A soft piano melody filled the space as the elevator began to ascend.

  Luca glanced at the wall for a brief moment, and caught his reflection in the mirrored wall. He couldn't avoid the quick examination that followed. There was a slight frown on his face, and wrinkles on his tie. At least his blue jacket was alright. Decent. Loosening his expression, he pressed his tie down, tryting to fix it. Seconds later, he was already giving up on this.

  Making sure it everything was right —or as good as possible, considering this was the same suit he had wore on his graduation before getting those last few centimeters— he looked out.

  Pendulum's national headquarters had around seventy-nine floors, and was build in middle of the highest part of the city. The glass elevator offered a privileged view of the surrounding districts —especially District 1, but with spots of District 4 and 7. This particular area was considered Downtown for many of the citizens of New Rod.

  As the elevator went up, the glass greenhouses looked smaller and smaller, especially in comparison to the white and blue skyscrapers that rose next to them. If he squinted his eyes, he could see the drones flying under the railroad tracks that spread through the air over most of the city. Perhaps he could even spot someone from the 'ants' milling around the park and the Central Library.

  The beauty of the city still managed to surprise him.

  Of course, the most impressive sight was the monolith that rose among the skyscrapers, easily surpassing them. A mighty building black as the night sky. Some claimed they -because this was just one of nine- were made of pure obsidian. A shame he couldn't see the rest of them from there.

  Luca clenched his fists, trying to focus on those details. He didn't want to sink into doubt.

  Again.

  He was already here. Against his better judgment, he had accepted the interview. Even if a part of him whispered that he could leave —press the button, return to the first floor, and slip away. He could go back to working in the greenhouse, in the two grocery stores, as a drone monitor on weekends....

  The reality was… he couldn’t.

  Even if... if Shawn woke up or not —he would, he would— Luca still had to pay the creditors. Victor had already shown great restraint over the past few months. But if he didn’t hurry, he’d end up in the ocean with cement shoes. However, a million dollars wouldn’t be paid off with the kind of jobs he was able to find. He’d already turned down illegal work, and never had luck with lotteries either…

  So yes, only one option was still on the table. One that he didn't even believe could appear in front of him.

  Luca straightened his shoulders, his reflection staring back at him. If he tried hard enough, he could still see traces of Shawn in his own face. Of his mother. All three of them had the same eyes—same shade of blue, same shape. There was one pair he’d never see again. He couldn’t give up without making sure he’d done everything he could for the sake of the one he still could do something about.

  This was even more truer now that he had this opportunity. It was a dangerous chance, of course —but among the others, Luca was the only one who knew full well he was stepping into the beast’s mouth. The one with the best odds of coming out with all of his limbs intact and enough sanity.

  Pendulum... was even more dangerous than working for the dark world. For a very good reason, he’d tried to ignore it since waking up on this side.

  However, there was no denying that the reward was exceptional. Their conditions were unbeatable, especially the salary. It had to be said, for someone with a resume full of temporary jobs across various sectors and zero specializations, this was more than a first-class opportunity. This would be more than enough to pay off the family's debts, to keep his brother in the hospital... even if Luca didn’t make it out alive.

  He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly.

  Sixty-three seconds had passed.

  The elevator chimed softly, and a cheerful voice announced: “Sixty-third floor. Thank you for visiting us.”

  “Thanks,” Luca murmured as he stepped out. It wouldn’t be wrong to be polite, especially to Pendulum’s AI. Although it didn’t look like that, it was more advanced than anything else out there, including secret military centers and Pentagon 3.6. Calling it a ‘machine’ was like calling his new job ‘a bit risky’... a gross understatement bordering on absurd.

  A long hallway stretched before him. It had walls paneled in warm red wood with paintings of different cities from the continent, each one featuring their monoliths. He only had seen them in holograms but this version was prettier.

  At the end of the hallway was a single door, its polished wood gleamed under soft white lights. The gold letters engraved on its surface read: Office 010.

