Winning ticket

Chapter 4

Turning the car off you pause to look over at the lottery's company headquarters.  It's a tall daunting building with lots of people coming in and out. 

It's exactly where you need to be.

Letting your head rest against the seat for a moment you start to formulate a plan.  This whole thing started because you won the prize money so maybe if you can convince them you don't want the money they'll cancel the hit on you.  That could work, all you have to do is go up and convince the CEO, Josh Stone. 

The only problem is the issue of trust.  If they were willing to put a million dollar bounty on you, what else are they capable of.  You doubt they will harm you inside the building, but you don't know the lengths they'll go to.  What you need is some protection, with Vee out of the question you need to come up with something else.

With that thought in mind you reach over and open the glove box.  Rooting around in it until you find the spare pistol you saw earlier.  You grab the gun and bring it over to where you're sitting.

It's a lot heavier than you thought it would be, it feels weird to handle it.  Having the gun with you makes you feel safer and more confident, this plan has to work.

Getting out of the car you grab Vee's jacket, throw it on and shove the gun under your belt by your hip.  The jacket covers the gun nicely and makes you breathe a little easier.  Without losing your nerve you make your way to the building.

Stepping inside you see the reception desk straight ahead, there's a couple of receptionists sitting by their phones and computers.  Near them you take note of two security guards on the other end of the desk looking over monitors. 

Taking a deep breath you head over.  Stopping just before the desk you wait patiently for the person in front of you to finish their business.  Your nerves are starting to come back and the weight of the pistol feels heavy against your hip.  The person in front of you has concluded their business so you step forward.

"Hello, what can I do for you?"  The receptionist poliety asks, her eyes on you and her fingers resting on her keyboard.

"Hi.  Can I speak to Josh Stone please."  You answer back, shifting your eyes around the room looking for threats.

"Do you have an appointment?"

Crap.  Of course you can't just walk into the building and meet with the man in charge on a whim.  You thought this was going to be as easy as the bank, clearly you didn't think this through.

"Miss?"  The receptionist asks, when you don't respond in time.

"Well, no.  But I recently won the thousand dollar a week prize for the rest of my life and I just have a few questions, I'm hoping he can help me out."  You reach into your pocket, careful to avoid the gun and hand her your ID. 
"Here's my ID you can search my name up, I was on the news a couple days ago."

She takes the ID from your hand but doesn't make any move to her computer, instead she just smiles at you and goes to hand back the ID.

"Please I'll be really quick I promise.  Can you just call him and explain who I am.  I'm sure he'll want to meet."  You quickly say, interrupting her before she has a chance to send you away.

She must hear the desperation in your voice or is just a kind person.  Either way she takes pity on you and searches your name on the computer before placing your ID back on the desk.  Satisfied that you are telling the truth she reaches over to the phone and dials a number. 

"Hello sir.  I'm with--"  You hear the receptionist talk on the phone, only half paying attention.  Your focus on the security guard you just noticed on the other side of the lobby.