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The Chauffeur didn't bother pulling into the garage, but rather walked in through the front door. Seeing the team of receptionists made him remember how much he missed the place.

He approaced on of them with a smile, withdrew his A~E ID and said, "Could you page Mr. Brown and let him know I'm here to see him?" It just seemed like the right thing to do rather than just barge into his office, what after being gone for so long.

Charles smiled. "I appreciate it." He then proceeded to the elevator and entered it, swiping his ID for clearance and pressing the floor button for Joseph's real office.

Mr. Black followed, hands in his pockets in his traditional nonchalant manner. A~E wasn't a place he had been to before, though it was definately one that had been on his list of places to visit... for business, that is. From the stiff look of these office workers, the place certainly wouldn't make a hot vacation spot.

"May I have your attention please!" James shouted to the lobby as the two of them strode in off the street like they owned the place. He didn't even bother to stop walking at the reception desk, and simply gave Stryphe a look with a laugh as he headed towards the staff elevator.

"My associate and I would appreciate it if you called up to Mr. Brown's office and let him know that we're here for our unscheduled appointment." Placing a hand on the shoulder of a clerk in passing, he pushed her along beside him with gentle nudges to the elevator.

"'scuze me, doll, but could you make this thing go, please?" James gave a smile, a wink, and a tap on the panel that made the staff elevator only work for staff.

To the rest of the lobby he turned back, raised a hand jovially in the air, and shouted out in a pleasant tone, "It would certainly ruin our day to have one of you call security over a little misunderstanding..."



The elevator doors slid open, and Mr. Black gave the clerk a pat on the back for her to step inside.

"...after you, bossman."



(( *Hostage situation?* ))

James, on the other hand, produced a pack of gum from his pocket and offered a piece to the clerk, who still refused as if she was being held with a knife at her throat.

"Suit yourself," he said with a shrug as he popped a piece in his mouth.

As far as James armament's were concerned, he had not left just a halberd with the door guard. To get through the metal detector, he'd had to remove enough gear to outfit a small army. 2 pistols, 4 ammunition clips, 10 knives, a stungun, and his PSP. He gave the guard a stern look, though, when he was asked for his cell phone, and didn't leave that one at the door.

"...aaaaaw..." he said with a grin, patting the girl on the head, "she's so twitchy. Probably an intern, am I right? Is this your first time getting dragged into an elevator with two scary men?"

He laughed, and the elevator continued to go up.

"Aw, jeeze... and I was all ready to shoot him in the desk or something," James replied with a laugh. It was disappointing... though they should have asked if Joseph was even there before they forced their way in.

There was just something about that dramatic entrance that couldn't be interrupted by such trivial things as that.

"So... ah... I've got a marker."

James produced a large, felt-tip marker from one pocket; holding it tauntingly.

They couldn't have an accident report and a security call being the only things that let Joseph know they had come for him.

James pulled the cap off, then slammed the tip down onto the center of Joseph's desk. Two strokes, then it was time to go.

V

"Let's roll."

James smiled at the clerk. Not maliciously... but certainly not in a way that was meant to do something to alleviate the tension. They weren't going to kill her, or ******** her, but they were certainly going to ******** with her... Leaving the hostage cowering in a corner where no one will find her for an hour is better than letting them know that there was no hostage, or having the hostage along to slow them down.

They were getting out of here. James pushed the emergency stop halfway between the first and second floors.

"Hey, boss." He pointed to the roof. "Ceiling access."