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The cop that follows behind us is not precisely a pristine image of fitness. If he was chasing someone I doubt he would catch it, unless it was some kind of double-glazed donut with legs.
My stomach suddenly makes a noise. The chicken sandwich was not enough, and thinking about food doesn't really help. The lobby is empty, the mosaic floors dirty from a day's use and no one has come to clean it. The air feels strangely stale. Instead of the usual late-night smell of air freshener and bleach products there's a certain heaviness, a density. The building, empty of people and activity, seems to be less than a building: a concrete shell, empty, bereft of purpose.
I have to remember to ask Jordan what did they do with the janitors. Did they fire them? Send them somewhere else?
We get to the elevators. I press the button.
Nothing. No lights. The tiny display on top of the door remains on the G, which means that they are all here. But they are not working.
Jordan pulls out her cellphone and says, Let me call ... the office.
The cop looks stands behind us, a bored look on his face.
While Jordan dials, I look at the cop and say, Exciting stuff eh?
The cop's eyes narrow.
No, not really, he says.
I am shocked. Flat-out Honesty! In a public servant! Amazing. What will they think of next?
Jordan says, Hi. Yes, we're here. The elevators aren't working again.
Again? The cop says.
Oops. Excuse. We need an excuse.
I say, Yeah, this happens all the time in this building. One of those new computerized systems. They don't work half the time.
The cop snorts, Yeah, tell me about it.
Jordan says, Okay, we'll be right down. There's an officer with us, so it'll be okay.
She pauses again and then says, Yeah. Okay, and hangs up. Then she looks at us and says, We have to go down first, talk to the security guy. He will know what to do.
I say, Okay.
The cop looks slightly confused. Security? he says.
There's a security room downstairs, in one of the basement levels, Jordan says.
The cop shrugs, Okay, he says.
I'm beginning to think that what seemed to be Honesty might actually be just Apathy.
Well, close enough.
Which door? The cop says.
Jordan points behind him, to one of the stairdoors next to the elevators.
That one, she says.
The cop walks up to the door, and we follow him.
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12:11:38 AM 
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