Prompt ~ You are in a typical awkward elevator ride with a group of other people and suddenly a man says, "So, I bet you are wondering why I've gathered you here," before pressing the emergency stop button.

Wordcount ~ 1740

fandombeforeblood0 :)

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It was a typical Tuesday morning. The citizens of Manhattan were all making their way to their day jobs, trying not to be late due to the traffic.

Xavier pushed his knuckle against the elevator button and waited impatiently for the doors to open. Once they did, he zipped inside and leaned against the rail, grateful for the vacancy.

About ten seconds after the elevator began to descend, it came to a halt. The doors opened and Xavier looked up to see a gorgeous woman strut inside. With fiery red locks, chocolate brown eyes hidden behind a pair of black glasses, a pointed nose, and plump pink lips, she was beautiful. The lady was dressed in a charcoal grey blazer over a white blouse with a black pencil skirt. She looked professional, to say the least. 

Xavier blinked and scowled. He didn't have time for distractions. He settled back in his place against the thin wall and waited for the elevator to start moving again.

The ringing of a cell phone startled him once again. His ears perked up as the red-head took out her phone and held it to her ear. "Yes, Darcy?" she greeted.

Her neutral expression quickly slipped into an irritated one. "You've got to be kidding me. Did I not tell you to print off that report yesterday?"

After a moment, she sighed and walked across the elevator, her heels clicking against the floor. "I'll go get my spare copy," she said, pressing a button signifying the floor she'd arrived from. "Meet me in the lobby in five minutes. If this happens again, Darcy, there will be consequences."

With that, she hung up.

"Faulty assistant?" Xavier spoke up.

She scoffed. "You have no idea," she said, brushing a piece of red hair behind her ear. "She's only working for me because her father wants her to follow in his footsteps. With no passion for the job, she's awful at it."

He frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that. I've had my fair share of lazy workers in my life." Offering his hand, he introduced himself. "Xavier Benson, founder of Benson Tech."

The lady rose her thin brows and shook his hand firmly. "Valery Hudgens, co-founder of Molecular Advancements Corporation."

Xavier nodded with respect. "A scientist, I see."

She smiled half-heartedly. "That's me."

The elevator stopped and the doors opened, revealing the lobby of their apartment. Xavier sent Valery a small wave before striding out of the elevator. About three steps out of the compartment, he spun on his heels and rushed back into it.

Valery narrowed her eyes. "You alright?"

"I forgot my wallet," he groaned, pressing the button that would bring him to the top floor.

She chuckled. "I would think a practical guy like you would have his morning routine memorized."

"Trust me, I would think so too."

Before the elevator could ascend, a couple rushed through the lobby and into the small room.

"Darcy?" Valery asked. "How did you get here so fast? And who is that?"

The girl - a shorter brunette dressed in a knee-length form-fitting navy dress - smiled up at the man whose arm she was clinging on to. He was tall - about three inches taller than Xavier, who stood at a whopping six feet - and muscular, with tousled blond hair, a scruffy beard, and piercing blue eyes.

"This is Evan," Darcy said. "He's my boyfriend. We were on a breakfast date at the café that just opened down the street when I couldn't find that paper I printed out, so I had to call in the middle of our meal."

Valery rolled her eyes. "Boohoo," she drawled.

The four of them stayed in separate corners of the elevator as it traveled up through the building. Well, the two lovebirds stayed bound together during the journey, making Xavier and Valery very uncomfortable.

Less than a minute had passed when the elevator came to a stop three floors before the one Valery was supposed to get off at. The doors parted and a middle-aged man with salt and pepper hair walked inside.

Darcy gave him a quick wave and he flashed a smile back at her. After shuffling through his briefcase for a moment, he cleared his throat and clasped his hands together.

"I assume you all are wondering why I've brought you here," he announced.

Valery scrunched up her eyebrows. "Uh, sir, you didn't gather us here."

The man's eyes twinkled. "Yes, that's what you think." He walked over to the control panel and firmly pressed the large red emergency stop button.

Xavier's eyes widened. "Why did you do that?" he exclaimed. "I'm going to be late for work!"

"It's physically impossible to be late, Mr. Benson," the man said, "when time is not passing."

Darcy stopped looking into her boyfriend's eyes long enough to ask, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"My name is Reynold Warner and I founded a company known as Decisive International Mediation Program," he explained.

Evan smirked. "DIMP for short."