  Luca’s mind flashed back to an online post he’d seen: “At Pendulum, if it looks like gold, it is.” The company spared no expense, and the door seemed to confirm that. But then, being number one in almost every sector, they had a few extra zeros in their bank accounts to spend on the little details.

  As he approached, he couldn’t help but calculate some costs. How could he not? The door alone probably could pay more than a year of his brother’s hospital bills. Hell, if he died on the island, his empty coffin might be worth enough to keep his little brother alive for two years. He had to make sure to check all the boxes for that Life insurance alone.

  He knocked once, softly, then pushed the door open without waiting for a response. It swung open without a sound, revealing a breathtaking skyline that stretched endlessly beyond floor-to-ceiling windows. A massive desk dominated the room; its red wood surface, so smooth that it had to be polished each day, with faint gold accents made Luca give it a second glance.

  Why wasn’t this in some old-money family’s mansion instead of a corporate office?

  Pendulum’s decor team had a particular taste, didn’t they?

  The office wasn’t empty. Around the table were ten people: five women and five men, all elegantly dressed. Unlike Luca, their suits fitted them like a lady's glove. And they looked quite focused, sharp. Their eyes landed on him as he entered -their expressions revealing flashes of curiosity soon replaced with indifference. Or, in some cases, a subtle hint of hostility. Or both at the same time.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  So you're my competition, Luca thought, closing the door as carefully as he'd opened it. Some of them were his future coworkers too. Even so, as walked in, he chose a seat in the corner, away from the others. The table was large enough to seat sixteen, which made him a bit a curious about what this might have been like decades earlier.

  No one was sitting at the head of the table... the main character would came in any moment to take that spot.

  His eyes wandered, taking in the room. The office was sparsely decorated, but the table was a work of art: solid, thick, and undoubtedly expensive. He kept his hands in his lap, resisting the urge to scratch it. But despite this statement there was nothing else of interest in the room. Not even a painting adorning the white walls.

  It was not a surprise. The interview would be a more 'personal' experience than a couple of questions.

  He glanced subtly at the others. A familiar face caught his attention.

  Him?

  It was impossible not to recognize one of the most celebrated athletes of the last decade, even for someone like Luca, who barely followed sports. The gym near his house had a poster of the man —well, it had, until the last scandal ended his career last year. Then his face had been plastered in the news for weeks.

  The memory of his former coworker, who had gone to the press conference to throw rotten tomatoes at the man, come to his mind. He had to repress his smile. Ha. Mr. Howard had even allowed her to take them without a fuss.

  Of course, these were just interesting details and nothing more as Luca had known his name long before that. And that seeing him there wasn't a good thing.

  Something to keep in mind, he thought, his expression unchanged. Pendulum had all kinds of people, and although he respected personal choices... becoming a meat shield wasn’t on his wish list for this year. Or the next.

  The other applicants were less recognizable, except for the curly-haired woman. How could a shadow be seen if not for the presence of a bright light? However, she didn't look so bright right now. She was barely holding her nerves -apparently her fingernails had taken the brunt of it.

  Well. At least she was in good shape to run for her life. Everyone there looked like that. Even himself. But then, juggling four or sometimes five jobs didn't leave a lot of extra calories. Not to mention the one in the gym, which was probably responsible of half of his state. Luckily, humans had already evolved to need less sleep than on his old world.

  The door opened again and all heads turned toward it.

  A woman entered, and her presence immediately captured his attention. Their attention. Tall and stylish, she wore purple butterfly-shaped glasses with gold accents, her eyes hidden but her smile serene and well-practiced. Luca knew her, or at least knew her information. Her was Roxana Santos. But that was her ‘corporate identity.’ At Pendulum’s real headquarters, she’d be known as “Mariposa”—her designation. She had quite the reputation even after jumping to the 'administrative' part of the company.

  “Good morning, everyone,” she said, her voice soft over the sharp click of her heels. “Thank you for accepting Pendulum's invitation. You may call me Miss Santos. I’ll be conducting your interview today.”

