Chapter 15

get the ching

The Boss was the last to join the Suits in the elevator after exiting the conference room. He faced the elevator’s control panel. It had only three buttons even though the building had many floors. The buttons were “L,” to get to the lobby; “8,” which was the luckiest of all Chinese numbers, to get to the top floor; and a button simply labeled “X.” 

The Boss was standing only inches away from the panel, his brow furrowed, as if he were preparing for something other than simply pressing a button. 

Joe, who was backed into a corner of the elevator, whispered to Chief, “Why is he standing so close to that thing? Does the Boss need new glasses or som—” 

Chief glared down at Joe from his six-six frame and shushed him. “We’re going to X, that’s why.” The other Suits nodded reverently. 

The Boss pressed the “X” button. A thin, lighted sheet of glass slid down in front of him and stopped level with his face, then blue lasers beamed out of the glass and scanned his eyes. 

“Scan complete,” said a woman’s deep, soothing voice over the intercom. “Welcome, sir. I see you have your team with you today. We will descend in three . . . two . . . one . . .” The elevator didn’t feel like it had even moved when, only a second later, the doors opened and the woman’s voice said, “Welcome to the LightYear transport station. Please exit to your right.Your transport will arrive in two minutes, fourteen seconds.”

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