DECEPTION: THE PACT

CHAPTER XI

As soon as the elevator starts going down, I start my investigation.

"Okay, so do you know who Ronald Reagan was?" I ask, leaning my back against one elevator wall.

"Um, he was the fortieth president?" he suggests, confused.

I urge to roll my eyes, but I remind myself that he doesn't know who I was referring to.

"The stalking janitor guy," I say, and he nods in understanding, a smirk sporting his face.

"Ronald Reagan, huh?" he says, clearly amused. "I was thinking more of the Alec Baldwin, suffistic...."

"Shut up, will you?" I exclaim impatiently. "He told me to find Alek Gorman, who I'm presuming is you."

"And he told me to find a girl by the name of Brooke Atwood," he replies, but adds, "He told me she would be an okay-looking girl, so you must not be her."

What???

"I'm guessing that's an insult, even though I know Reagan told you no such thing" I say, raising a brow.

"It's a compliment, but you can take it anyway, Brookes."

"It's Brooke. And go find yourself another girl to flirt with," I reply without mercy, despite the blush. "Did he send you a text?"

"Yup," he tells me opening up the page on his phone and handing it over to me.

"It is the exact same thing--well except for your hysterical response," I smile. "He clearly wanted us to meet at the elevator. He also told me that we had everything to find him. Can we track the number on the text?"

He shrugs, looking deep in thought, but I can't read his sophisticated language.

"We need to find the guy!" I exclaim, pacing around the elevator.

"Brooke," he says softly, "just because I'm not yelling doesn't mean I'm not thinking."

"What did he tell you when you met him?"

"Something along the lines of... 'Let me give you some advice. Everybody on that level is corrupt...."

"Hold it!" I exclaim, the light bulb turning on.

"Do you always interrupt people?" he asks, amused--again!

I give him a glance.

"Do you always smirk?"

He smirks contently at my comment.

Typical.

"Has it ever occurred to you that Reagan is telling the exact same words that he's telling me to you too?" I ask.

"Maybe he's too lazy and just copy pastes his texts."

"Or maybe he wants to get a point across..." I start but am interrupted when the elevator door opens to the lobby.

I quickly glance at my watch and see that it is almost 10:00, and I have seriously done no work whatsoever.

I quickly text Wyatt as we walk out of the elevator.

I'm feeling a little lightheaded, so I'm going to take my lunch break now instead of at 12:00.

He quickly responds: Don't worry about it! It can be overwhelming on the first day. Are you going alone?

No, there's this new employee named Alek Gorman. We are from the same department.

Okay... And just to let you know, Natalie and I are going to retaliate for what you did.

Was that even today? I seemed like a week ago!

I smile and put my phone away.

"So, what's the plan?" I ask stopping to look at Alek.

Only to see that he wasn't there.