"Good day ladies and gentlemen. This is the physical part of the interview. Here your skills would be tested based on the job you applied for. I would read a list containing those possible jobs. When you hear yours, you go to the place assigned for your interview," A man spoke, possibly mid-forties. He looked quite young though.
Riley looked around the building. They had been dropped off here by the boss, and when they walked in, they met this man.
The building looked so much like a warehouse, maybe it was one. Riley soon heard her job, and followed a man who led her to where her interview would be. Riley looked back before she was out of sight of the others and noticed, while other groups had up to three or more people who applied, she was only one that applied for the post of a maid.
Weird. Why were people afraid of this job?
"It's here miss," The man said and left her in a room, alone. It was full of equipment, workout equipment. It looked less of a gym and more of an army's training ground. Geez, what was she supposed to do?
"Well what are you waiting for? A royal invitation?" The voice startled her a bit. She turned to see a man standing behind a glass wall. She had not noticed him there earlier, maybe because she was backing it. Riley opened her mouth to ask a question but when she saw the man's stern expression, she shut her mouth. She had thought her physical interview was going to be a question and answer session of her background and why she wanted the job, but it was a training ground!
Riley took a deep breath and made her way towards the monkey bars. She groaned inwardly with every swing she took. It had really been a long time since she did exercises like this. When she finally completed all the 'challenges', she was panting like a dog. The man who had earlier been behind the glass wall walked up to her with a stopwatch, a task-board and pen. He marked some things on the board while shaking his head.
"Why…am I…doing…this?" Riley asked the man.
"Agility purposes. We usually don't do this to people who apply to be a maid. But today we received an order from the boss. We're just following the order. After all," He looked up from the book he held, "the position you would be working in as a maid would require you to be by the young miss' side always. I'm making sure you're physically fit,"
"Alright, you'll go again. I'm timing you this time. So you better go fast if you want to get this job,"
Riley glared at the man still speaking.
---
"Where's the maid?" Nathaniel asked the doorman immediately he stepped into the warehouse. Melanie had specifically instructed him to be careful when choosing this maid. They had never changed the head maid before, the lady that was fired had been taking care of Melanie since she was five. Nathaniel had taken a look at the lady that was to be hired –Riley Knox–
He remembered her. The crazy psychopath who blew him a kiss on the road that day. It was a little bit coincidental that she also applied for this job, but it was understandable. A waitress who needed money to cater for her and her family needs.
"Right this way, sir," A worker there led him to where the maid was doing her training.
"Mehn she's good," A small crowd of men had gathered to watch Riley as she did the training course. Once they saw Nathaniel they scrambled back to their duty posts, greeting him on their way out.
Nathaniel watched the girl move with agility around the training course. At least now he knows that if anything bad happens, she could protect his daughter with the little skills she had. The lady turned while jumping, and immediately she sighted him, she fell. Nathaniel stifled a laugh, but before anyone could notice, his face took back its neutral look.
"Good day sir," The instructor greeted, bowing immediately he saw his boss.
Nathaniel gave a nod to acknowledge his greeting and turned to a limping Riley. "You're the new maid, hmm?" He asked a very irrelevant question. He actually knew the answer. He just wanted to hear her talk.
Riley nodded instead.
"How did she do?" He asked the instructor.
"Her performance was okay. She passed more than one test," The instructor didn't want to praise her in her presence. He handed the report he was holding to his boss.
"You," He turned to a groaning Riley who was massaging her feet "Come with me,"
Riley kept on cursing him as she leaped behind him.
"Did you say something?"
"Not at all,"
---
"You're Miss Knox I suppose?" Nathaniel started interrogating her.
"Yes sir. I'm Riley Knox,"
"You went to Beckenngam College on scholarship,"
"Yes sir," Riley didn't think much even if it was the actual university she went to.
"You studied…Computer and Cyber security?"
"Y-yes sir," Riley tried not to let her shock show in her voice or on her face. This wasn't the details of the résumé she was told about. Had they forgotten to upload the fake one? Oh gosh, this was not good at all.
He paused a little, before looking at her and asking. "Why are you really here?" Had he seen through her already? She could feel droplets of sweat running down her neck.
"With such a degree, you could get a job almost anywhere," He continued.
"Well, getting a job at this moment requires connection. I don't have that. No one would hire me for my skill and pay me what I want when I have no experience. I want to start a job by myself, be my own boss. And to do that, I need…money," The calmness in her voice shocked her.
"How long do you plan to work here?"
Riley almost said 3 months, but quickly controlled herself. "Maybe a year and half or two,"
"Have you been around kids before?" He asked again
"I used to babysit as part of the jobs I did while still in college,"
"Since you're so sure, there's a kid there," He pointed to a door diagonal to where he sat "You are to spend 20 minutes with that kid and get the answers to the following question on that paper,"
"I can do that,"
"You shouldn't sound so confident. Pride comes before a fall," He said and stood from his chair, she joined him.
"Good luck," He shook her hand and proceeded to leave. She made her way towards the room.
She took a breath, it was just a kid. Why did she feel such chills.