Page 59 of Ship Wrecked

Additional Tags:Alternate Universe – Modern,Explicit Sexual Content,Fluff and Smut,Yes I’m Equating Fan Bros with the Evil Undead from Tartarus,and I’m not sorry,that said what do I know about apps or startups or gaming for that matter,nada,no research just vibes,this slow burn ENDS HERE AND NOW

Stats: Words: 12733 Chapters: 1/1 Comments: 101 Kudos: 513 Bookmarks: 75

Summary:

When Cassia arrives as the newest intern at God of the Sky Games, she thinks she’ll be asked to fetch coffee for Jupiter, do some coding, or maybe create spreadsheets. She doesn’t expect to be tasked with defending the company’s newest project against angry fan bros. She doesn’t expect to be marooned on floor 39 with her obnoxious fellow intern, Cyprian. And she certainly doesn’t expect to have sex with Cyprian on a pile of branded koozies, but she has to admit: It’s way better than data entry.

Notes:

Don’t worry. No branded merch from a failed startup was harmed in the making of this fic.

***

At eight o’clock sharp, my boyfriend Erik and I arrive at God of the Sky Games’ main office, eager to get our first assignment as the company’snewest interns. Within minutes, though, it’s clear a mistake has been made, and Jupiter—the boss man himself, who frankly seems like a real dick—only wants one of us. Not two.

He turns to the burly bearded guy at the corner computer. The one who hasn’t said a word to anyone, although I could swear I’ve felt his dark eyes on me at least once.

“Which one, lowly intern?” Jupiter smirks. “Which one will you save?”

Apparently Burly Beardo is an intern too, but for some reason he’s deciding which one of us has a professional future. My guess is that Jupiter wants to fuck with his head and force a powerless underling to hurt someone, because the CEO seems like that kind of guy.

“Her,” Burly Beardo says curtly, then turns back to his monitor.

I was offered another internship, though, at a rival company, and Erik wasn’t. He should stay, not me.

“But—” I begin.

“Her,” he repeats without letting me finish or even looking up, because evidently he too is a dick. And that’s that.

Erik is escorted from the premises immediately, red-faced and eyeing me angrily, even though I had nothing to do with the decision. Great.

And then the hammer drops. Again.

“Cyprian, you and—” Jupiter looks to his long-suffering administrative assistant, who mouthsCassie. Which isn’t right, but close enough. “—Lassie will monitor the online response to our newest project,The Island. You’re our first line of defense against fans angry that their favorite movie hero is a woman in our game.”

He pauses, looking pained. “I don’t blame them. But it was the only way Juno would forgive me.”

What does the company’s CFO have to do with anything? Is she the woman who looks like she’s trying to set fire to Jupiter using only the power of her mind?

“Anyway,” Jupiter continues, “you’re assigned to Floor 39.”

Countless gasps echo around the room, and I hear mutterings. I can only make out a few words.Failed startup headquarters. Abandoned. Ghost floor.

“They won’t survive it,” a guy with an ironic mustache mutters under his breath.

Jupiter’s voice booms, full of arrogant command. “You’ll work there. Eat there. Sleep there. Until we know the game is safe, you won’t leave that floor. Starting... now.”

He gestures imperiously toward the door.

The order is draconian and definitely against OSHA regulations, but... gaming is a cutthroat industry, and it’s dominated by men. If I leave now, word will spread, and no one will want to hire me.

Not tough enough, they’ll say.Didn’t have the balls.

So I gather my purse, take the laptop the administrative assistant offers me, and head for the door, followed silently by a brooding Cyprian, who’s carrying his own laptop.

We’re taken up in an elevator to Floor 39, where a set of smoked-glass doors awaits us, leading to darkened offices. Taped to the glass is a yellowed paper with curled edges reading, inexplicably,Elephant Time!

The doors are unlocked for us with a rusted key. Beyond them is... darkness. Abandoned desks and cubicles. Half-seen doors vanishing into shadows.

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