Chapter 5 - The Fall of the King
The board vote did not take long. In fact, it was the fastest corporate resolution in the history of Blackwood Technologies.
Eleven hands shot into the air in total unison. Not a single voice was raised in Daniel’s defense. Arthur Pendelton didn't even look up from his papers as he called for the tally.
""The motion carries unanimously,"" Arthur declared, his voice trembling with contained rage. ""Daniel Blackwood is terminated for cause, effective immediately. Building security will ensure he vacates the premises without access to personal files or digital devices.""
Daniel stood frozen at the head of the table. He looked at the men who had clapped him on the back at country clubs, the men who had toasted him at high-profile galas, the investors who had called him a visionary. Every single one of them avoided his gaze, looking at their fingernails, their tablets, or the floor.
""You're making a mistake,"" Daniel hissed, his voice dropping into a desperate, hollow croak. ""She’s a tech geek! She doesn't know how to handle the street! She doesn't know how to talk to the press, she doesn't know how to raise venture capital! You need me to be the face of this company!""
""The face of the company is currently under active criminal investigation for grand larceny and conspiracy to commit attempted murder,"" Margaret Ellis said smoothly, sliding a fresh document across the table. ""And here is the formal notification from the District Attorney's office. They are waiting downstairs in the main lobby to serve an arrest warrant.""
Vanessa Cole let out a high-pitched scream. She dropped her designer sunglasses, turned on her heel, and bolted toward the glass exit doors of the boardroom. But the doors had already clicked shut, their magnetic locks engaging with a heavy hum. Two female private security officers stood on the other side, waiting for her.
""Open the door!"" Vanessa shrieked, banging her manicured fists against the reinforced glass. ""Daniel, do something! You said you had everything under control! You said she was going to die in that hospital!""
""Shut up, you idiot!"" Daniel bellowed, lunging toward her, but two sheriff's deputies intercepted him, catching his arms and twisting them behind his back. The sharp click of steel handcuffs echoed loudly against the marble wall.
""Daniel Blackwood,"" one of the deputies announced formally. ""You are being placed under arrest for grand larceny, securities fraud, and conspiracy to commit aggravated vehicular assault. You have the right to remain silent...""
As the deputy droned through the Miranda warning, Daniel turned his head, his eyes burning into mine with helpless, venomous hatred. ""You think you've won, Evelyn? You think this makes you a hero? You're an invalid in a wheelchair! You gave twelve years of your life to me, and you'll die alone in an empty house with a pile of code that no one loves!""
I looked at him calmly, feeling no anger, no sadness, and not a single shred of regret. The phantom love I had carried for him over a decade evaporated like mist under midday sun.
""I didn't give twelve years to you, Daniel,"" I replied quietly. ""I gave twelve years to a business I built with my own bare hands. You were just the salesman I hired to stand at the counter. And salesmen are entirely replaceable.""
The deputies dragged him backward through the heavy doors. His curses and frantic threats faded down the long hallway until the elevators chimed and the floor returned to absolute stillness.
Arthur Pendelton let out a long breath, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his brow. He turned toward me, his hands clasped before him.
""Evelyn,"" he said softly. ""The market opens again in thirty minutes. The operational lock is still counting down. What do we do?""
I reached into my bag, pulled out my laptop, and plugged a secure hardware token into the side port. My fingers flew across the keyboard, typing a seventy-two-character cryptographic passphrase from memory.
With one final keystroke, the wall monitors flickered.
A bright green status indicator lit up across the main dashboard: AURORA KERNEL ONLINE. TRANSACTION ROUTING RESTORED. LATENCY ZERO POINT TWO MILLISECONDS.
May you like
Across the floor below us, a faint sound of cheering echoed through the air vents as hundreds of engineering workstations sprang back to life.
""Get the press team into the auditorium,"" I instructed the board, my voice crisp and commanding. ""We have a press conference in fifteen minutes. And tell maintenance to change the sign on the front of the building. The name Blackwood comes down today.""
