Four Elements (on hold)

Chapter 2 - Ryan

Chapter 2

Ryan quickly disconnected the call as he spotted his boss enter the Surveillance room.  He didn’t want anyone else to know about this just yet.  He leaned back in his chair, laced his fingers and placed his hands under his head.  What he wouldn’t give to be on a beach in Mexico right about now.   

“Are we on holiday Mr. Cullan, or do you actually work here?”  Mr Smith was standing in the doorway. 

Mr Smith was head of Security and it was a running joke around the ‘fishbowl’ - as they called the surveillance room – to call him Agent Smith, like from the Matrix.  

He always wore a dark grey suit and even combed his hair similar to the character in the movie.  As an added bonus he always called the other security personnel by their surnames.  The new guy Sven, now has to bear the brunt of the jokes as everyone died laughing the first day they found out his surname is Anderson.  Sven had a Swedish/American heritage, wasn’t overly bothered but was built like a body-builder and whenever Ryan got called out he always made sure Sven was going with him.  

“On a beach in Mexico Ag-..Mr. Smith.”  Ryan replied cheekily but quickly sat up in his chair and pulled his ID off the desktop.  “Actually just leaving for my rounds sir.” 

Before Mr. Smith could object he had signalled Sven and they were out the door. 

“Man I need a holiday, this job is killing me!”  Ryan told Sven as he pressed his finger against the fingerprint scanner on the door. 

Sven just nodded, not really knowing what to say.  He liked Ryan but he liked his job too.  They covered their 10 floors in record time even though they spent the majority of it flirting with the girls in the call centre.  

“Hey join us for lunch at Lucca’s okay?”  Ryan called to the red-headed Cindy as they approached the elevators. 

“Hey are we still on for tonight?”  Sven asked. 

“Definitely” Ryan replied popping fries into his mouth. 

Lucca’s was an Italian restaurant, but their French fries were the best.  ‘Maybe they should call them Italian Fries.’ Ryan mused to himself. 

“What’s so funny?” Sven wanted to know noticing the smirk on Ryan’s face. 

“Nothing.  Just thinking.  So are you ready to get your ass whipped?”  

Two nights a week after gym they have a go at each other for a few rounds in the boxing ring.  Ryan was faster but Sven packed a punch like a sledgehammer. 

“Dream on butterfly!” Sven laughed nearly knocking over his soda. 

Just then Ryan spotted Blake coming in the door and scanning the room.  Blake was talking loudly on his phone so Ryan put his hand up to alert him to their table.  Spotting them Blake made his way over and sat down. 

“And you too!” Blake yelled into the phone before ending the call.  “I hate Sales!”  He explained as he picked up a menu. 

Ryan and Sven just glanced at each other; they knew Blake’s rants by now.  Even though he hated it, he was the best Rep in the department. 

“Hey Blake, wanna come blow off some steam with me and Sven in the ring tonight?” 

“The Lunch Spaghetti and a Coke please.”  Blake told the waitress before looking at Sven and Ryan. 

“Thanks, I would, but I have to work late.  That bastard from Marketing, Mike, wants me to sell his new product starting next week.  So now I have to tie up all my existing orders first.  Thanks for the 3 days’ notice Mike!”  

“Cheer up Blake; I heard about this new thing, what’s it called? …Endumax.  The Labs have been on lock-down for months.  It’s set to be the next big thing in professional athletics,  the first legal performance enhancer.  It will sell itself!” 

Blake raised an eyebrow at Ryan.  “Have you been talking to Mike?” 

The waitress interrupted their conversation with the arrival of his food. 

“No, but you forget, I see everything!  Speaking of which, have you spoken to Keira yet?” 

Blake put a huge fork-full of spaghetti into his mouth.  “H-hmm” He mumbled and shook his head.  

Sven was used to their weird little group by now.  They all lived together in this huge house and all worked for the same company.  He got invited over last month for a BBQ and instantly fell in love with Blake’s sister Calista; something Blake didn’t know yet.  But they were always talking about work, which is probably not that odd seeing that they all work for the same company.  The thing that made it weird was that they all worked in different departments. Blake was still eating spaghetti like a starved man and Sven was sizing him up wondering if he could take him in a fight.