"Mr. Nottingham, uh?"
"We have a situation, sir." Even before the security guard uttered out the words Ian knew something was wrong. He could easily sense the fear and anxiety in the guard's voice. In the background Ian was able to pick up the mutterings of the other guard. He too sounded nervous, Ian could vaguely hear a few profanities and prayers being said.
"What seems to be the problem?" Ian inquired to the guard on the phone. Clearing his throat Henry began to explain to Ian of Irons current condition. Ian brows furrowed as he listened to the guard's explanation. Something was definitely not right with his story. How was it possible that Irons was stuck in an elevator? Had the guard not tell him that the elevators were not operational, that it was going to be another hour and a half before it did?
"How long has Mr. Irons been unconscious?"
Henry looked over at Mike who hadn't stop pacing since they found about Irons. Poor kid was really shiting in his pants. Unfortunately for him Mike had been the one left in the room while Henry went out to pick up some dinner. Henry covers the mouthpiece to the phone and repeated the question to Mike.
"How the hell should I know I was sleeping remember." Mike ran another nervous hand through his hair. Henry angrily eyed Mike. This was entirely his fault. If he hadn't been sleeping on the job they would have caught the problem before it had escalated into something big. Henry uncovered the mouthpiece and began to speak again.
"I'm not sure, sir. I wasn't the one supervising the monitors. I had been out grabbing dinner, sir." Ian could hear the other guarding cursing in the background.
"Let me speak to the one who had been left in charge in your absence." Ian ordered.
Henry handed the phone to Mike at once. He let out a sigh of relief when the phone had been taken out of his hand. As if the all his worries were lifted off his shoulders and he had nothing to fear. Mike on the other hand didn't feel the same. He gripped the phone, swallowed the lump in this throat, and lifted the receiver to his ear.
"Sirr..sir?"
"How long has Mr. Irons been unconscious?" Ian repeated.
"I.I don't know, sir." Sweat began to run down along his face.
"Why is it you don't know? Were you incapacitated at the time?" Ian was sure that the guard must have fallen asleep during Irons' 'situation'.
"Yes sir" Mike's voice was nothing more then a mere whisper.
"Then can you tell me what time Mr. Irons left his office and entered the elevator?"
To Mike's relief it was the only question he was able to answer. Henry had just left to pick up some dinner. He remembered seeing Irons leaving his office and a few minutes after he was riding down on one of the elevator cars. He closed his eyes trying to recall the time.
"Mr. Irons left his office at preciously at 6:15 p.m. A few short minutes after he had entered elevator car 2 making his way down." Mike held his breath as he anticipated Ian's reaction. But all he heard was silence. Ian began to calculate the difference of time in his head.
"Let me speak to the other guard." Mike gladly returned the phone to Henry. He didn't have time to respond before Ian spoke.
"What time is it now?" Ian demanded.
"6:45 p.m., sir"
"Did you not inform me that the elevators were not operational? That it would have taken another hour and half before it was?" Henry nodded then realized that Ian was not able to see him.
"Yes I did, Mr. Nottingham."
"Then how is it possible that Mr. Irons is now trapped in an elevator that was not supposed to be operational?" Ian could hear the heavy sigh at the other end of the phone. He knew that it was possible to keep an elevator locked in place while the others were still running. It was a safety feature he made sure was installed. He never thought he was going to be on the receiving end of it.
Henry wasn't too sure that Irons would appreciate him telling Nottingham about the elevators. Yet Irons only ordered him to lock the elevator and lie to Nottingham about it. He never mentioned not tell Nottingham the truth. He didn't like the fact he had to choose between Irons and Nottingham. But the situation called for it and he was going to take his chances with Nottingham. Henry took in one last breath and began to explain to Ian. "Everything has been in working order for the past hour, sir." After a short pause Henry continued.
"Mr. Irons had ordered for the elevator car that you were in to remain locked and not to inform you about it. He didn't specify the reasons why, and that he was going to give further instructions when he arrived from his office. We honestly don't know how long Mr. Irons had been unconscious and why the elevator has stopped running."
