Chapter 112 Revealing the Mole in the Headquarters
The morning sun glinted off the Voss Industries skyscraper,its sleek,modern facade a testament to Max Voss's immense wealth and power.
Inside,the air hummed with the low thrum of activity,oblivious to the storm brewing in their CEO's mind.
Max,usually the picture of nonchalant amusement,paced his office,a frown etched on his face.
The champagne high from last night's successful operation had evaporated,replaced by a prickling unease.
He felt it–eyes watching,ears listening,information leaking like a sieve.
"Lily,"he barked,his voice sharper than usual.
His ever-efficient maid materialized as if from thin air,a notepad and pen at the ready.
"Get Grace and Daisy up here.Now."
Lily,ever observant,noticed the tension radiating from him.
A flicker of concern crossed her face,but she simply nodded and swiftly departed.
The Voss Industries network,a digital fortress guarded by firewalls and encryption protocols that would make a government agency blush,was Grace's playground.
With Daisy by her side,whispering intel and cracking jokes,she navigated the digital labyrinth with the ease of a seasoned spelunker.
"Anything,Grace?"Max asked,his impatience barely concealed.
Grace,fingers flying across the keyboard,let out a low whistle.
"Ooh,spicy!Someone's been poking around where they shouldn't be.Lots of unauthorized access attempts targeting R&D files,and guess what?They're all originating from within the building."
Max felt a knot tighten in his stomach.
He'd expected external threats,rivals trying to steal his company's cutting-edge tech.
But an inside job?
That was a whole different beast.
"Trace it,"he commanded,his voice low and dangerous.
Within minutes,Grace had pinpointed the source.
"Market department.Senior Manager,Richard Harding."
Richard Harding.
The name rang a bell.
Max recalled a bland,unassuming man with a forgettable face.
Hardly the mastermind he'd pictured.
But appearances could be deceiving.
"Damn,Max.I wouldn't have pegged him as a corporate spy,"Daisy chimed in,a surprised look on her face.
A war raged within Max.
He needed to act fast,to expose the leak and plug it before any more damage was done.
But a full-blown investigation would send shockwaves through the company,breeding paranoia and distrust.
He needed to be subtle,surgical.
He ran a hand through his hair,the weight of the situation pressing down on him.
Lily,ever attentive,silently placed a steaming cup of Earl Grey tea on his desk.
The familiar aroma offered a fleeting moment of calm.
"Thanks,Lily,"he murmured,appreciating the small gesture of comfort.
An idea sparked in Max's mind,a mischievous glint returning to his eyes.
He'd play the mole at their own game.
He'd dangle bait,a juicy morsel of misinformation too tempting to resist,and watch to see who took the bite.
He called a meeting with the heads of several departments,including Harding.
The meeting room was tense,the air thick with anticipation.
Max,leaning back in his chair,exuded an air of casual indifference,masking the predator lurking beneath.
He casually dropped a fabricated piece of information about a revolutionary new energy source,one that Voss Industries was supposedly on the verge of developing.
He described intricate technical details,weaving a web of plausible lies.
He watched Harding closely,scrutinizing every flicker of his eyes,every twitch of his lips.
The man remained impassive,his face a carefully constructed mask of professional interest.
No visible reaction.
No telltale signs of guilt.
Nothing.
Max hid his surprise.
This wasn't how it was supposed to play out.
He'd expected Harding to at least flinch,to show some sign of…something.
The meeting concluded,and as Harding turned to leave,Max called out,"Richard,a word."
Harding paused,his back still turned.
A slight hesitation,a barely perceptible stiffening of his shoulders.
Then,he turned back,a bland smile plastered on his face.
"Yes,Mr.Voss?"
Continuing from where you left off...
"Richard,"Max began,his voice deceptively casual,"I have a rather…sensitive task I need someone to handle.Something off the books.Are you free this evening?"
Harding's smile widened fractionally,a subtle shift that didn't escape Max's notice.
"Of course,Mr.Voss.Anything for the company."
"Excellent,"Max replied,the corner of his mouth twitching upwards.
"Meet me at the abandoned warehouse on Pier 17 at 9 pm.Don't be late."
As Harding left,a ghost of a smirk played on his lips.
He felt a thrill course through him.
This was it,his chance to finally prove his worth to his real employers.
He pulled out his phone,already composing the message that would deliver the crucial information about Voss Industries'new energy source.
He hadn't been able to react during the meeting,of course.
Too many eyes,too much risk.
But now…now he could finally deliver.
Unbeknownst to Harding,Max had already anticipated this move.
Grace,perched in her digital nest high above the city,intercepted the message before it could reach its intended recipient.
She rerouted it,sending it instead to a secure server under Max's control.
At 9 pm sharp,Harding arrived at the derelict warehouse on Pier 17.
The air was thick with the smell of salt and decay.
The only light came from a single,flickering bulb hanging precariously from a rusty beam.
He stepped inside,his heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and apprehension.
Suddenly,the warehouse lights blazed to life,revealing Max,casually leaning against a stack of crates,flanked by Lily,Athena,Grace,and Daisy.
Harding froze,his face draining of color.
He'd walked into a trap.
"Surprised to see us,Richard?"Max asked,his voice dripping with amusement.
Harding stammered,trying to find an explanation,a lie,anything.
"Mr.Voss,I…I can explain…"
"I'm sure you can,"Max interrupted,stepping forward.
"But I'm not particularly interested in hearing it.You see,Richard,I knew.I knew from the moment the leaks started that someone on the inside was compromised."
Harding's eyes darted nervously from face to face,searching for an escape route.
He found none.
Athena stood silently,her presence radiating a quiet menace that sent shivers down his spine.
"Who are you working for?"Max demanded,his voice hardening.
Harding remained silent,his lips pressed tightly together.
He wouldn't betray his employers,not even now.
Max sighed.
"Very well.If you won't talk,perhaps they will."He gestured to Grace.
Grace,with a mischievous grin,stepped forward,holding a tablet.
On the screen,a live video feed showed a group of men being apprehended by a team of highly trained security personnel.
The men,Harding recognized with a sinking heart,were his contacts,the ones he'd been feeding information to.
"You see,Richard,"Max explained,his voice laced with steel.
"I didn't just bait you.I baited them.And they took the bait,hook,line,and sinker."
Harding's shoulders slumped.
He knew it was over.
His career,his reputation,everything he'd worked for…gone.
He finally confessed,naming his contacts and their organization,revealing a complex web of corporate espionage and sabotage.
He had been motivated by greed,by the promise of a life of luxury and power.
He'd been blinded by the allure of easy money,failing to see the danger he was putting himself and Voss Industries in.
As the authorities arrived to take Harding away,Max watched him go,a mixture of disappointment and pity in his eyes.
He'd hoped to find a worthy adversary,someone who challenged him intellectually.
Instead,he found a petty thief,driven by base desires.
Another victory,another problem solved.
But somehow,it felt hollow.
He turned to his team,a wry smile playing on his lips.
"Well,that was anticlimactic.Anyone for ice cream?"