Chapter 52: Michael Bryce
Beta needed to gather intelligence for the operation ahead.
With his hands in his pockets, he blended into the stream of hurried pedestrians passing in front of the office building.
He paused outside for a moment, discreetly studying the structure: the positions of the exterior platforms, the blind spots of the security cameras, the angles at which the glass curtain wall reflected light. The details quickly formed a model in his mind.
Once he had confirmed the basic information, Beta headed for the automatic doors.
The spacious lobby was quiet, dotted with a few half-dead potted plants. Two uniformed security guards were strolling around lazily, barely bothering to look up at the people coming and going. Office buildings shared by multiple companies were always loosely managed. They glanced at the visitor and quickly lost interest.
Beta wandered over to the company directory wall.
The metal display panels gleamed under the ceiling lights. His gaze moved down from the top, finally settling on the sign for AAA Security Company, which occupied three floors at the top of the building.
The company directory beside it showed the company structure and photographs of its core team members in detail.
Beta's gaze moved from one employee photo to the next, then stopped at a man's picture.
The nameplate beneath it read: "Michael Bryce—EU-Certified AAA Level Security Professional." The man, with his short black hair, had an animated expression and a remarkably infectious smile. His slightly comical features made him look like a natural comedian, an amusing contrast with his serious line of work.
Beta studied the photo for a few seconds longer.
The elevator doors slid open with a crisp ding. Beta looked up and came face-to-face with the man whose picture he had just seen on the display: Michael