Ian quietly listened and knew that the guard was telling him the truth. There was nothing in his voice that would tell him other wise. All that left Ian were questions he had no answers to. What was Irons up to? What would he gain going through so much trouble? Ian turned to glance at Sara. She was still trapped in her vision but not for long. He needed to get out of there. He needed some time to figure out what Irons' plans were. Then hopefully have a chance to discuss with Sara what had happened between them. Even though she had no idea what had transpired. His train of thought was broken when he heard the other guard over the phone.
"Henry look the elevator is working again."
"Mr. Nottingham." Ian interrupted before Henry could continue.
"Have the other guard tend to Mr. Irons. Make sure that he is alright."
"Do you want me to unlock your elevator car, sir?"
"No, I want you to follow through on your instructions. Just simply wait for Mr. Irons."
"Yes, sir."
"And Henry." Ian still sounded calm but Henry no doubt sensed the threat that lay deep within Ian's voice. The man actually called him by his first name. Meaning Ian knew who he was. That was a feeling Henry did not like.
"Yes sir?"
"This phone conversation never happened. Is that clear?!"
"Yes sir!" But the only thing Henry could here was silence on the other end and the thundering sound of his heart beating against his chest. With a sigh of relief Henry gladly hung up the phone. He took out a handkerchief and wiped up his sweat off his face.
"So what did Nottingham say?" Mike anxiously asked. Henry looked at the rookie and for once, since the whole ordeal happened, he smiled.
"Let just say we are the most luckiest bastards on this earth. Nottingham wanted you to tend to Mr. Irons. Make sure he was okay, and to forget." Henry pointed to the phone.
". that our phone conversation never happened."
Mike raised his hands in surrender. "Hey you don't have to tell me twice, Henry. I just can't wait till our shift is over. Well I'm going to check up on Mr. Irons." Mike left the room and headed straight for the elevators.
"Yeah you do that kid. Man if a heart attack doesn't kill me the stress from working here will." Henry muttered out loud as he laid his face in his hands.
~*~
"We have a situation, sir." Even before the security guard uttered out the words Ian knew something was wrong. He could easily sense the fear and anxiety in the guard's voice. In the background Ian was able to pick up the mutterings of the other guard. He too sounded nervous, Ian could vaguely hear a few profanities and prayers being said.
"What seems to be the problem?" Ian inquired to the guard on the phone. Clearing his throat Henry began to explain to Ian of Irons current condition. Ian brows furrowed as he listened to the guard's explanation. Something was definitely not right with his story. How was it possible that Irons was stuck in an elevator? Had the guard not tell him that the elevators were not operational, that it was going to be another hour and a half before it did?
"How long has Mr. Irons been unconscious?"
Henry looked over at Mike who hadn't stop pacing since they found about Irons. Poor kid was really shiting in his pants. Unfortunately for him Mike had been the one left in the room while Henry went out to pick up some dinner. Henry covers the mouthpiece to the phone and repeated the question to Mike.
"How the hell should I know I was sleeping remember." Mike ran another nervous hand through his hair. Henry angrily eyed Mike. This was entirely his fault. If he hadn't been sleeping on the job they would have caught the problem before it had escalated into something big. Henry uncovered the mouthpiece and began to speak again.
"I'm not sure, sir. I wasn't the one supervising the monitors. I had been out grabbing dinner, sir." Ian could hear the other guarding cursing in the background.
"Let me speak to the one who had been left in charge in your absence." Ian ordered.
Henry handed the phone to Mike at once. He let out a sigh of relief when the phone had been taken out of his hand. As if the all his worries were lifted off his shoulders and he had nothing to fear. Mike on the other hand didn't feel the same. He gripped the phone, swallowed the lump in this throat, and lifted the receiver to his ear.
"Sirr..sir?"
"How long has Mr. Irons been unconscious?" Ian repeated.
"I.I don't know, sir." Sweat began to run down along his face.
"Why is it you don't know? Were you incapacitated at the time?" Ian was sure that the guard must have fallen asleep during Irons' 'situation'.
