas. I usually enter from my private parking level underground, where the elevator only stops if it is empty. When you call it on my parking level or punch in the special combination the elevator is unavailable for anyone else."

"This more and more sounds like a Bond movie."

"They have good ideas, I always liked them. I will have your card authorized to enter the top floors and you are always welcome upstairs. Just make sure you are alone in the elevator when you punch in the combination. You can also access the first three floors via the big lobby around the corner. I just never go there, as it is too busy for my taste. For my penthouse only this elevator works."

"Alex, why do you trust me with this info and access? I could sell all these juicy secrets! Or I could be dangerous!" Pushing my fists into my sides I tried to make myself look intimidating. "You shouldn't be so trusting. That is not safe!"

"I trust you, because of who you are. Additionally, it wouldn't be as easy as you think to pull something nasty on me. You will see." He was all solemn now.

For the first time I was able to picture him in a board room with all the business sharks. Come on Charlie, don't be surprised. My always so kind and friendly Alex of course could be different. He had survived the Army after all.

"What do you mean?" Not that I ever would need this information, only his reaction made me curious.

"I do not want to scare you. Nobody comes upstairs, without being thoroughly vetted by my security. As soon as the double combination is pressed on the elevator they are informed. For selling out... I am not sure you will find any paper that would buy it. Me and my father own a few and the others know better than to print something we do not approve. They would be in deep shit. For social media we have technology to take care of that... You will meet Fin upstairs."

Thankfully his mood quickly shifted back to his usual relaxed self around me. Making me wonder if the cool guy was a mask he could put on in a split second or if he really was always that self-assured and comfortable.

Before I could ask him the elevator stopped one floor above the studio.

"Welcome to my world, let me show you around." 

The floor was mainly laid out with offices for his employees and conference rooms.

"On this side of the building, next to the elevator, only my personal team have their offices. This area is solely accessible if opened by one of them. On both sides over there are the conference rooms which act like a buffer and the side opposite of us is used for presidents from my biggest companies." He explained to me while we were standing on one of the windows overlocking the studio courtyard I had spent so many hours in. It was clearly visible from up here, though I could see no one else looking down.