CHAPTER 7 — THE DEMAND THAT SHOOK THE BOARDROOM
CHAPTER 7 — THE DEMAND THAT SHOOK THE BOARDROOM
The emergency alarm echoed through every floor of the building.
Red warning lights flashed across the ceiling.
Employees stepped out of their offices in confusion as security personnel rushed toward the executive conference room.
Inside, no one moved.
The brass key remained in Amelia's hand.
The CEO turned toward the security officer.
"Report."
The officer caught his breath.
"Our cybersecurity team has locked down the internal network, but every monitor in the building has been taken over."
"Can they identify the source?"
"Not yet."
Richard quickly opened his laptop.
Nothing.
Every file had been replaced by a single black screen.
In the center appeared a short message written in white letters.
WE KNOW WHO HAS THE KEY.
Seconds later, another line appeared.
DO NOT CONTACT THE POLICE.
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
Professor Novak's voice came through a backup speaker after reconnecting from another secure line.
"Describe everything you're seeing."
The CEO read the message aloud.
The professor's face darkened.
"I was afraid of this."
Jonathan Reeves looked equally concerned.
"They found William's archive much sooner than we expected."
Amelia frowned.
"Who are they?"
Neither man answered immediately.
Finally, Professor Novak spoke.
"People who collect history the same way others collect expensive paintings."
"They purchase disappearing cultures."
"They lock priceless knowledge inside private vaults."
"So no one else can study it."
Richard looked horrified.
"That's legal?"
"Sometimes."
The professor sighed.
"Ethical?"
"Never."
Suddenly every monitor flickered again.
A distorted voice filled the room.
Calm.
Artificial.
Impossible to identify.
"Good afternoon."
No one interrupted.
"We have no interest in harming the child."
The voice paused.
"We only require the Carter Archive."
Jonathan whispered,
"They know its name."
The voice continued.
"Miss Carter..."
"You have exactly twenty-four hours."
"Deliver the brass key."
"Or the archive will never remain yours."
The screen went black.
Then another message appeared.
WE ALREADY HAVE THE MAP.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Jonathan slowly stood.
"That's impossible."
Professor Novak looked equally shocked.
"No one knew where the map was stored."
Jonathan turned pale.
"It was locked inside my firm's secure vault."
Richard stared at him.
"Are you saying someone broke into your law office?"
Jonathan shook his head.
"No."
"Worse."
"They copied everything without leaving evidence."
The cybersecurity director entered the room carrying a tablet.
"We've analyzed the attack."
"What did you find?" asked the CEO.
"The hackers never tried stealing company information."
"They ignored financial records."
"They ignored confidential contracts."
"They accessed only one file."
"What file?"
The director swallowed.
"The visitor registration from this morning."
Everyone froze.
"They only wanted Amelia."
The CEO slowly looked toward the girl.
"This wasn't random."
Professor Novak nodded.
"They've been watching."
Jonathan quietly added,
"For much longer than today."
Amelia's hands tightened around the brass key.
"Grandpa knew this would happen..."
Professor Novak answered gently.
"I believe he did."
She remembered something.
"When I was eleven..."
"My grandfather made me memorize strange instructions."
"What instructions?" Jonathan asked.
She closed her eyes.
"'If anyone asks for the key..."
"...never run."
"...never hide."
"...find the people who protect knowledge instead of owning it.'"
Professor Novak smiled sadly.
"William was preparing you."
The CEO folded his arms.
"Then that's exactly what we'll do."
Richard looked surprised.
"You intend to protect her?"
The CEO didn't hesitate.
"My company operates in forty-two countries."
"We negotiate with governments."
"We secure billion-dollar contracts."
"If someone believes they can threaten a thirteen-year-old inside my building..."
His expression hardened.
"...they've made a terrible mistake."
Several executives nodded.
For the first time that day, Richard remained silent.
The legal adviser interrupted.
"There may be another problem."
Everyone turned.
"I've just received confirmation."
"Confirmation of what?"
Jonathan answered before he could.
"The media already knows about the cyberattack."
The CEO sighed.
"How?"
"No idea."
Within minutes, helicopters began circling above the building.
News vans crowded the streets below.
Thousands of people were watching live broadcasts.
Inside the boardroom, Amelia quietly walked toward the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Far below, reporters were gathering behind police barriers.
Camera flashes filled the entrance.
She whispered almost to herself,
"I never wanted any of this."
Professor Novak heard her.
"The greatest discoveries rarely choose the people who carry them."
She smiled faintly.
"My grandfather said something similar."
"What did he say?"
"He said..."
"'Sometimes history knocks on the wrong door...'"
"...'because the right person lives there.'"
Professor Novak laughed softly.
"That sounds exactly like William."
Before anyone could speak again, the conference room phone rang.
The CEO answered immediately.
His expression changed within seconds.
"What?"
He stood abruptly.
"Are you absolutely certain?"
Everyone stared at him.
He slowly lowered the receiver.
"The police have just arrested Daniel Carter downstairs."
Amelia gasped.
"My father?"
The CEO nodded.
"He wasn't arrested because of the disturbance."
"Then why?"
The CEO looked toward Jonathan.
"The detectives discovered he wasn't trying to force Amelia to leave..."
"He was trying to prevent someone else from reaching her first."
Every person in the boardroom fell silent.
Amelia's heart pounded.
"If that's true..."
she whispered,
"...then who was the man standing beside him all afternoon?"
Jonathan's face turned white.
He opened one of William Carter's old files.
Inside was a faded photograph taken more than thirty years earlier.
He placed it on the conference table.
The mysterious man from the lobby.
The same face.
Only much younger.
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Written beneath the photograph were six chilling words:
DO NOT TRUST HIM UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
