'Identified: Alexander Way - CEO, Wayland Enterprise'
'Reputation Risk: High'
'Recently lost $12M in NFT litigation'
'Insecure about tech credibility'
The System highlighted Vanessa, who was seated on one of the chairs at Way's table. Dez had left the table to go frolic with people he could use as ladders to any height he wanted to achieve. Vanessa had an empty seat beside her, but didn't seem to care as she had engaged an important man seated opposite her. She earnestly spoke to him, as if pitching a proposal. Her facial expression was tight and serious. It had to be business-related or a deal in progress -- Vale knew that much.
Vale Holmes pivoted on his heel and went closer to Alexander Way's table. His voice was crisp, calm, and unplaceable as he spoke to Way.
"You're still pretending blockchain's relevant to micro-syndicated equity? Bold."
The people at the table paused.
Way turned. "Sorry, who are you?"
Vale smiled. It was slow and surgical. "Vale Rykard. Asset Disruption Engineer."
Vanessa froze. It was as if she had become a pillar of ice just as Lot's wife became a pillar of salt. She blinked slowly, like her eyelids weighed tons. Her brows were creased. The man reminded her of her ex. The face was slightly different, but the body structure. It was as if- no, was the champagne getting to her?
"Never heard of you," came Alexander's reply.
"That's how you know I'm effective."
Peals of laughter came from most of the people at the table. Someone Googled him on the spot. Found nothing negative. Blank slate. Thanks to the System. As soon as Vale accepted the upgraded file, a clear and serene profile of Vale Rykard was uploaded to the net.
"Way," Vale continued, "you're being pitched vanity tech for a post-data market. You want to impress the board, not bury another asset in buzzwords."
Silence now filled the table.
Vanessa blinked and swallowed. She was uncomfortable. How can a stranger remind her of Vale Holmes so much? She shifted on her chair multiple times as she gulped a mouthful of champagne down her throat.
Vale could almost hear the nervous sound her throat made. It was obvious that she forced herself to open her mouth to speak as her voice was shaky and uncertain.
"A-Are you the man who was-"
"Excuse me," Alexander Way said to Vanessa politely. He leaned into Vale, "Tell me more."
Vale didn't look at Vanessa. He didn't have to. But he could feel her gaze burn into his face and his body. He knew she must be confused about who he was and why he was so much like her ex-boyfriend. Still, Vale had to agree that he wasn't the same person she knew -- and had disgraced.
The System whispered, 'Target destabilized. Mission success. 45%. Prepare exit.'
But Vale wasn't ready to leave. Not yet. He needed to bask in the confusion and mortification he could perceive from Vanessa.
Just then, someone moved through the crowd behind Vanessa.
It was a woman. She was in a black dress that sparkled with turquoise shimmer. It was like the other color was embedded into the black. The dress commanded attention, especially as it matched her violet eyes. Her hair cut was a mean bob which stopped in a leveled line beside her chin. It was obsidian in color and danced with the lights from the chandelier above them.
She glanced at Vale and smiled.
For one short instant there -- one second -- Vale's glasses glitched. It hadn't done that since he'd put it on.
The System flared red.
'ALERT: UNKNOWN ENTITY DETECTED'
'STATUS: NOT IN DATABASE'
'ERROR: ECHO PROTOCOL TRIGGERED'
Vale's vision blurred. A sharp static pinged in his skull. And in that moment, the woman winked at him. However, she vanished into the crowd like a smoke from a spell.
***
Some minutes later, Vale sat in a bar that was tucked in the western alcove of the gala floor. it was like a throne that was b anished, detached from the main b uzz. Sculted ivy deciorated the area as there were fewer lights and much quieter music played. Here, the elites whisperfed about buskiness secrets, mergers and trades. Gossips even.
Vale Holmes sat alone, trying to get himself together.
The System, for onmce, said nothing. It was as quiet as a graveyard.
He scanned the surrounding.
Vale could see that Dez had returned to the table, bot somehow, Vanessa had not said anything about the strange man who'd interrupted their table. Vale had been listening in on them. She still faced Alexander with a smile on her face, and a vein bulging out her forehead as if she was trying her best not to combust. Dez continued on about whatever he was talking about utterly oblivious to the expression on his 'audience's' faces.
Just then, she passed behind him. Same black dress. Same violet eyes. With a gemstone that sat at the base of her throat which pulsated when she moved. Her skin caught the low light in a way that wasn't natural. It seemed like she had polished herself with some glossy digital coating.
Her voice came, "Tangent," she said to the bartender. Nothing else.
The man didn't ask questions. He turned, unlocked a case, poured something dark into a glass that was shaped like a teardrop.
Vale Holmes said nothing. He just stared at her. He couldn't seem to peel, his gaze off her.
She took a sip from the glass. Only then did she turn her head so as to face Vale.
"Vale Holmes," she said, her voice velvet laced with amusement. "Or do you prefer Rykard now?"