Chapter 9 - The Shift in the Wind
The terrace went completely silent. Two hundred forks froze in mid-air once again.
Richard Sterling turned around, his face draining of color as he watched his entire financial empire lay itself bare in front of the very employees he had planned to dominate.
"This is a security breach!" Evelyn Vance stammered, her voice rising in panic. "Who authorized this transmission?"
Mason Reed walked out from the service elevator, wearing a clean, dark blue Northstar facility uniform. He held a legal folder in one hand and Lucy’s hand in the other.
"I did, Ms. Vance," Mason said, his voice calm and steady. "As the Director of Campus Facilities, it's my job to ensure the safety and transparency of our electrical infrastructure. The federal authorities are already downstairs in the lobby. They're particularly interested in the tax evasion records hidden on page fourteen."
Richard looked at Claire, his fists clenching until his knuckles turned white. "You think you can run this place alone, Claire? You think these people respect a leader who sits behind a desk all day?"
Before Claire could answer, an employee at the closest table—a young mechanical engineer named David—stood up. He picked up his plate and walked over, setting it down at the long edge of Claire's table.
"Is this seat taken?" David asked quietly.
May you like
Claire looked at him, her eyes softening. "No, David. It isn't."
Within two minutes, three more employees brought their chairs over. Then five more. By the time the security team arrived to lead Richard Sterling away, Claire’s table was the largest, loudest, and most crowded spot on the entire roof.
