Chapter 3: Pinnacle Holdings

The week following Stephen’s speech at Columbia passed without incident. He found himself focusing entirely on work, lest his mind wander and take him back to that Friday morning. The upside to this was that the wheels for his entry into the new market were churning, faster than they ever had before. The key component to the project, Janicki Bioenergy was on the calendar for a meeting today.

Finding that he enjoyed the convenience of having a driver, Stephen decided to keep Thomas on. It turned out to be a great decision, as they got along well, and Thomas had so far been the definition of discrete. Tonight, that would truly be tested. Stephen’s R ange Rover stopped smoothly in front of the steel and glass constructed building on 5th Avenue. Without waiting for Thomas, Stephen slipped out, phone already to his ear. “Yes, I’ve just arrived. Seat them in the main conference room. I’ll be up in just a minute.” Passing through security was a breeze, and soon Stephen was in the elevator shooting upward, headed for one of the higher levels of the building.

A soft chime signaled his arrival, the elevator doors sliding open to reveal the large ‘Pinnacle Holdings’ signage, hanging up a arced receptionist’s desk. Seated there, was Samantha, a long time employee, and the person who ran interference for Stephen the most, considering he still didn’t have a full-time assistant. She offered her boss a pleasant smile, which he promptly returned. “They’ve been seated, and Trisha is already in there entertaining them,” she said.

Stephen made a mock look of horror. “Then the deal is definitely screwed,” he chimed, before giving her a small wave and moving onward towards his office.

As was fitting the managing partner, Stephen’s office was in the corner. The glass partition separating it from the hallway was clear, but he knew that at the push of a button it could be made opaque. Entry was simple, as the handle had a built-in biometric sensor that unlocked when an authorized fingerprint was detected. He strode in, paying no mind to the office he’d grown accustomed to since moving to this building. It was a large square area, with three distinct areas and floor to ceiling glass windows on two sides offering a view of Manhattan. To the left of the door sat a six person conference table, the dark ebony wood surrounded by Herman-Miller chairs. On it was a spread of different files and sketches, all pertaining to the new undertaking Stephen had been working on. To the right was a seating area, with two plush leather couches, a low standing coffee table between them. Behind one of the couches, against the wall that connected to the next office over, was an assortment of things. Part of the wall had a built-in bookcase, the shelves filled with Stephen’s favorite pieces. About half-way through, there was a gap, where a dry bar lived. There were an assortment of liquors and glasses, most of them being gifts from clients and friends. Finally, there was Stephen’s desk. It, much like the building, was a construction made solely of metal and glass. The legs were organically shaped in arcs, curving just enough to be flat at the top, where the pane of glass sat. On the desk were his computer, personal notepad, and telephone. Everything was sufficiently high-tech, as Stephen at heart, was still a geek.

Stephen didn’t waste any time in his office, and after dropping off his bag, and picking up his files, left to join the meeting that was already underway. He arrived to a room with four people in the middle of a shared laugh. Three from Janicki, and of course, Trish. She looked beautiful, yet professional. Toda y, she wore a (insert female dress appearance). When he entered, she glanced towards him. “And finally, our fearless leader arrives. I swear he arrives late on purpose so he can make a grand entrance,” she said with a conspiratorial wink thrown towards the visitors. Stephen walked around the table, shaking hands with and introducing himself to the management team from Janicki. Last was Peter Janicki himself. With that out of the way, Stephen sat at the head of the table.

The meeting went on for more than an hour. There were major concerns from all parties, as final approval still hadn’t been given by the local government. Stephen reassured Peter, indicating that he would be traveling there himself to see it across the finish line. There were some technical discussions as well, particularly focusing on the proper utilization of the commodity that they would be bringing into the region. Stephen’s mind couldn’t help but wander, thinking back to the self-effacing sentence Sylvia had used. ‘If only she knew,’ he mused, before refocusing. “We will explore all options and present you with a summary of each before we go live. I know this is the first installation and it means a lot to you Peter. Trust in me that I am doing everything I can to ensure this happens without issue. We’re building something amazing here, and I know I speak for everyone on the team when I say we won’t let you down.”