Victor rubbed his eyes as the elevator rose up high above the office floors. Through the glass he could see various desks all neatly lined up. People were excited to be there, to work for Wayne Enterprises, who wouldn't be this day and age? Bruce Wayne pretty much owned the stock market, the guy pretty much owned Gotham, come to think of it.
"You like what you see, Victor? Wait until you see our newly designed cryo-lab. State of the art, newly build. Why don't we take the scenic route up top?" Lucius smiled and in his eyes Victor could see a sparkle. He stopped the elevator and gestured for Victor to step out. Deep within its countless corridors was the cryo-lab, funded by donations and partly out of Wayne's own pocket. The lab was immense, small blue lights flickered across the room, machinery with impressive displays lit up. Everyone was running around, quickly grabbing bottles filled with liquid from cabinets before returning to their stations. "Hold on there, son." Victor stopped one of the younger looking workers. "What you have there is a Bald Notochen, correct?" The lab worker was carrying around a box with a small window in it. A fish was circling inside the box. "Y-Y-Yes sir." He gulped. "Mister Johnson is conducting important research surrounding the food of the Emperor Penguin."
"Penguins, you say?" Victor was intrigued. "A Penguin doesn't eat small fish, a penguin goes straight for the big guys. Guys that the penguin can touch, guys he can yank the carpet right down under, don't you forget that." The worker gave a brief look of confusion, nodded and carried on with his task.
"What was all that about?" Lucius asked. "Penguins, mister Fox." Victor replied, smirking.
"I see the company is developing an interest in certain arctic animals, any other interesting research that is being conducted here?" He couldn't help but ask, most of it was probably confidential anyway, but what if they finally had that one piece of research here that Victor could just sink his teeth in, spend hours on? "Plenty, I assure you. For now, let us go to my office though, to further discuss your application." The duo made their way to another elevator, offering Victor one final look at the grand lab. Somewhere in the corner, something caught his interest. A huge suit, riddled with tubes and wires. A fish bowl like construct on top neatly incased in plating. He figured best not to ask what it was given Fox's earlier answers, but it was sure something he'd like to keep in mind.
Fox's office was entirely made out of glass walls with an impressive desk standing right in the middle. A huge oval rug decorated the floor, embedded on it was the logo of Wayne Enterprise. Four large lights were hanging from the ceiling, and a large flag with the Wayne logo on it was placed in a corner of the room. "Mister Fries." Lucius began, grabbing a paper pile and neatly laying it out in front of him. "In your resume you mentioned your promising work on Gothcorp, we like to know more about that. No need to share confidential details of course, but we'd like to know your area of expertise, what is it you excelled at?"
Victor looked around and thought 'what hadn't he done?' His colleagues were lazy and Ferris Boyle was a jerk. Victor was responsible for maintaining proper temperatures around the lab and conducting most of the science being done there. His latest projects included extending the durability of various dairy products or seeing how long certain animals could survive in the coldest temperature. All of that was confidential however, and Victor knew he couldn't afford to not ace this interview.
"I was a head scientist at the cryo lab of Gothcorp. As a head scientist I served as an overseer to most of the research being done there along with stimulating my colleagues as on how to improve on said research. Giving them new ideas, thinking outside of the box, which was something not all of them were capable off, sadly." Lucius nodded and wrote a few words down. Victor peeked and it appears that Lucius was just writing down what he said minus a few words.
"A very promising career, by the sound of it. What made you reconsider?"
"As you are no doubt aware, Wayne Enterprises is one the hardest growing companies in Gotham City at the moment. Extending aid to impressive laboratories such as STAR Labs or AmerTek, I simply wish to be a part of it. To help certain individuals with my knowledge and combining our wisdom to create a hopefully flawless solution. Lucius smiled and had that same twinkle in his eyes as he did in the elevator.
The interview went on for fifteen minutes or so. Lucius was asking questions surrounding Victor's education, his childhood and what drove him to a career in cryo engineering.
Once the interview was over, Lucius grabbed the papers spread out in front of him and formed them into a pile. He stood up and shook Victor's hand. "Thank you, mister Fries. I'll be having a conversation with mister Wayne himself in order to review all of our candidates, you'll be hearing from us within a week. If that doesn't happen to be the case, don't hesitate to give us a call.
Victor nodded and headed for the door, but before opening it turned around. "Mister Fox, one last question if you don't mind. I can't help myself. Back in the lab, when we were heading towards your office via the elevator. I saw something, a suit? I'm not sure what it was, but I would like to know what it's for." Lucius looked irritated almost. "You weren't supposed to see that, mister Fries." He simply replied before returning back to his paperwork.
Victor left the office and put his hands into his pockets. He should've never asked about the suit. It had been a stupid move, he should've never asked about the suit, how could he have been so stupid? Mister Fox showed him something in full confidentiality and he couldn't keep it to himself.
Having returned to the lobby, Victor once again almost made his exit before turning around, right by the reception stood Bruce Wayne himself. Should he introduce himself? Would that be a stupid move? Nothing could've been more stupid than the suit question, why not? Victor is just a guy applying to a job, right? No harm in letting the CEO know who you are, right? Right?
Victor walked up to Bruce and cleared his throat, should he tap him on the shoulder? Would that be rude? Do businessman even do that? Before Victor finished debating with himself, he found his hand had already tapped Bruce's shoulder. "Excuse me? Mister Wayne? I'm?"
"Victor Fries." Bruce finished for him. "I've seen your work, Victor, very impressive. What brings you here today?"
Was The Bruce Wayne seriously asking what brought Victor here? This would have to be the best day of his life. "I-I applied to one of the job openings here, mister Wayne." Bruce laughed. "You did? I knew Ferris couldn't keep you." Victor once again found himself in a debate, should he tell Wayne that he was fired? He didn't tell Lucius, then again, Lucius seemed a lot more intimidating than Wayne. "He couldn't sir. Budget cuts. I lost my job." Bruce's voice took a more serious tone. "And how is your current situation now, if you don't mind me asking?" "I live in a small apartment, for now at least. It looks like I could be kicked out at any moment, which is why I'm quite eager to get to work once again. Explore the cold regions of science. Bruce laughed and stared into Victor's eyes. He inhaled, was about to say something and closed his mouth again. A few more moments passed before he did finally say something. "Consider yourself hired, Mister Fries. Don't make me regret it. You'll be starting tomorrow at 10 am. I expect you to introduce yourself to the reception area here, they'll tell you how to proceed. When I was a young boy, and my-my parents were still alive, I used to look up to your work, mister Fries. I used to look at the Gotham Gazette and saw what Gothcorp was capable of during those times. Whenever I see your work, I'm taken back to those times. Consider this my thanks to you. Good luck, Mister Fries."