Chapter 5 - Locked Out of the Empire
Panic, cold and sharp, began to pool in Ethan’s stomach. He abandoned the locked Porsche, slammed the car door, and jogged down the long driveway toward the street, frantically pulling out his American Express black card to summon an Uber.
He flagged down a passing cab instead when the app refused to process his payment.
“Downtown Vanguard Tower,” Ethan snapped, sliding into the back seat of the yellow cab. “Step on it. I’ll pay double.”
During the twenty-minute drive through downtown Houston, Ethan tried calling his boss, the executive vice president of regional operations. Straight to voicemail. He tried calling the corporate legal counsel. Number disconnected or out of service. He tried calling his wife—well, his former wife—out of sheer desperation, remembering the phone number he hadn't dialed in three days while traveling.
“The number you have dialed is no longer in service or has been reassigned.”
His chest tightened. A cold sweat broke out across his forehead despite the air conditioning in the cab. What is happening? Did the merger in Zurich fall through? Is the whole company crashing?
When the cab pulled up in front of the fifty-story glass monolith of Vanguard Tower at 8:55 AM, Ethan leaped out, threw a hundred-dollar bill at the driver without waiting for change, and rushed through the revolving glass doors.
He strode purposefully toward the executive turnstiles, pulling his digital access badge from his breast pocket.
He pressed it against the scanner.
Bzzzt!
Red flashing lights pulsed across the glass gate.
“ACCESS DENIED. SECURITY PROTOCOL 9: TERMINATED EMPLOYEE.”
“Are you kidding me?” Ethan shouted, slamming his hand against the glass partition.
Two armed private security guards in sharp black tactical suits stepped out from the security desk instantly, their hands resting smoothly on their utility belts.
“Mr. Ethan Brooks?” the lead guard asked, his voice devoid of any emotion.
“Yes, I’m Ethan Brooks! I am the senior vice-president of Southern Energy! Someone in your IT department has screwed up their database migration this morning, and I need to get up to the forty-second floor immediately before the board meeting starts!”
“You have no active employment status with Vanguard Global, Mr. Brooks,” the guard said, stepping forward to block his path completely. “Furthermore, you have been formally trespassed from all corporate properties by order of the Office of the President.”
The lobby went dead silent. Several junior analysts waiting near the elevators stopped and stared, whispering among themselves.
“Office of the President?” Ethan stammered, his face flushing a furious, mottled red. “Who the hell authorized that? President Vance is currently in Europe closing a multi-billion-dollar deal! I report directly to the board, not some bureaucrat in HR! Call corporate legal right now!”
“President Vance returned last night,” a cool, crystal-clear voice echoed from across the polished marble lobby.
Ethan froze.
He whipped his head around. Stepping out of the private VIP elevator was Elena Vance, impeccably dressed in a charcoal pantsuit, holding a leather portfolio. Behind her walked two corporate compliance officers carrying thick manila folders.
May you like
Elena didn't even look at him as she crossed the lobby, but as she drew closer, she slowed her pace, turning her head just enough to look Ethan dead in the eye with absolute, frozen contempt.
“Good morning, Mr. Brooks,” Elena said smoothly, stopping a few feet away. “Or should I say... former Mr. Brooks.”
