Richard walked into the building. Unlike before, this one had a more straightforward design. A couple of chairs rested near the work desk. The walls had a dull shade of blue, and the floors had white tiles all over. A tall lady with light-brown hair worked behind the computer desk across the room. Her blue eyes behind the glasses stayed focused on the screen, almost like she was in her own little world. Her hair wasn’t out of place or messy either; it fell perfectly.

Butterflies flew in Richard’s stomach as he stood there standing by the entrance, unsure of this feeling. Would it even go well like last time? Fawn wished him luck and to act natural as he trudged over to the counter. Richard cleared his throat and placed his elbow on the deck.

“Hey there, how are you on this fine day?” He greeted her with a grin.

“What?” Fawn looked over in disbelief. Oh brother, if that’s the best he can come up with…

The woman from the desk looked up and greeted him with a small smile. “Hello there, welcome to W.A.S.P. What can I do for you?”

“I heard you guys are trying to recruit some new members based on the help wanted sign on the window display. I happen to be looking for a job myself.”

“Yeah, so do you wish to set up an interview with our boss?”

“If possible, then yes,” Richard replied. The female typed on her computer and called up a number as he waited. After a short while, he asked a question. “Hey, wait, do I have to be good-looking to join?”

“No, please don’t beat yourself up if you have low self-esteem.”

“Thank you.” Ha, take that!

“Ok, I finished. The boss should arrive any minute now.”

“Already? That was quick.”

“Good luck with your interview.”

Richard scratched the back of his head and chuckled. “Hey, if I end up getting the job, maybe sometime during break we can—?”

“I’m sorry. I’ll still be quite busy at my station. Maybe you could find someone else to give you a tour?”

“Well, that wasn’t what I—”

“Hello there.” A voice called out from a distance. Richard snapped around and noticed two individuals entering the scene.

One of them was a man with light brown hair tied in a ponytail and wore a brown suit and matching hat. The other was a woman with round glasses, dark brown hair tied in two ponytails, and had magenta and gray business attire. She pulled the magenta hat with a light green streak to hide her face from him.

“Kelly, I received your call. Is this the person you talked about?” The man questioned.

The receptionist nodded. “I was just talking about you in front of him.”

“Ah, very good.” The man walked closer and extended his hand. “My name is Charlie; I’m the boss of this place. It’s been so long since someone wanted to apply here, I never thought I’d see the day anymore.”

“It’s nice to meet you, sir?” Richard went over to shake his hand. “I’m Richard.”

“Likewise.” Charlie turned his attention toward the person next to him. “This is Claudia, my personal assistant.” She said nothing, but waved, prompting Richard to do the same thing.

Charlie went over to an elevator as Claudia pushed the buttons to open it. They prompted Richard to follow them inside. The three waited inside the sturdy, but wonky elevator, vibrations from under the floor rumbled under their feet as it descended below the main level. The silence was beckoning. It felt like the walls were closing in, despite the elevator being spacious.

Despite the friendly demeanor from before, Charlie had a serious expression as he stayed quiet. Claudia didn’t seem interested in lightening the mood, either. Richard rubbed his arm and stared at the floor.

“Don’t worry or let your nerves get the best of you.” Fawn reminded him. “Take a breather if you need to.”

“Thanks, I will,” Richard whispered.

“Did you say something?” Charlie inquired, raising an eyebrow.

Richard’s muscles tensed up again. “Oh, it’s nothing.”

“In case things go bad, run,” Fawn warned him.

Once the elevator came to a complete stop and the doors opened, Claudia stepped out and walked along the damp, dark halls with a flashlight coming from her phone in hand to illuminate the area. Charlie and Richard followed her to the end of the corridor, where they approached a small door. Richard gulped as he entered the room, along with the others.