All three private gold-leaf express elevators chime simultaneously on the ground floor.
The heavy brass doors slid open with a hiss of compressed air.
Sprinting across the polished black tiles in full panic—sweat beading on their brows, ties flying over their shoulders—came the Chief Executive Officer, the General Counsel, and five senior managing partners of Apex Financial.
Sterling beamed arrogantly, stepping forward with outstretched arms: "CEO Vance! Thank goodness you’re down here. I’ve just intercepted a vagrant trespassing in the main concourse and handled an insubordinate receptionist—"
CEO Vance pushed Sterling aside so violently that the vice president stumbled against the velvet stanchions.
In front of dozens of stunned employees and corporate guests, the CEO and all five partners came to an immediate halt before the man in the worn olive jacket. In perfect synchronization, they bent their waists and bowed at a deep, ninety-degree angle.
"Chairman Vance," the CEO gasped, his voice trembling with terror. "We... we were informed your flight was landing in Geneva! We didn't know you were conducting a personal inspection of the headquarters!"
Chapter V: The Seat of True Power
Sterling stood paralyzed. The blood completely drained from his face, his jaw hanging slack as his knees threatened to buckle beneath him.
Arthur Vance.