  A murmur of polite greetings followed. Luca joined in, though his stomach tightened, twisting with nervous anticipation.

  How could he not feel anything? Miss Santos was the spitting image of her forum photo. The 'good one'. More importantly, she was the one who would push them to their first 'Mystery' —even if it was a simulation, it was harsh.

  And beyond that, she was one of Them.

  Don’t think about that. The good thing was, she wouldn’t think anything odd if she heard his racing heart. Who wouldn’t be nervous right now?

  With the elegance of her namesake, she placed a thick red folder on the table and pulled out a stack of thinner folders from it. “Before we proceed, there’s a formal requirement. Due to the nature of this position, you’ll need to sign a confidentiality agreement.” She began distributing the documents. “This is standard procedure, as the role involves access to sensitive company information.”

  Like a stone thrown into a pond, a wave of unease spread through the room.

  Luca glanced a the red folder in front of him. It had been some time since he had signed anything on paper.

  “A confidentiality agreement? Already?” someone murmured, a tone of confusion and suspicion in their voice.

  “But we’re not even employees yet,” a man pointed out.

  Miss Santos remained impassive. “That’s correct. However, participation in this interview process requires compliance with company protocols. Signing is completely voluntary, but those who choose not to will not be able to continue.” She adjusted her glasses with a gentle push of her fingers. “As I’m sure you understand, Pendulum can’t risk exposing vulnerable information about its processes. The competition is cutthroat.”

  Silence settled in the room, but only for a moment. While some hesitated, others opened their folders without a second thought. Among them were the boxer, a young man who looked like he’d just graduated high school, and the curly-haired woman, who began reading with intense concentration.

  The rustle of pages filled the air.

  Luca flipped it ipen and after a quick glance, finding nothing unusual, he signed on the last page.

  Now, there were only two ways out of this.

  “Thank you all for your cooperation and interest." With a last smile, Miss Santos pressed something on the table, and with a soft mechanical sound, wooden panels slid in front of each applicant. A pair of glasses emerged, their blue metallic frames gleaming under the light.

  Murmurs of awe spread through the room.

  The glasses were sleek and glassy, with Pendulum’s logo in the bridge. They looked so expensive that anyone would feel a pang of anxiety Not even selling their organs on the black market would cover the cost if someone broke a single temples.

  Ha. The irony alone would kill him.

  “Go ahead, don’t be shy. Try them on,” Miss Santos encouraged. “These are the latest version of our virtual reality gear, the same model used by the gaming company we collaborate with. Number one, if I may say so.”

  Luca picked up the pair in front of him. Despite their size, they were surprisingly light, probably made from Pendulum’s own metal. After all, they’d been in the metal business for centuries. They had like -ten? a dozen? different alloys they’d created.

  As he put them on, his vision was instantly enveloped in white. A simple message appeared in black, bold letters, floating around the endless white:

  Welcome to Pendulum, Mr. Olsen.

  Judging by the murmurs around him, he wasn’t the only one with a personalized greeting. Maybe he wasn’t the only one who thought the voice was quite special. Soft and fresh, like running a hand over velvet sheets.

  “Excuse me... this job... could it be about...?” a woman’s voice asked. Though she seemed to struggle to articulate her words, the excitement in her tone was palpable.

  Luca felt a pang of pity for her.

  “I’ll explain your responsibilities later,” Miss Santos said, her tone firm but not unkind. “However, you should know that this job isn’t for the faint of heart. You’ll be walking a thin line, balancing over the open mouth of a shark at midnight.”

  Her words weren’t empty. In fact, Luca thought they didn’t go far enough. But then again, no one would believe him about the depth of the abyss unless they were pushed into it, right?

  “You’ll learn for yourselves in the Technical Test.”

  Ha. Even though he knew it, a sense of foreboding gripped him. But there was no time to dwell on that.

  Miss Santos’ voice cut through the tension.

  “Don’t lose your focus and give your all. Good luck.” Then, her voice changed. "It begins now.”

  A sound, vaguely resembling a bell, echoed through the room, and then everything went black.