The hallway was sterile, as if it belonged to a hospital, but it was quiet. No one was present in the hall except for the few single people who would pass through, none but a man named Richard Nichols. Richard was most constant person in that hallway, his footsteps echoing loudly in the thin, bare hall.
Doors covered the walls end to end; thick white numbers nailed to the doors. Richard muttered the numbers as he passed the doors.
"...612...613...614..."
He glanced down the hall and saw a pair of doors much larger than the rest as the very end. They didn't look like they should fit in the hall, but they did by some miraculous feat. Richard froze. The doors were intimidating to say the least.
He eventually found himself walking closer to them. Slowly lifting his hand to knock.
The doors swung open with a large gush of wind and Richard was met with a tall, muscular looking man in a suit. He looked stern. Scary.
"H... hello," Richard stuttered out. "I'm here to apply for a position in this company?" His statement was more of a question, to himself and the larger man.
The larger of the two only hummed in acknowledgement and turned towards the center of the room. He began to walk in.
Richard stood awkwardly in the doorway, unsure of himself and what he was expected to do. That was until the larger glanced over his shoulder to silently tell the other to follow.
Richard walks into the room and glances around at all the very expensive looking items.
"Mr. Nichols, the boss in busy for the time being and won't be able to meet with you for a few more moments."
Richard nods to acknowledge the person, continuing to look around the room. A bright atmosphere. Warm, brown walls. Deep red carpeting. A faux royal room. Far different from the hallway Richard had spent so long getting to know.
A side door off the room opened and another large man stood in the doorway. Did this company only hire the most intimidating men? Could this be the boss Richard had been waiting so long to finally see?
"Mr. Nichols." The man's tone was level, but Richard was still afraid he'd snap him in half in a second.
"Y-Yes, sir," Richard stuttered before moving towards the room.
"Are you nervous?"
"Yes, sir."
"You should be."
The man stepped out and shut the door with a loud thud.
Richards heart caught in his throat as he stood, confused and scared, in a seemingly empty room.
"Mr. Nichols, correct?" a mysterious voice asked.
"Yes? Who's there?" Richard asked, warily.
"The most important person in the room." A chair that was sitting at the desk Richard seemed to just notice slowly turned to reveal a person wearing a black Pork Pie hat. They grinned wide.
"How are you, Nichols?" they asked. "How'd you get here?"
"I, um, I walked. I live about two streets down."
"I know."
"So, are you the boss around here?"
"Quite the detective ain'cha? How long'd it take to crack this one Sherlock?" the person mocked.
"O-of course, my apologies. You just seem a little... eh for a mob boss."
The boss stopped. Their eyes narrowed. "Eh?" They laughed. "Eh!?" Their volume raised marginally.
"I'm 'eh' for a mob boss!? YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO ME AGAIN AND I'LL POP YOUR HEAD LIKE A CHERRY!" they hollered, slamming their fist against the desk, leaving a sizable dent.
All the blood in Richard's face flooded out, he turned pale, like he'd seen a ghost.
The boss cleared their throat and settled back in their chair. "Any who, I heard you were interested in a job here?"
