The 45th floor of Apex Plaza was a vast expanse of polished glass and architectural concrete. Sun streams poured through the massive perimeter windows, illuminating rows of empty workstations and fresh leather seating that awaited a full corporate structure. It was an intimidating amount of space, a physical statement of a portfolio that had rapidly bloated far beyond its original limits.
Jake Rivers sat at the head of the conference table, a heavy silver pen rolling between his fingers. To his left, Alice tapped her stylus against a tablet, pulling up candidate profiles.
"They're waiting in the reception lobby," Alice said, her voice echoing slightly in the quiet, cavernous room. "On paper, two of them are industry legends. Their standard packages usually require a board-level sign-off."
