The First Strike

The applause was still ringing in Ethan's ears as he stepped off the stage, his heart pounding—not from nerves, but from the sheer rush of victory. Cameras flashed in his face. Investors crowded around, all eager smiles and firm handshakes. Journalists fired off questions so fast they blurred together.

For a fleeting moment, it felt like they'd won.

Then Lisa pushed through the crowd, her face tight.

"We have a problem," she said, her voice low enough that only he could hear. "Meditech just issued a public statement calling our tech reckless, unverified, and dangerous. They're saying we're risking patient lives for publicity."

The high of victory drained from Ethan's veins, replaced by the cold edge of reality.

Selena, standing just behind Lisa, smirked. "Predictable. They're scared." Her eyes gleamed with something Ethan couldn't quite name—excitement? Amusement? "That's good news."

Ryan joined them, face grim. "Scared or not, they have influence—a lot of it. If they lean on hospital boards, whispering about 'unproven tech' and 'legal liability,' it won't matter how good our system is. Doors will start slamming shut."

Ethan's jaw tightened. "Then we fight back—hard. Total transparency. We release every shred of our independent testing data, full methodology, everything. Meditech hides in the dark. We'll fight in the light."

Priya was already pulling out her tablet. "I'll get the research team to prep the full validation packet. Peer reviews, third-party audits—the whole stack."

Selena tapped a perfectly manicured finger against her phone. "And I'll feed every major tech and health journalist a different story—the one about Meditech's history of crushing innovation through smear campaigns and quiet deals. If they want war, we'll make sure every headline drags their skeletons out of the closet."

Ethan glanced at his team—battle-ready, adrenaline-fueled—and felt a flicker of pride. They weren't just defending their product. They were defending a vision.

"We knew they'd come for us," he said, voice low but firm. "Now we make them regret it."

That night, the internet exploded.

Headlines hit every major platform:

'The Future of Healthcare? A Startup Dares to Challenge Meditech's Monopoly'

'AI in Medicine: Revolution or Recklessness?'

'Who Really Owns Innovation in Healthcare?'

Social feeds lit up with debates. Some praised Ethan's team for their boldness. Others parroted Meditech's warnings, calling it tech-bro arrogance at the cost of patient safety. But people were talking—and that was what mattered.

In their cramped office, the team monitored the storm in real-time. Ethan felt the exhaustion, but also the thrill. This was no longer just a product launch—it was a movement.

But then Ethan's phone rang.

Unknown Number.

He hesitated, then answered.

The voice on the other end was smooth, measured, and unnervingly calm.

"You've made some powerful enemies, Mr. Carter."

Ethan's grip tightened around the phone. "Who is this?"

A soft chuckle. "Let's just say you've stepped into a game much bigger than you understand. And in this game...people like you don't last long."

Click.

The call ended.

Ethan stood frozen for a beat, his pulse hammering. For all their planning—for all Selena's warnings—this was the first time the threat felt truly personal.

Not just corporate chess. Not just press releases and contracts.

This was war.

And someone, somewhere, had just made it clear: they weren't afraid to play dirty.

Ethan put his phone down carefully, his hand trembling only slightly. Then he looked at his team—the people who trusted him to lead them through this storm.

"We don't back down," he said softly, but with a steel edge in his voice. "We never back down."

They didn't need to ask what had happened.

They just nodded.

The first strike had landed. Now, it was their turn.