"Then acquires our assets during the takeover," Walsh whispered from his screen, face ashen. "Christ. We'd be absorbed into GidTech within six months."
"Exactly." I smiled without warmth. "Shaw is orchestrating the perfect corporate assassination. Destroy the competitor through reputation damage, acquire their technology through bankruptcy proceedings, eliminate the CEO who's been outmaneuvering him for a decade."
Brennan clutched his chest. "If this gets out..."
"It won't." Absolute certainty rang in my voice. "Because Algerone is currently preventing it."
"And if he fails?” Foster asked. “If Shaw's already moved the prototype?"
"He won't fail." The words emerged harder than intended, backed by thirty-two years of absolute faith in Algerone's capabilities. "He built this company from nothing. He's survived assassination attempts, corporate sabotage, government investigations, and military coups in six different countries. Gideon Shaw represents just another obstacle to remove."
I leaned forward, hands pressing against the obsidian table. "The real question is whether this board will support his efforts or continue undermining them through panic and second-guessing."
Patterson shifted uncomfortably. "We're not undermining—"
"You called an emergency meeting to question his authority while he secures our future," I said. "You demanded explanations from a man who's forgotten more about strategythan you'll ever learn." I paused, letting the silence stretch. "And some of you have been actively selling information to his enemies."
Rebecca Marchand's stylus froze over her tablet.
Hendrik straightened in his chair. "What exactly are you implying?"
"I'm stating facts." I pulled up intelligence reports, each testifying to their shortsightedness. "Shaw's knowledge of our operations extends beyond stolen prototypes. Someone in this room thought quarterly bonuses mattered more than the company's survival."
The evidence I displayed appeared damning but incomplete—financial irregularities, communication patterns, unexplained contacts. Enough to create suspicion, but not enough to identify the specific traitor.
"Our internal audits reveal sophisticated penetration of our security systems," I continued. "Hidden surveillance equipment in locations that should be impenetrable. Compromised communications. Unauthorized access to classified materials." I looked up, gaze sweeping the room and the screens. "Someone has transformed Lucky Losers into Shaw's personal intelligence operation."
Brennan shifted on his screen. "This is absurd. We're all committed to Lucky Losers' success. Why would any of us sabotage the company?"
"Because Shaw offered what small minds always want." My smile cut cold and sharp. "Money. Quick solutions to petty problems while a great man handles the real work."
I pulled up financial records. "Walsh's expensive divorce settlement, funded by deposits from shell companies traced to GidTech subsidiaries. Morrison's family troubles—the boutique, the medical school loans—similarly resolved through offshore accounts that connect to Shaw's network."
Blood drained from their faces as shallow betrayals stood exposed. Walsh's screen flickered as he leaned back, mouth opening and closing without sound.
"You sold out a visionary for pocket change," I continued, voice barely above a whisper. "While Algerone built an empire that governments fear and rivals envy, you counted coins from his competitors."
"This is slander," Morrison managed, but his voice cracked on the second word. "You can't prove—"
"I can prove enough to trigger SEC investigations that will freeze your assets for years." I held his gaze until he looked away. "I can prove enough to ensure you never sit on another board in this country. Whether it rises to criminal charges..." I shrugged. "That depends entirely on your cooperation going forward."
Patterson cleared his throat. "Assuming these allegations have any merit—and I'm not conceding they do—what exactly are you proposing?"
"I'm proposing that this board issue a unanimous vote of confidence in Algerone's leadership. Tonight, before the market opens. I'm proposing that every member of this board submit to a full security audit, including financial records, communication logs, and physical access histories. And I'm proposing that anyone who refuses will be treated as a hostile actor and dealt with accordingly."
The threat hung in the air.
"You can't compel—" Hendrik began.
"I can't compel anything." I cut him off. "But I can recommend to Algerone that certain board members' positions be reviewed at the next shareholder meeting. I can ensure that certain financial irregularities find their way to the appropriate regulatory bodies. I can make your lives extremely uncomfortable for a very long time." I smiled, and it wasn't pleasant. "Or you can cooperate, help us identify the full extentof Shaw's infiltration, and emerge from this crisis with your reputations—and your freedom—intact."
The silence stretched. On the screens, Walsh and Brennan exchanged glances. Around the table, Patterson studied me with something that might have been grudging respect.
"The vote of confidence," Patterson finally said. "You want it in writing?"
"I want it recorded, witnessed, and filed with Legal before any of you leave this room." I nodded toward Rebecca Marchand. "Ms. Marchand will prepare the documentation."
"And the security audit?"
