Location: Blackthorne Enterprises Headquarters – Tavara
The tension in the Blackthorne boardroom was palpable, like a storm suspended in crystal glass.
Damien entered with purposeful strides, flanked by two of his closest confidants—Zachary Trent, his cold-eyed strategist, and Clara Voss, his fiercely intelligent legal counsel. Every member of the board stood when he arrived—not out of courtesy, but reverence. This wasn't just a CEO walking in. It was the king of a modern empire.
"Sit," Damien said, his tone clipped.
He walked to the head of the table and scanned the room. His gaze paused on three board members whose loyalty had recently become questionable—men who'd been approached by Victor Kane's proxies.
Clara slid a file toward him. "Confirmed. Two offshore accounts opened in the Caymans. Traced to shell corporations tied to the Helix Syndicate."
Damien's eyes sharpened. "Victor's money."
Zachary added, "And his message. He's trying to fracture your inner circle. It's classic Kane strategy—divide before conquest."
Damien remained silent for a beat, then spoke. "Let me make something clear to everyone in this room. You are either with me—or you're against everything we've built."
No one dared respond.
He continued. "Our tech division just outpaced Phoenix Industries by 13% this quarter. We've secured the Grand Rika contract in North America. And in forty-eight hours, the Tavaran Parliament will vote on the Digital Sovereignty Act—which will either crown us the future of AI governance… or gut us if Victor's influence spreads."
He stood. "I won't wait to be betrayed. Those who've accepted bribes—resign. Now. Or I'll bury you with the rest of his empire."
The silence was deafening.
Two members slowly pushed back their chairs and stood, shame written across their faces.
Clara gave them a cold smile. "Your NDAs are still in force. Violate them, and we'll make sure your children inherit your debt."
After they exited, Damien turned back to the rest. "This is the line. There won't be another warning."
Zachary leaned in slightly. "Should I initiate Project EchoFall?"
Damien hesitated for only a second, then nodded. "Start it. We're no longer playing defense."
As the boardroom emptied, Damien stepped to the glass wall overlooking the city.
The war wasn't coming.
It had already begun.