"Yes sir" Mike's voice was nothing more then a mere whisper.
"Then can you tell me what time Mr. Irons left his office and entered the elevator?"
To Mike's relief it was the only question he was able to answer. Henry had just left to pick up some dinner. He remembered seeing Irons leaving his office and a few minutes after he was riding down on one of the elevator cars. He closed his eyes trying to recall the time.
"Mr. Irons left his office at preciously at 6:15 p.m. A few short minutes after he had entered elevator car 2 making his way down." Mike held his breath as he anticipated Ian's reaction. But all he heard was silence. Ian began to calculate the difference of time in his head.
"Let me speak to the other guard." Mike gladly returned the phone to Henry. He didn't have time to respond before Ian spoke.
"What time is it now?" Ian demanded.
"6:45 p.m., sir"
"Did you not inform me that the elevators were not operational? That it would have taken another hour and half before it was?" Henry nodded then realized that Ian was not able to see him.
"Yes I did, Mr. Nottingham."
"Then how is it possible that Mr. Irons is now trapped in an elevator that was not supposed to be operational?" Ian could hear the heavy sigh at the other end of the phone. He knew that it was possible to keep an elevator locked in place while the others were still running. It was a safety feature he made sure was installed. He never thought he was going to be on the receiving end of it.
Henry wasn't too sure that Irons would appreciate him telling Nottingham about the elevators. Yet Irons only ordered him to lock the elevator and lie to Nottingham about it. He never mentioned not tell Nottingham the truth. He didn't like the fact he had to choose between Irons and Nottingham. But the situation called for it and he was going to take his chances with Nottingham. Henry took in one last breath and began to explain to Ian. "Everything has been in working order for the past hour, sir." After a short pause Henry continued.
"Mr. Irons had ordered for the elevator car that you were in to remain locked and not to inform you about it. He didn't specify the reasons why, and that he was going to give further instructions when he arrived from his office. We honestly don't know how long Mr. Irons had been unconscious and why the elevator has stopped running."
Ian quietly listened and knew that the guard was telling him the truth. There was nothing in his voice that would tell him other wise. All that left Ian were questions he had no answers to. What was Irons up to? What would he gain going through so much trouble? Ian turned to glance at Sara. She was still trapped in her vision but not for long. He needed to get out of there. He needed some time to figure out what Irons' plans were. Then hopefully have a chance to discuss with Sara what had happened between them. Even though she had no idea what had transpired. His train of thought was broken when he heard the other guard over the phone.
"Henry look the elevator is working again."
"Mr. Nottingham." Ian interrupted before Henry could continue.
"Have the other guard tend to Mr. Irons. Make sure that he is alright."
"Do you want me to unlock your elevator car, sir?"
"No, I want you to follow through on your instructions. Just simply wait for Mr. Irons."
"Yes, sir."
"And Henry." Ian still sounded calm but Henry no doubt sensed the threat that lay deep within Ian's voice. The man actually called him by his first name. Meaning Ian knew who he was. That was a feeling Henry did not like.
"Yes sir?"
"This phone conversation never happened. Is that clear?!"
"Yes sir!" But the only thing Henry could here was silence on the other end and the thundering sound of his heart beating against his chest. With a sigh of relief Henry gladly hung up the phone. He took out a handkerchief and wiped up his sweat off his face.
"So what did Nottingham say?" Mike anxiously asked. Henry looked at the rookie and for once, since the whole ordeal happened, he smiled.
"Let just say we are the most luckiest bastards on this earth. Nottingham wanted you to tend to Mr. Irons. Make sure he was okay, and to forget." Henry pointed to the phone.
". that our phone conversation never happened."
Mike raised his hands in surrender. "Hey you don't have to tell me twice, Henry. I just can't wait till our shift is over. Well I'm going to check up on Mr. Irons." Mike left the room and headed straight for the elevators.
"Yeah you do that kid. Man if a heart attack doesn't kill me the stress from working here will." Henry muttered out loud as he laid his face in his hands.
~*~