Jeremy's move to a modest Manhattan apartment in a less-than-ideal neighborhood with three roommates was relatively easy; he was accustomed to less-than-ideal neighborhoods, finding little variation between cities. He'd have chosen a cheaper borough if it didn't complicate his commute. Making a strong first impression at his new job was crucial; punctuality was non-negotiable.

On his first day, Jeremy donned his best suit and lucky tie, gazing up at the skyscraper in awe. He'd actually done it.

The receptionist directed him to HR for his badge photo and paperwork. This allowed him to finally meet Emma Wilson, who, after the formalities, escorted him to the analyst department.

"Simon," she called, "I have your new recruit."

A man in his early fifties with a receding hairline emerged from an office. Most employees worked at open desks. He extended his hand. "Nice to meet you, Jeremy Ward. I'm Simon Peters, the department head. I hope you'll meet my expectations; I've heard great things."

Jeremy, baffled but humbled, accepted the praise. He wondered if Simon knew his recommender.

"Sirdo you know who recommended me?"

Simon shrugged. "No. My instructions came from above. They likely recommended you directly to Mr. Hale."

Jeremy was shocked. Someone close to Aaron Hale had recommended him. Aaron Hale knew his name. This was unbelievable.

"I see," Jeremy stammered. "Do you see Mr. Hale often?"

"Our departments coordinate with upper management frequently, but I mostly see him in meetings with other department heads. I typically report to Mr. Singleton, the vice president."

While disappointing, this wasn't surprising. Aaron Hale was at the top; access wouldn't be easy. Impressing the vice president would be almost as good, though.

Simon toured Jeremy around the department, showed him his desk, outlined his duties, and then summoned a man in his mid-forties.

"Kyle, I need to get back to work. I want you to train Jeremy."

Kyle gave a thumbs-up and turned to Jeremy. "Fresh out of college?"

"Yes, sir."

Kyle waved it off. "No need for 'sir.' I'm pretty casual. Call me Kyle. If you can't find me, ask my friend Roger."

He gestured to a man working diligently at his computer. Roger looked up and smiled. They were clearly close.

Jeremy wondered about their history. Were all the employees so friendly, or had they been friends for a long time?

"How long have you worked here?"

"Seven years in this department; fifteen as a financial advisor before that," Kyle said cheerfully. "Lucky to switch over. Helps when you're friends with the big boss."

Friends with Aaron Hale? How, if he rarely visited other departments? Many employees were Ivy League graduates, including Harvard alumni. Perhaps they'd attended school together; they seemed to be around the same age.

Jeremy found it hard to imagine his idol as a student, likely studying diligently, just like he had. Aaron had graduated summa cum laude, according to an article he'd read.

"What's he like?" Jeremy asked.

"Aaron? Hard to describe. I've known him for twenty-six years, and I still don't understand him." Kyle called to his friend. "Hey, Roger! How would you describe Aaron?"

Roger shrugged. "Contradictory?"

"Contradictorythat's a good one."

Jeremy was confused. Everything he'd read portrayed Aaron as brilliant but reserved, intimidating most people. These two didn't seem intimidated; they were remarkably casual, considering they were discussing their boss. How close were they, really?

Twenty-six years was a long time, but at least twenty-two of those years had been while Kyle worked at the company. Given their camaraderie, Jeremy suspected all three had known each other for a long time.

He wanted to ask about Aaron's contradictory nature, but Kyle started discussing stock market trend reports and an algorithm with 87% accuracy.

Jeremy was astounded. Kyle laughed. "Yeah, that was Aaron and Aiden's brainchild. Aiden Quinn heads cybersecurity and is basically Aaron's right hand. He does a lot around here."

Jeremy made mental notes: Aiden Quinn was the right hand, Cameron Singleton the left. He'd need to impress them both if he ever met them. The final sentence mentioning a website was removed as it appeared to be an advertisement.