Off to Business

Alisia woke up early, her bags already packed for the trip that would take her and her team to their new business assignment. She had spent the previous night going over the details of the company they were visiting and familiarizing herself with the vague information their own management had provided. It wasn't much to go on, but it was clear they were heading to a major client in one of the wealthiest areas of the country—Adronis Heights.

The company they were about to work with, Kyre Global, specialized in high-end luxury services for the elite. Everything from private jets and yachts to exclusive resorts. It was one of those companies that thrived in places where wealth overflowed, and security was paramount. But beyond their ostentatious branding, there was something strange about how Kyre Global operated. There was a clear emphasis on discretion—many of their dealings were never made public. It seemed like a well-oiled machine with secrets to protect.

As Alisia grabbed her things and headed downstairs, she was greeted by the sight of her father, Gram, sipping his coffee at the kitchen table.

"You're up early," he remarked, raising an eyebrow as he set his mug down.

"Big day," she responded with a small smile, though the knot of anxiety in her stomach was hard to ignore. "We're heading out to Adronis Heights today. Our team's supposed to help Kyre Global with their cyber defenses."

Gram nodded thoughtfully. "That's one of those big luxury companies, right? Always in the news for their billionaire clients?"

"Yeah, that's the one," Alisia replied, her tone less excited than it should have been. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about this whole assignment. There were too many vague details, and the fact that they were being sent with such little information didn't sit right with her.

"Well," Gram said, his expression softening, "you've been working hard. I know you'll do great. Just... be careful, okay?"

Alisia gave him a reassuring smile and nodded. "I will."

By the time Alisia arrived at the pickup point where the company car would take them to the airport, Sarah and Alex were already there, both looking as equally confused as Alisia felt about their assignment.

"Ready for some luxury security work?" Sarah teased, though there was an undertone of uncertainty in her voice.

Alisia chuckled. "As ready as I can be. But honestly, this whole thing feels a bit... odd, doesn't it? I mean, we're just interns. Why send us out to work with one of their biggest clients?"

Alex, the most experienced of the three, shrugged. "It's definitely strange. I've looked into Kyre Global, and it's not just a normal luxury brand. Their client list includes politicians, business magnates, and, apparently, some pretty shady characters. They deal with a lot of money, and with that kind of cash flowing around, security is everything. I guess they want fresh eyes on the situation."

As the conversation continued, the company car arrived—a sleek black sedan with tinted windows. They climbed in, exchanging glances, and soon they were on their way to the airport.

"Anyone else find it weird that we haven't been told the full scope of what we're doing there?" Sarah asked from the back seat. She had her laptop out, typing furiously as she spoke. "I tried digging around a little more, but it's like Kyre Global has erased most of its digital footprint beyond the surface-level stuff."

Alisia frowned. "That's unsettling. What did you find?"

"Not much," Sarah admitted. "The company's listed as having several international offices, but a lot of their financial information is classified, and their board of directors is almost impossible to track. It's like they've scrubbed everything clean."

"That's probably why they're so focused on security," Alex chimed in. "When you're dealing with high-profile clients who don't want their secrets out, you take extreme measures."

"Still, it feels like we're being thrown into the deep end," Alisia said, tapping her fingers against her armrest. "I mean, we're not exactly experts yet."

Alex smirked. "Speak for yourself. I've been training for this for a while now."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "You've been training for three months. But yeah, it is strange. I just don't understand why they're sending us when they have way more experienced teams."

Alisia bit her lip, glancing out the window as the car sped along the highway. "Maybe they see potential in us," she mused, though even she didn't fully believe it. It seemed more likely that they were being sent because there was something more going on—a hidden agenda they hadn't been told about.

When they arrived at the airport, a private jet awaited them. Another reminder of the immense wealth tied to Kyre Global. They boarded quickly, and soon they were in the air, flying toward Adronis Heights.

"I wonder what the actual project will be," Sarah muttered as she stared out of the window at the clouds below.

"I guess we'll find out soon enough," Alex replied, flipping through some documents on his tablet.

Alisia leaned back in her seat, trying to calm her nerves. She had a gut feeling that whatever awaited them at Adronis Heights wasn't going to be a simple security upgrade.

The jet touched down smoothly, and they were escorted to yet another luxury car, which took them directly to Kyre Global's sprawling headquarters. The building was sleek and modern, with towering glass windows and the logo prominently displayed above the entrance.

Inside, the atmosphere was polished, but there was an air of tension that Alisia couldn't quite place. She noticed the heavy presence of security—guards at every corner, surveillance cameras covering every angle.

After checking in at the reception desk, they were led to a conference room where they were to meet with the head of security and the project manager for their assignment.

"Well, here we go," Sarah whispered as they waited for their contact to arrive.

A tall man in a dark suit entered the room a moment later, his expression stern but professional. "I'm Daniel, head of security here at Kyre Global," he introduced himself with a brief nod. "I'll be overseeing your work during your stay here. I know you're probably wondering why you've been called in for this project. To put it simply, we need a fresh perspective on our systems. You'll be working closely with our senior cybersecurity team to identify any vulnerabilities and patch them before they become an issue."

"Sounds straightforward," Alex said, leaning forward.

"There's more," Daniel continued, his voice lowering slightly. "Kyre Global handles extremely sensitive information. Our clients trust us with their most private and valuable assets, so your work here will be under constant supervision. You will not have full access to our systems, but you will be given enough clearance to assess security risks."

Alisia nodded, her nerves settling somewhat. This wasn't too far from what she had expected.

"One more thing," Daniel added, his eyes narrowing slightly. "We've had some recent attempts to breach our network. Nothing serious, but enough to raise concerns. We need to know if these attempts are coming from inside or outside, so your role is to investigate both angles."

Sarah glanced at Alisia, her brows furrowed. "Inside threats?"

Daniel nodded. "We can't rule anything out. That's where you come in. You've been chosen for this project because of your potential. We believe you can help us identify and neutralize these threats before they escalate."

Alisia felt a surge of excitement but also unease. This was more than she had anticipated, but it was also an incredible opportunity to prove herself.

As the meeting wrapped up, the team was given access cards and escorted to their designated workstations. Alisia couldn't help but feel like they were being watched at every turn.

Once they settled in, Sarah turned to her. "This is going to be intense. You ready for it?"

Alisia nodded, though her mind was racing. "Yeah. I think we're in for something bigger than we realized."

She couldn't shake the feeling that they had just walked into something far more complicated than a simple cybersecurity gig.