"Accounting used to be down here," Hector explained, "but they moved upstairs, so we have this floor all to ourselves."
Allie was glad it was going to be quiet, at least.
"Here are your desks," Hector said. "I’ll leave you to set up. It's almost the end of the day, so maybe just play around and familiarize yourselves with the setups."
They were in a bay of desks by themselves. Allie could hear Hector puttering around in the next bay over. Carter leaned back in his office chair and spun around.
"So. This is the famous Holbrook Enterprises. It’s a bit drab, if you ask me," Carter declared.
"We weren't," said Allie as she logged into her computer.
24
Carter
Carter hung around on the risk management floor then decided he was bored. After telling Liz and Allie that he had something to take care of, he took the elevator up to one of the upper floors. It was more partitioned into offices, with large, expansive glass walls. He nodded to the secretary on duty, and she waved him through.
"Mr. Holbrook will see you, Mr. Holbrook," she said with a friendly wink.
"How was your first day?" Walter said when Carter stepped into his office.
"Fine, I guess," Carter said, taking a seat. "I'm stuck on a floor with nothing to do."
"You’re free to go to a different division, if you want. Did you have one in mind?" Walter asked.
"Not really. I guess I'll stay where I am." He didn't really want to move. He was thrilled to be near Allie, though she was being very standoffish.
"What’s wrong, Carter?"
"I don’t think I can do this," Carter admitted, resting his head in his hands. Walter came around his desk and sat down next to Carter.
"You’re just going through a bit of a culture shock," he said. "Grant had the same thing happen to him. That is one reason why we’re not just throwing you into the deep end. Grant was very overwhelmed and started making risky and dangerous decisions. We want you to be successful and not feel like you're in over your head."
Carter sighed.
"I have to run," Walter said, patting him on the shoulder. "I need to fly to California."
"Have a good trip," Carter said.
After his uncle left, he roamed around the headquarters tower. People gave him odd looks, but everyone seemed to know who he was and probably assumed he was supposed to be walking around.
"Carter!" said Vance. "You coming out with us tonight?"
"Maybe," Carter replied. "I'll have to check my schedule."
"I'll text you."
"Thanks," he said and escaped back to the risk management floor.
Allie was already deep in work on something.
"What are you doing?" he asked, looking over her shoulder.
"Holbrook just acquired a weaponized drone manufacturing company that had a fatal accident a few months ago. It was all over the business news." Allie pulled up one of the articles and showed Carter and Liz. "People were wondering if Holbrook was going to pull out of the deal. I’ve been skimming the servers but don’t see anything here about any new safety procedures. Halcion Drone does a lot of government contracts with regard to drones and robotics, which is the direction in which the military is trying to go. I talked to several officers about it when I was a bartender. Holbrook can’t afford to lose out on government contracts due to safety violations. The feds don’t play around with worker deaths. We need a project, right? So I think this is right up our alley," Allie said.
"Wow," said Liz. "That makes a lot of sense."
Carter was very impressed. "I guess I picked the right partner."
