Hello and welcome!
We are delighted to have you stay with us for the next few days as a part of our hiring process. I know you’ll have some questions, and I hope this letter will help to clear up some confusion for you.
You are here as a guest, first and foremost. Your recruiter should’ve mentioned this already, but I want to reiterate. You should consider this week an all-expenses paid vacation. For five of you, that’s all it will be.
For a lucky one of you, at the end of the week, I will be providing you with an official offer to join my team. I know you don’t know much about my company or what it is we do, but in time you will. We are a team of highly motivated individuals with ambitious goals. We would, and have, done anything it takes to reach those goals. Does that sound like you? A member of our team seems to think so.
We have done extensive research into your background, your employment history, social media, and families. We do all of this because our work is highly sensitive. Trust me when I say we know everything there is to know about you by now. If you are here, it’s because we’ve seen something that impressed us.
Over the next six days, you will be put through a series of six tests. Each day will bring a new challenge. The challenges are designed to test you for the exact skill set you will need to be successful as a part of our team. At the end of the day, you will meet for dinner with Elijah where you will discuss the day’s events, wind down with the other applicants, and then be asked a series of questions to help us determine where to place you in rank.
When you were interviewed, each of the six interviewers got to choose a candidate. You were chosen specifically by: Tanya. You will be able to contact this person during your stay at any time, but only once. You will be given five minutes to talk in private. They will help guide you, give you advice, or do anything else to help you along the way. Consider them your personal cheerleader, but use your lifeline wisely. Please seek out Elijah when you are ready to contact your recruiter.
You’ll find your room stocked with all we thought you might need, but if you find yourself in need of something we didn’t provide, let Elijah know. He can send out for anything and have it back to the house by the next day. We are several miles away from any stores, and he is not allowed to leave you alone, so please be patient with any requests.
Speaking of Elijah, by the time you’re reading this, he will have taken your phone from you—don’t hate him for my rule. During your time here, I want you to focus on the reason you are here. This job is one that can change your life, and we need you to be on your best behavior. In the past, candidates have used their phones in an attempt to get a leg up in the competition, or have given out confidential information related to our company. This will not be tolerated. For the remainder of your stay, any contact with the outside world should be made through Elijah’s cell phone. There is no Wi-Fi or computer access. We have made a conscious choice to block out the outside world not only to keep you focused, but also to keep you from googling your competition. During this evaluation, you may learn or disclose sensitive information to the people in this house. We want our candidates to feel this is a safe space to do that. To encourage this, we are also providing code names. Everyone you encounter here will be using a code name. We do this so, even once you leave and regain internet access, you will not be able to research anyone you encountered in this house.
During your stay, you will use the code name: Lark. Feel free to write your name down (we’ve had candidates write it on their wrists in the past). The use of code names is not a secret, but your real names are. We’d rather be safe than sorry, and we employ this tactic for your protection.
Our common areas are under video and audio monitoring at all times. Your bedrooms are, of course, private. At the bottom of this form, you will need to sign to grant permission for the monitoring. Please take this form to dinner to give to Elijah. Anyone who does not wish to be monitored will be asked to leave tonight.
I know it seems like a lot of rules, but I hope to eventually explain to you why. I’m excited about the possibilities of all we can do together.
Please make yourself at home here, and I look forward to meeting you in person soon.
Good luck,
Mr. X
Chapter Five
I stayed in my room for the remainder of the afternoon, the air around me heavy with anticipation. I didn’t dare turn on the television and interrupt the silence. Instead, I paced and thought, and then, with only two hours left before the fated dinner time, I began to get ready.
I straightened my hair, washed my face to reapply fresh makeup, and then walked to the wardrobe to pick out what I’d wear to make my first impression.
I wanted to look formal, but also casual, so I settled on a navy blue calf-length dress and a white cardigan. It was classy and safe, and I could easily dress it up with a necklace without looking overdone. I ironed the cardigan, pulling it over my icy arms moments before I walked out the door. With one final look in the mirror, I tucked a piece of my golden hair back into place and headed out.
I was nervous, and my wringing my hands in front of me made it obvious. Down below, I could hear chatter, though I couldn’t make out what was being said. At least there were signs of other life. I’d listened carefully from my room, but hadn’t heard so much as a door shut or a voice for the entire afternoon.
At the end of the hall was the curved staircase that led to the first floor. I took hold of the banister, sucking in a deep, steady breath, and descended the staircase.
My eyes remained on my feet, my heart so loud I was sure I was going to miss whatever was being said all night if it kept up. When I made it to the third-to-last step, I looked up, gazing into the kitchen and hoping I appeared much more casual than I felt.
A man leaned over the peninsula, his dark skin and sharp jaw making him an impressive candidate already. He commanded attention, though his attention was firmly on the redhead in front of him.
I recognized her, her copper hair, freckles, and striking blue eyes, from my interview. She’d been the one interviewed right before me, her beauty both unforgettable and undeniable. She had a confidence I envied right away. The girl looked my way, ending the conversation between the two of them, and I wondered if she recognized me. The look on her face told me no. Unlike her, I was plain and forgettable.
“Hi,” a voice carried across the room, breaking the sudden silence. I looked over toward the doors that led outside where a shorter man with shiny, dark hair and thick-rimmed glasses stood, holding a glass of white wine. He was attractive, like the rest of them, but more approachable. Already, he was the one I gravitated toward. “I’m Caleb.”
I cleared my throat, thankful for the introduction as I stepped further into the room. “Lark,” I said, giving the code name I’d rehearsed a million times upstairs. I let out a breath, taking in their clothes. Caleb was arguably the most casual, with khaki slacks and a plaid button-up shirt.
The man leaning across the peninsula, who I still had no name for, was dressed in a navy suit with a bright yellow tie. The other woman in the room wore a blush pink romper, her shiny, straightened hair swept back from her face. God, they were all so…beautiful. They looked like they were meant to be there, in a house like this.
“I’m Vanessa,” the woman introduced herself finally, her voice light and smooth like honey.