Paras left his desk, heading towards the intimidating top floor of the CEO's office. Each step was an effort, his nerves threatening to get the best of him. The massive building of NovaTech that he had become so accustomed to suddenly seemed unfamiliar and imposing. The elevator ride felt the longest as he ascended to the floor that very few could access.
On arrival, he was met by the secretary. This woman always seemed to be engrossed in three different tasks simultaneously. She motioned for him to wait, which he was glad to do. She seemed unsurprised by his presence; it was clear that she was expecting him. Riggs, it appeared, left nothing to chance.
A few nervous minutes passed before the secretary finally beckoned him towards the office. When he walked in, he was taken aback. The office, although significant, was surprisingly simplistic. It wasn't adorned with ostentatious trinkets or intimidating art. Instead, it was filled with elegant simplicity and minimalistic decor.
"I like to keep it simple," Riggs broke the silence as soon as Paras stepped in.
Paras, caught off-guard, stammered a reply. "It's my first time here. This seems like a nice place to work."
"Okay, don't be so formal with me. I'm also human," Riggs chuckled, immediately putting Paras slightly at ease.
Paras couldn't help but think, 'That's easy for you to say,' but he kept his thoughts to himself.
Riggs continued, motioning for Paras to sit, "I called you here because I have a special task for you."
Paras paused, a frown settling on his face. He collected his thoughts before he replied, "Why me? Don't you have some great people on your team?" He wondered out loud, questioning the unexpected faith being placed on him. It was a genuine question. Why did a giant tech firm's CEO depend on a mid-level employee like him? Little did he know, he was soon going to find out.
Paras's question hung between them, finally dissolving into silence. Riggs looked at him with a thoughtful gaze as though measuring the weight of his words.
"Because," Riggs started slowly, "I know my team too well to realize they're unsuitable for this task." Riggs' words seemed simple, but they carried a hint of something more profound.
"I want you to establish contact with the founders of Cryptoglare and set up a meeting with them," he continued. And then, he threw the bombshell. "In return, I'll give you something you won't be able to turn down."
Paras' heart quickened at what Riggs might be referring to. As Riggs outlined the alluring offer of stock options, Paras couldn't help but be excited. Here he was, an ordinary employee, being given the chance to do something extraordinary - and get rewarded handsomely for it. The offer was enticing, almost too good to pass.
However, there was a caveat. If things went awry, Paras would bear the brunt of it publicly. This was the sort of risk that could either make or break him. He weighed the pros and cons, the allure of the potential rewards against the risk of catastrophic failure.
In the end, the prospect of financial security overpowered his hesitations. The charm of money was hard to resist, especially for someone like him who hailed from a modest background. It was not that Riggs was exploiting him. No, Riggs was just a player in a game where the rules were set by others. The power to change these rules still eluded even him, the CEO of NovaTech.
Regardless of the implications, the decision was made. The wheels of change had been set in motion, sweeping everyone in its path. As Paras exited Riggs' office, he felt a strange mix of trepidation and excitement. He was now the protagonist of a narrative more significant than anything he had ever been a part of. Little did he know, this was only the beginning.
Nevertheless, the wheels of change started, and almost everyone was swept by it.
As a few days passed, the phenomena of Cryptoglare and the hacking website continued to create shockwaves worldwide. The tidal wave of interest and usage broke record after record, spreading across the globe at a breakneck speed. The rapid and seemingly spontaneous growth baffled even the most seasoned tech analysts and data scientists. It was unlike anything the world had seen before.
Amid it all, Sam found himself both thrilled and alarmed. As the architect of this storm, he had anticipated interest, but the magnitude of the response exceeded his wildest predictions. There was a brief flicker of regret as he wondered if he should have unveiled these projects under the banner of his company. But he knew better. Had he done so, the government would've intervened immediately, seizing control and potentially funneling the resources to the military. The people's version would've been a diluted shadow of his original vision.
He watched, almost in disbelief, as the attempts to shut down both websites skyrocketed. They were growing in strength and intensity, mirroring the surging popularity of his creations. Seeing this, Sam decided it was time for another game-changing move.
