Chapter 3 - ACCESS DENIED
At 11:47 p.m., Julian stepped into the private elevator.
Vanessa was beside him.
He pressed the button for the penthouse.
Nothing happened.
He pressed it again.
ACCESS DENIED.
Vanessa frowned.
"What's wrong?"
"System glitch."
Julian swiped his executive card.
ACCESS DENIED.
He swiped again.
Same message.
His face tightened.
He called the front desk.
"This is Julian Mercer."
"Good evening, Mr. Mercer."
"My elevator access isn't working."
A pause.
"I apologize, sir."
"Then fix it."
"I'm afraid I can't."
Julian's voice hardened.
"What do you mean, you can't?"
"Your executive credentials have been suspended."
Silence.
Vanessa slowly lowered her champagne glass.
"Suspended by whom?"
The receptionist hesitated.
"Corporate authorization."
"I am corporate authorization."
Another pause.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Mercer."
Julian hung up.
He immediately called Adrian Wells, Bellavue's chief technology officer.
No answer.
Then Daniel Price.
No answer.
Then the head of global security.
No answer.
He began swearing.
Vanessa watched him.
"Maybe Elena did something."
Julian laughed.
"Elena?"
He shook his head.
"Elena doesn't have that kind of authority."
That sentence would become almost funny by morning.
Julian marched to the concierge desk.
Employees suddenly became very interested in their computers.
"Who suspended my credentials?"
The night manager approached.
"Mr. Mercer, I've been instructed not to modify your access."
"By whom?"
"Corporate security."
"I hired corporate security."
The manager remained silent.
Julian leaned forward.
"Do you understand who you're talking to?"
"Yes, sir."
"This is my hotel."
The manager swallowed.
"Respectfully, sir, I've been instructed that you're currently classified as a guest."
Vanessa's expression changed.
"A guest?"
Julian slammed his palm onto the desk.
"Call Daniel Price."
"I can't do that."
"Why?"
"Mr. Price is currently participating in an emergency board review."
Julian froze.
"What emergency board review?"
The manager looked away.
For the first time that night, fear entered Julian's eyes.
At 12:03 a.m., his company phone stopped receiving email.
At 12:07, his executive banking dashboard disappeared.
At 12:11, the corporate driver assigned to him received reassignment instructions.
At 12:16, the Bellavue private aviation department canceled his flight authorization.
At 12:22, his administrator received instructions to preserve all records and change all office access codes.
Julian stood in the lobby watching pieces of his life disappear one notification at a time.
Then his personal phone rang.
He answered immediately.
"Daniel?"
"No."
It was Margaret Shaw.
Julian knew her.
He simply had never understood who she represented.
"Margaret?"
"Good evening, Julian."
"What the hell is happening?"
"I'm calling as counsel for the Whitmore Family Trust."
Silence.
"What does Elena's father have to do with this?"
Margaret paused.
"More than you apparently realize."
Julian's face changed.
"What does that mean?"
"You'll receive documentation shortly."
"Put Elena on the phone."
"Elena is unavailable."
"She's my wife."
"That status may also be subject to change."
Margaret ended the call.
Vanessa stared at him.
"What did she say?"
Julian didn't answer.
Then the elevator chimed.
Two corporate security officers stepped out.
One carried a black case.
The other approached Julian.
"Mr. Mercer."
"What?"
"We need the executive laptop currently in your possession."
Julian stepped backward.
"You're joking."
"I'm afraid not."
"This computer belongs to me."
"It belongs to Bellavue Hospitality Group."
Julian's hand tightened around the laptop bag.
"No."
The officer held out his hand.
"Sir."
Guests were watching now.
The same lobby where Julian had publicly thrown me out was witnessing something very different.
Slowly, Julian surrendered the laptop.
The security officer placed it inside the case.
Then he held out his hand again.
"Your executive keycard."
Julian stared at him.
"I want your name."
"Marcus Reed."
"You'll be fired tomorrow."
Marcus remained expressionless.
"That may be difficult, sir."
"Why?"
"Because as of midnight, you no longer have termination authority."
May you like
Julian's face drained of color.
And sunrise was still six hours away.
