“What is this, some kind of game show?” I mumble, looking back and forth between the doors. I’ve sure as hell never seen an office like this before. But then again, you never can tell with these startup types. Milo’s creative agency had beanbags instead of chairs and walls made entirely of white board. So I guess anything goes.
I don’t have to wait on the landing for long before the door marked “B” swings open. I have to snap my jaw in place to keep it from falling open as two of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen up close appear in the doorway.
“You must be Keira,” smiles the taller of the two—a statuesque blonde with tan skin and flowing blonde locks. “I’m Kassie. So glad you could make it today.”
“Hi, I’m Kelly,” chimes in the second woman, who’s even more petite than I am. Her jet-black hair falls in loose, silky curls, and there’s a distinct air of mischief about her.
“Nice to meet you both,” I manage, floored by the women that stand before me. Kassie and Kelly’s photos weren’t on display at the FBI field office, so I concocted some ridiculous idea of what they might look like in my head. I expected stereotypical TV biker wives—bleached blonde, too much makeup, tacky tattoos, fake tits. But these ladies are utterly gorgeous, just about my age, and undeniably cool. When they ask me to come inside, I feel like I’ve just been invited to sit at the popular girls’ table in the high school cafeteria.
The sight that greets me as I step through the door only leaves me more gobsmacked. We’ve entered one of the most beautiful, elegant apartments I’ve ever seen. This penthouse suite is the picture of economy and minimalist design. Not a single object seems superfluous or even slightly out of place. But it’s definitely an apartment—albeit a gorgeous one—not an office.
“This...is your office?” I breathe, gaping through the wall of windows on the far side of the room. An incredible view of the strip sprawls through the clear glass, glimmering in the afternoon sunlight.
“Home office, in a way,” Kassie says, walking toward the sleek kitchen. “My old man and I live just across the hall. He bought up both these penthouses before we met. Kelly was staying here, for a minute, but since we haven’t got a new tenant, we’ve been running CrowdedNest from here.”
“But the commute must kill you,” I kid.
“I like her already,” Kelly says to Kassie. “A sense of humor is important when you work on a three-person team.”
Kassie carries a tray in from the kitchen bearing a french press, a plate of baked goods, and a pitcher of cucumber water. I can’t believe these are the women I’m investigating in relation to outlaw bikers. They seem totally cultured and composed...and yet Kassie just mentioned her “old man”. How secretive are they, really, about their MC involvement? I wonder if they even realize how dangerous these organizations can be.
“Take a seat, Keira, and help yourself,” Kassie says, settling down at a long wooden table beside Kelly. I sit across from this stunning pair of women, trying to refocus on the task at hand. I’m here to land this job so I can start gathering some real intelligence. Time to show them what I’ve got. Whatever that is...
“You couldn’t have reached out to us at a better time,” Kelly says. “We’ve had no luck finding qualified candidates in the area, and we’d really prefer to have someone working locally.”
“Sure,” I nod, “for such a small team, that makes total sense. Remote work is all well and good, but some analog contact can make all the difference.”
“Exactly. We want to really get to know whoever it is we bring on,” Kassie says, leaning her elbows on the long table. “Kelly and I have been good friends for years, and that friendship has informed the way we work in a really positive way. It would be nice to hire someone we get along with on a personal, as well as a professional, level.”
I swallow a nervous laugh. If only these two knew how much I was hiding from them. If they’re looking for honest friendship, I am the last person on earth they should hire. And yet...
“I’ve always found that I work better in a friendly environment of my peers,” I reply. “I do my best work when I’m part of a trusting team—where everyone’s allowed to work on their own terms, in their own way, you know?”
“That’s exactly how we like to do things around here,” Kassie says, exchanging a pleased look with Kelly. “But why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself, Keira.”
We go on talking for at least half an hour, and I’m surprised by how easy it is, posing as someone else. I rattle off points from my phony biography, and even throw in a couple of embellished details borrowed from my own life. I guess it helps that Keira’s expertise and experience are actually my own in disguise. I’m totally qualified for a job at CrowdedNest, what with my computer science background. And despite my reluctance to be anywhere near MC types, I rather like these women. They seem smart, ballsy, and unapologetic. Hell, in another life, I bet we could have been friends for real. It’s almost a shame that I’m only here to steal away with their private information and possibly arrest the men in their lives...
“Let’s just cut to the chase,” Kelly says, with a wicked gleam in her eye, “you seem like a great fit for our company, and we’d really like to give you the job. I know it’s unconventional to offer someone a position at an initial meeting, but...what do you think?”
“I...got the job?” I ask, genuinely surprised and pleased.
“It’s yours if you want it,” Kassie says happily.
“Yeah, absolutely,” I gush, “I can’t wait to start. Thank you, guys.”
“Thank you for being the perfect candidate,” Kelly says. “We really need another set of hands around here. The site is doing really well, far too well for a team of two to manage, that’s for sure.”
“We’ll get you started tomorrow. Can you bring your laptop and work from here?” Kassie asks me.
“Absolutely,” I tell her, “that’ll be great.”
“And in case you haven’t noticed,” Kelly says, gesturing to her jeans and tee shirt, “we like to keep it casual around here.”
“It beats the uniform from the last place I worked,” I reply unthinkingly.