Taking a deep breath, he drafted a message and sent it to Gaia. It was a daring decision that would stir up even more turmoil. With Gaia's assistance, the post was pinned on the hacking website:
[The Hacking Website would be available to everyone connected to the Internet. Even in Geo-Blocked regions.]
The implications of this statement were astronomical. It meant that the hacking website was now the direct target of governments worldwide. For the affluent, it represented an untapped goldmine waiting to be exploited. Yet, it was a blessing for the average person and the impoverished - the majority who made up 90 percent of the population.
Inevitably, murmurs started to circulate. Whispers that "The Ghost," a legendary figure in the tech world, was behind it all. The media latched onto these speculations, and soon, the elusive entity was making headlines once again. The world was in a frenzy, desperate to unmask The Ghost, without a single clue about their identity or whereabouts.
Amid the global uproar and the growing tide of speculation, progress was quietly being made on Death Island. Three days after the worldwide storm caused by Cryptoglare and the hacking website, Sam received an update that further changed the course of his plans.
As Sam observed the live video feed of Death Island, his eyes were drawn to the flurry of robotic activity on the screen. He marveled at the sight of the construction robots whirring and whizzing around in a well-coordinated dance of precision and efficiency. He could see William and the rest of the human crew huddled in the corner of a cavernous room, safely tucked away from the external chaos.
The room itself was a marvel. Carved directly into the side of a towering cliff, it was made entirely of stone, an impressive engineering feat and an exercise in practicality. Given the extreme conditions outside, where a violent tempest was raging, using mud would have been foolish. The stone provided a sturdy, unyielding shelter from the relentless winds and rain.
Moreover, the excavated stone hadn't gone to waste. Every resource was precious on Death Island, and Sam admired the efficient use of materials. The room wasn't just sheltered - it was also a testament to the technological prowess of the construction robots.
Despite the harsh exterior conditions, the robots didn't require warmth. But for William and his crew, heat was essential. Fortunately, the cavernous stone room acted as a buffer, protecting the humans from the chilling gusts and freezing temperatures outside.
To add to the ingenuity of the situation, the construction robots had laid out an electricity grid, effectively harnessing the power of the storm raging outside. A turbine had been set up, converting the ferocious winds into a consistent energy source. It was a sustainable solution, ensuring that humans didn't have to worry about the electricity supply.
Watching all of this unfold on the screen, Sam couldn't help but marvel at the level of autonomy the robots had demonstrated. He looked at the screen where Gaia's interface blinked back at him.
"Did you guide the robots to create this room, Gaia?" Sam asked. There was a note of admiration in his voice.
[Thank you, Big Brother. These people will have to scrape by for a month. After that, we should be able to establish a route through the tempest that surrounds Death Island. The construction robots will be able to move through it. Then, we can proceed to create an underwater outpost.]
Gaia's digital voice was calm and steady, showing no stress or uncertainty.
Sam leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the screen. He understood Gaia's plan. An underwater base was an excellent idea. It would be safe from the tempest and could act as a long-term shelter for the crew on Death Island. However, this plan required advanced technology. Fortunately, Sam had accumulated a substantial amount of Empathy points due to the widespread release of Cryptoglare and the hacking website.
Decision made, Sam quickly navigated through the system, selecting the technology needed for building an underwater base and the design for a submarine. He watched as his Empathy points balance dropped by 200,000. He was unfazed by the decrease in his points. He knew that investing in technology was vital for the success of his plans.
Having purchased the technology and the design, Sam quickly drew the blueprints and shared them with Gaia. "Gaia, use these blueprints to construct a submarine and an underwater base near Death Island. Once the base is established, get Williams and the crew there. Then arrange to send them here."
[Okay, Big Brother. What's the next step in the plan?] Gaia questioned.
Sam didn't need a moment to think. His mind was already working on the next phase of his grand scheme.
He replied with just two words, filled with layers of meaning, "Supply Chain."