Chapter 6: The Ultimatum
In the Vance Industries boardroom, chaos reigned. Seven executives shouted over one another, slamming fists on the polished mahogany table, their phones ringing incessantly with calls from furious shareholders. Suddenly, the massive digital display at the head of the room went black. The corporate logo vanished, replaced by a crisp, high-definition feed of Mara.
The room fell into a stunned, breathless silence.
"Good morning, gentlemen," Mara’s voice projected through the surround-sound speakers, calm and chillingly clear. "I see you're having a difficult morning."
Marcus Sterling, the Chairman of the Board, stepped forward, his face pale and sweating. "Mara. You... you did this. You leaked the documents."
"I merely corrected the public record, Marcus," Mara replied, her expression completely impassive. "Julian stole my life's work. You all knew it. You signed off on the non-disclosure agreements, you authorized the intimidation tactics, and you enjoyed the massive dividends my algorithm generated."
"We will have you arrested!" a junior board member shouted from the back.
Mara laughed, a dry, humorless sound. "On what charges? Whistleblowing? I’m afraid the FBI is far more interested in the six years of tax fraud and bribery Julian orchestrated—with this board's rubber stamp. But we don't have time to discuss your impending legal troubles. Let's talk about the survival of the company."
Sterling swallowed hard. "What do you want, Mara?"
"Vance Industries is currently locked out of its own mainframe. By end of day, your government contracts will be voided due to non-compliance. Your stock is currently worthless. I am the only person on earth who can bypass Julian’s biometric locks and stabilize the network."
"And your price?" Sterling asked, his voice trembling.
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"I don't want a payoff. I want my company back," Mara stated, her eyes locking onto the camera lens. "I have established a holding company. You will sell the core technological assets and patents to my firm for one dollar. In exchange, I will stabilize the network, rewrite the source code to save the government contracts, and decline to testify against the board regarding your knowledge of Julian's fraud. You have exactly one hour to sign the digital paperwork I just emailed you. If you don't, Vance Industries burns to the ground, and you all go to federal prison. Choose wisely."
She severed the connection, leaving the screen dead black once more.
