Long Way Down pt 1

It was one of the biggest buildings in the world. 180 floors, and we were going to have to get to the top. It all started a month ago when we got an e-mail from a Nurse Joy from this city. Apparently, her Audino went missing and wanted to employ us to go find it. We were only going to get one grand for the gig, and since that really can't feed us, we half-assed the search. After two weeks, we gave up and were about to head back home when we got a bunch more letters from other Nurse Joys from around the city, complaining about the same thing. Suddenly, one grand per Audino didn't seem like such a bad idea. Our informant (of whom we never really wanted business with) caught wind of what we were doing and wanted to help.  We had no leads, so we figured we'd let him do all the work. Which lead us here, gawking at the sheer height of the damn thing. To wandering visitors, it looks like a normal...well, not exactly normal, but you catch my drift, insurance office building. The CEO of said place didn't exactly have a clean record. Before taking over the company, he was a thug who thought he was saving the world or something. If anyone had dared committed a crime, guilty or not, he would hunt them down and kill him, and blame it on victims' families. Thus, this city is one of the safest places to live in...as long as you don't commit any sort of crime. So he was rather good at keeping secrets, or at least until we got involved. But why the gigantic building? All the easier to hide things in.

"It's really not a bad idea," TCG causally said about it.
We all cocked an eyebrow at him.
"What? Kill a bunch of criminals and every shits their pants in fear. As long as you don't do something stupid, you'll be just fine."
"Well if that's the case, you'll be the first to go," Jhon said. He turned his head and said to James, "Are you sure this is the right place?"
"I don't dought Looker's skills," James said as TCG flipped Jhon off behind his back, "He wouldn't send us here if it was the wrong place, it'd be suicide."
"Not like this isn't a suicide mission in the first place," Seviper said, "Are you sure we have to climb ALL the way to the top?"
"Don't be a wuss," I said and playfully punched his arm, "Just because you're afraid of heights."
"Well, at least I'm not afraid of fire."
"Yep," James said, ignoring our bickering, "Let's just get this over with. I'm hungry."

I put on my computerized glasses and pulled up my hair into a pony tail. Computerize glasses are something that TCG's uncle helped invent. All it does is map out the building and lets me communicate with the rest of the team. I can't really explain any more than that, otherwise I'll have to draw something, and I can't draw.

We went in and took in different directions. In order to get in the elevators, we needed an ID. So I went up to the counter, hoping I'd snatch an ID from this lovely young lady.

"Hello there, Sakura," I said, "I'd hate to be a bother, but you see that guy over there with the blond hair? He wanted me to come over here and ask you out for him."
Jhon had his back tward me and turned a bit.
"I hate you, Jack," he said.
"First of all, it's Saw-koo-ra," Ms. Bitch said, "And if your little friend there wants to ask me out, he can do it himself."
Ouch, Wasn't expecting that kind of response. Time for a different approach.
"Alright, alright, that was a lie," I said, poking my fingers, "The truth is...um..."
"Well, spit it out. I haven't got all day."
I went around the counter and said, "I guess I wanted to ask you out myself."
That's when she noticed I had no ID. "Do you even work here?"
I put my arm around her.
"I'm a straight forward guy. If I see something I like, I just have to go for it."
I grabbed her ID from her shirt pocket.
"Uh-huh," she said, like she didn't believe me, "But do you work here?"
"Not really, just a client."
"Then buzz off."
"Okay."

That didn't go the way I wanted. Usually women are all over me when I try things like that. I need to learn to be a better grifter. The other boys jeered at me as I walked over to the elevator. "Shut up," I said to them as I put the ID to the scanner. "You should just bump into people and take it then," Jamie said, "Doesn't take nearly as long. I'm already on the 15th floor!" "Good for you, Sparky," TCG said as I got into the elevator, "You want a metal for that?" I stuck my ID in the inside of my blazer and took off my glasses so I didn't have to hear TCG and Jamie bicker. I'm use to only going around 5 floors, so going this high in an elevator was too boring for my short attention span. I stuck my hands in my pockets, rocked back and forth on my heels, whistled, paced back and forth, but none of that held my attention. The elevator stopped at the 20th floor as someone came in. He was an older guy with really curly hair, holding some folders against his chest. We had to stop at the 40th floor to adjust to the altitude, then get onto another elevator. I couldn't come up with anything to say to him, so we both stood there in silence.

"So, are you new here," the guy finally said.
"First day," I said.
"Ah...Y'know, you're supposed to have your ID out at all times," he said.
"Sorry bout that," I said and put up the ID I stole.

     He didn't look, which was a good thing. Didn't want my cover blown so early in the gig. I put back on my glasses as I stepped out of the elevator and pressed the up button. Simon, David and the CEO happened to be on the next elevator. This might be a problem.