Reynold smiled. "I like that." After scribbling something on a piece of paper, he continued, "Long story short, we froze time to give the five of us an opportunity to chat."

"Froze time?" Valery repeated. "That's impossible. It would require speed faster than light or sound to halt time. We aren't predicted to be able to do so for at least a decade, maybe two."

"Well, Valery," the executive boasted, "we've had the capabilities for years."

Evan narrowed his blue eyes. "Wait, how do you know our names? None of us have introduced ourselves," he pointed out.

"Yeah," his girlfriend agreed, " and why did you get us all stuck here?"

"We've spent months, almost a full year, looking for the correct individuals for the job we have in mind. You four were the best suited for it."

Valery crossed her arms. "That's...really creepy," she stated. "But not that important. You claim you've brought us all here for a reason and it wasn't just a coincidence. How so?"

Reynold nodded as if he approved of the question. "One of my assistants moved Xavier's wallet from its usual spot last night so that he would forget to pick it up in the morning."

"How did...why...you broke into my penthouse?" Xavier spluttered.

"Another assistant temporarily switched out Darcy's laptop with a fake and stopped the printing process halfway through," the man continued, ignoring the upset engineer. "Last week, we convinced the café next door to open a few days earlier than they had planned. We also made sure Evan got word that they had his girlfriend's favorite treat, coffee pancakes, for an impossibly low price, so that he would take her out on their opening day."

The red-head checked her watch. "Alright, so you brought us all here and froze the rest of the world so we could chat," Valery summed up, "but what did you want to chat about?"

Reynold smiled and grabbed a paper from his briefcase. "DIMP is a group of scientists and engineers working on making the world a better place. Our most recent project was a set of four super suits designed to enhance human abilities. The wearer would essentially be a superhero. We want the four of you to be our debut team."

Evan spoke up. "Wait, so we'd have powers?"

He nodded. "Essentially, but only when you are dressed in the suit, which has been created custom for each of you, based on your skillset. Valery would be given extra agility and telekinesis. Darcy would get quick reflexes and superspeed. Evan would get super strength and flight power. Xavier would also be given flight, as well as firepower."

"That's so cool!" Darcy cheered. "Are we going to get superhero names? Secret identities?"

Reynold smiled and offered her the paper in his hand. "Yes, see here? You'll be The - "

"Woah, wait a second," Valery interrupted. "You said you handpicked us for a specific reason and crafted these suits around our personalities. Why would you choose us?"

"Well," he began, scratching the back of his neck, "a superhero must be strong, smart, and humane. You all fit into those categories. And most of all, you are each good people. Darcy has a heart of gold - she's working at a job she despises to please her widowed father. Evan is courageous and puts others first. He hates coffee pancakes but eats them because his girlfriend likes them, as well as doing countless other things for the people he loves. Valery makes massive donations to charities and is literally working on a cure for cancer."

Darcy grinned. "I am a good person, huh?"

Evan nodded and tucked her under his large bicep. "And I'm so courageous."

"What about Xavier?" the red-headed scientist inquired. "Why'd you choose him for the job?"

Reynold hesitated. "Since we'll be using Benson Tech products for your weapons and suits, we figured he should get to be a part of the experience."

Xavier, who hadn't spoken up much since he'd learned his home had been broken into, practically broke his neck turning to look at the older man. "What?"

He rubbed his hands together anxiously. "One of your workers has been paid a generous amount to stay quiet as DIMP drained the data from your recent discoveries files throughout the last year or so."

The engineer clenched his fists. "Somebody is getting fired," he muttered to himself.

"Hey," Valery murmured, placing a well-manicured hand on his upper arm, "don't be rash. This was clearly for the greater good."

"My life's work has been stolen to make superhero suits," he growled.

She bit her lip. "But you get to be a superhero," she pointed out. "You get a chance to change the world for the better."

"That's what I've been doing my entire career."

Evan cleared his throat. "Maybe this way will we more efficient," he offered, "and less damage will be done."

"Plus," Darcy chirped, "you'll get to be a part of a team...with us!"

Valery smiled. "Don't you think you deserve a break? Something new to add excitement to your life?"

Xavier groaned. "Fine, I'm in."

"As are the rest of you?" Reynold asked hopefully.

The three nodded.

"Perfect, we start tonight." He gathered up his belongings and opened up the door of the elevator. "Have a good day at work, folks. It might be the last normal one for a while."