Chapter 7

Opening the elevator to the ground floor. Mia made her way to the main lobby. An elegant rectangular fountain sat in the lobby, surrounded by pearl marble flooring. The edges were dark green granite, wide enough for people to enjoy sitting there. Creating a mystic forest, a gorgeous array of flowers and shrubbery, along with a small waterfall, filled the back part of the fountain. In it, sitting facing the door, was a rather tall, beautifully handcrafted marble swan. Both floor lights and ceiling lights of red and gold shined brightly on the sculpture, causing it to look like it had flames inside of its eyes. Many employees joked that the fire in its eyes was the company's spirit shining through. Walking across the lobby, the swan seemed to be peering down at all who passed by it. Exiting the building, she felt a brisk aroma of the nearby silk trees fill her nostrils. Walking down the steps, her chauffeur was waiting with the car door open.

"Afternoon, ma'am. Where will I be taking you."

"I'm in the mood for something exotic. Surprise me."

"How does The Hanging Gardens sound, ma'am?" the chauffeur asked, buckling his seat belt and driving off.

"Splendid, Samuel. You always know of a place. I'm glad the company gave me the best driver in this whole city." She said while rolling up the divider.

Although he knew it was a superficial gesture, it was still pleasant to hear. With free time from work, Mia stared out the window. The sky was a pretty blue hue but could not escape the perversions of chemtrails and jetstreams. Skyscrapers seemed to touch the sky, casting enormous shadows on everything below. Multiple giant holograms displayed across the sky showed their latest product, hoping to sell to the masses. But nothing could get the recent conversation out of her head. Feeling inside herself knew she wanted to be vindictive and screw him over. But she also knew since giving him her word that she didn't want to do anything that would dishonor her company. Her head resting against her fist, exhaling deeply, she stared into the nothingness of the cityscape. Realizing the car was coming to a halt, she pressed the intercom button.

"Samuel, what's going on? Why are we stopping?"

"Ma'am, according to the news, a major eco protest turned into a riot further down the highway—maybe a mile or two. They said it's at the intersection that converges into a main road, so it's safe to say we are safe. Plus, I'll never let anything harm you," Samuel replied, ensuring his firearm was easy to reach.

An asshole driver thinking they could use the shoulder lane just cause they can, couldn't move fast enough. A convoy of heavily armored vehicles and personnel carriers flew by, coming up behind them. With the riot being their top priority, they ran over the car without stopping to check on the occupants. A few onlookers in their vehicles took out their phones and started recording. Desperate to become famous from a viral video. An older man with a muscular build sporting a beard with hints of white, wearing a flannel shirt and denim jeans, stepped out of his truck. Quickly, he walked across the street in between the cars.

Reaching the accident, he looked to see if the driver or other passengers had survived. With his eyebrows raised under the beanie, he grabbed the car's rear door bare-handed and began trying to pry the door. Not getting anywhere, he stopped and waved for someone to come over. Soon, a man who most would consider a giant wearing overalls, a jacket, and steel-toe boots walked over. Both were conversing in what someone could assume was a plan. 

Both men grabbed different parts of the door. The bigger one braced his boot against the car. They began pulling with all their might. The boot started denting the car, and he slowly lost his brace. Veins began to bulge, and they both turned beet red in the face. Gradually, the door was opening till they ripped it wide open. The older man wiped his hand and reached inside the vehicle. Pulling out a petite woman in his arms, he motioned to the bigger guy. He laid his rather large jacket on the ground, and the older man placed the woman on top. Both men rested on the divider, each checking for any injuries they were unaware of.

Shortly after, an armored ambulance came rushing in. Two guards jumped out with their weapons raised, yelling at the men. With their hands up, they backed away slowly. Resting their hands on their head, they watched as the guards secured the scene. Loudly, they called for the EMS. Rushing from the truck, the EMS quickly checked the woman. Placing her on a stretcher, they promptly moved back into the car. With their weapons pointed at the good samaritans, the two guards quickly walked backward into the vehicle. Putting the truck in high gear, they sped off in reverse.

Finally, traffic began to move but at a snail's pace.

"Ma'am, I can see traffic beginning to move again. It shouldn't be long before we're moving again."

"Thank God. I was beginning to think we might be stuck here all lunch," she chuckled.

"No, ma'am, I wouldn't let that happen," Sam said, smiling.

While coming upon the intersection, police and swat had gathered a large group of people. They were all sitting on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs. The police were processing them as fast as they could. There was a constant flow of trucks loading the arrestees and hauling them to the precinct. And fresh trucks were arriving, waiting to load up, almost like a dystopian city river of people. Turning and driving down the main road, they finally converged with traffic. Fading into the cityscape, they became another cog in the machine.