The Basement | BxB

-1- Privileged Upbringing

The factory doors grinded open slowly as a small group of people stood patiently waiting to enter, one of them was the CEO Sir Andrew Malt, he was a businessman by trade and extremely wealthy, his estimated net worth was in the billions though some of that was scooped up during his recent divorce settlement.

The young 17 year old beside him was his son, Eliot Malt. Despite his dads high profile life along with frequent tabloid coverage Eliot kept himself to himself. He had never given an interview or statement, never engaged online. He was a quiet soul who preferred a low key sort of life to the one that he'd been plunged into, but he also knew how privileged and lucky he was so be so fortunate. Which was something Mr Malt seemed to take for granted.

"This is the top branch in Spain" Mr Malt explained as the door finished opening "they made 7.4% of my companies total earnings last year, the highest in Europe and the third highest globally. So I thought rewarding them with our presence was on the cards"

"What does it make?" Eliot asked innocently, up until the brunette hadn't been involved in his fathers business at all, but his mom had convinced him to take an interest and try spend more time with his short tempered dad.

"Me money" Mr Malt joked with an over enthusiastic prolonged laugh at his own joke.

Heading inside there were lots of workers rushing around sorting packages and boxes, lifting produce off of the shelves or packaging it up.

"This is just the first half, the distribution, the second half upstairs is where the real magic happens Eliot my boy" Mr Malt told him surveying the workers sternly eyeing up their every move.

One one of them suddenly slipped spilling the content of a box all over the floor, some of it was glass shattering into a million pieces as the young girl looked sheepishly around.

"That's coming out of your salary!" Mr Malt yelled over rolling his eyes at Eliot. They toured the factory observing the employees at work as if they were zoo animals, Mr Malt made sly comments throughout the tour.

Eventually Mr Malt decided to go upstairs, Eliot however opted to stay downstairs sneaking away from his dads watchful eye. He strolled around the lower floor avoiding getting in the way as employees scuttled about moving boxes and loading trucks. Turning a corner he entered a smaller corridor, inside was just one person, a man driving a forklift.

The man had dark toned skin, black hair combed to perfection. He was muscular with piercing sapphire blue eyes concentrating fully on moving the heavy boxes.

Walking over to him Eliot read his name badge, "Luis Garcia"

"Hola?" Luis asked dryly staring at Eliot uninterested.

"Uh, Hola" Eliot replied awkwardly, that was one of the only Spanish words he knew, the others being por favor for please and gracias for thank you.

Luis sighed rolling his eyes "inglés?" He guessed shortly.

"Yeah" Eliot answered with a small, timid nod. He felt like he was getting in the way a bit but also wanted to try the fork lift.

"What do you want?" Luis questioned his Spanish accent coming through heavily.

"Can I try the fork lift? I'll be quick I promise" Eliot requested running a hand through his soft brown hair shyly.

"No" Luis told him dismissively.

"Why not?" Eliot wondered, he accepted that he couldn't but wanted to know why.

"Because I want to keep my job" Luis retorted looking bored of their interaction "this is my first job. I need this money to support my mom, she's sick and she's on her own apart from me. So fuck off"

"Oh... okay" Eliot said quietly.

"Yeah okay. Who the hell even are you? Are you meant to be in here?" Luis questioned suspiciously.

"Eliot, Eliot Malt" Eliot replied in a small voice, he preferred not to say who he was as it made people change acting different around him, predictably Luis expression shifted to one of a keen interest.

"Oh really? Sir Malts son?" He queried leaning forward over the steering wheel "and where is your papá?"

"Upstairs, I decided to stay down here" Eliot replied with a shrug.

"So he doesn't know where you are right now? You've got no one with you?" Luis urged.

"Yeah, snuck off from him" Eliot confessed with a small laugh.

Luis let out an awkward but interested chuckle, his laugh was very distinctive and almost arousing. "There's a training fork lift round back you can use? It's in the back storage area" Luis told him eagerly.

"Thank you!" Eliot exclaimed in excitement, he'd never used a vehicle before, not even a bicycle. Luis dismounted the fork lift leading the way down the corridor.

"What brought you here then?" Luis made small talk as they walked.

"My Dad, this was one of the best performing branches of his factories or something" Eliot explained with a shrug "what about you? Where are you from?"

"I live in a pretty run down area, not exactly safe. So most of my money goes to feeding and caring for my mom, she's really sick" Luis answered calmly.

"I'm sorry to hear that, at home in America I live in a pretty big house and stuff, how old are you?" Eliot questioned sympathetically as they pushed through a set of double doors.

"17" Luis replied "I lied on my application, how much money does your papá have them?"

"I'm 17 as well, too much for his own good, though a bit less than before since his and my moms divorce settlement" Eliot responded nodding his head.

"How much money would he use to save you if you were in danger do you think?" Luis questioned oddly, Eliot didn't think much of it.

"Probably a lot. I'll be his heir I guess for the company, not that it interests me at all" Eliot replied

"Good" Luis told him "the training fork lift is just out here" he added leading Eliot through a doorway into a small cupboard.

"I don't see it, how could one fit in here?" Eliot questioned in surprise, he then heard the door click shut. He turned to see Luis pocketing a key then turning to face him. Eliot took a step back in fear "What- what are you doing Luis?"

He then felt a sharp pain searing through his head as something hit him. He stumbled falling to the floor going out cold. The last thing he heard was a small "Sorry mi amigo" before his vision blurred fading to black.