Chapter 18: Line of Sight and Subtle Sabotage - Part 3

Week 24 - Wednesday

The store was mostly running itself on the less busy days, the team getting into a good rhythm. Theo was confident his plan to transition away was working, but he'd continue to monitor. There was a somewhat fulfilling feeling that Theo experienced, quite different to the dog eat dog corporate world he'd been use to. Seeing the team he haphazardly put together slowly grow and doing better was nice… for a change. However Theo tempered his expectations a little, he didn't want another Tammy scenario. Ultimately relying on himself is best where possible.

With a bit more free time on his hands, he decided to do a bit more recon at "Something Fishy" later that night after everything had closed. He lingered near the front window, pretending to tie his shoe while peering into the dim interior. He could just make out the large stainless steel deep fryers. Even in the low light, the oil sitting settled in the vats looked dark, used, definitely not fresh. Lazy, Theo thought with satisfaction. Doesn't even drain and filter nightly like he should. Definitely cutting corners. Perfect. He noted the exact position, filing it away. Target acquired. So, the plan is: Wait until Thursday midday, after their lunch service but before any end-of-day cleaning or oil change checks. Hit the already used oil itself with +1. Line of sight from across the street should work. Make that nearly-spent oil look golden, smell clean again. The owner checks it before the evening prep, thinks 'Huh, looks fine, good for another day,' and skips the change he should be doing. Then, set the Un-Enhance timer for... 28 hours. That puts the reversion point squarely in the middle of Friday's peak dinner rush, maybe 6 PM. Suddenly, mid-service, the +1 vanishes. The oil instantly degrades back to its rancid state, maybe even worse from the extra day's use. Every piece of fish, every chip coming out after that point tastes like burnt, chemical garbage. Imagine the chaos, the returned orders, the immediate bad reviews." Theo savoured the thought. "Beautifully destructive. Plausible deniability – 'bad batch of oil maybe?' – but guaranteed to ruin their busiest night." Evil. Absolutely EVIL! Don't mess with the guy who has special powers!

Week 24 - Thursday

The final piece of operation rancid oil required daylight precision. Around 2 PM on Thursday, Theo parked his car across the street from 'Something Fishy', far enough away to be inconspicuous but close enough for a clear line of sight through the front window to the fryer station, which was quiet after the main lunch rush. He pretended to be checking messages on his phone, angling it slightly. He focused his gaze past the window reflections, locking onto the large, stainless steel fryer vats within. He visualized the dark, used oil currently sitting in them transforming – becoming clearer, lighter, losing its stale odor, regaining a semblance of freshness. Used Fryer Oil (Both Vats). +1. Ping. He felt the charge connect. Immediately, he set the condition. Un-Enhance Timer: 28 Hours. Thrum. (Uses one of Thursday's charges). Done. The trap was set. He imagined the owner checking the oil later that afternoon, deciding it looked surprisingly good, postponing the messy, expensive oil change for another day. Oblivious. Theo allowed himself another cold smile before driving away. The Friday night dinner service at 'Something Fishy' promised to be... memorable.

Later that afternoon, Jenny provided her own moment of initiative. Theo was in the small back office area, reviewing supplier invoices, when Jenny poked her head in hesitantly.

"Uh, Theo? Sorry to bother you," she began, twisting her apron slightly. "But I noticed we're running really low on the specific brand of cleaning spray we use for the stainless steel? It's the only one that gets the fryer hoods really clean without streaking. There's only like, half a bottle left, and the delivery schedule says the next supply order isn't until Friday."

Theo looked up, surprised. He hadn't even realized they were low. "Good catch, Jenny. Seriously. I completely missed that."

"Well," she continued, gaining confidence, "I remembered seeing the same brand at the big supermarket down the road when I was shopping for my family yesterday. If it's okay… maybe during my break later, I could run down and grab a couple of bottles? Just so we don't run out before Friday?"

Theo stared at her for a second, genuinely impressed. She hadn't just identified a problem; she'd proactively proposed a solution. "Jenny," he said sincerely, "that's fantastic initiative. Absolutely. Here," he pulled out his wallet and handed her a twenty-dollar bill. "Grab three bottles if they have them, keep the change for your trouble. And thank you. Seriously, that's exactly the kind of thinking that helps us run smoothly."

Jenny flushed with pleasure, took the money with a grateful nod, and hurried back out front. Right attitude, Theo thought again, feeling a surge of vindication for hiring her despite her lack of experience. Skills can be taught. Initiative like that? Priceless.