Isaac sat at the head of the long boardroom table, his gaze calm but piercing as it swept over the executives gathered before him. Each one represented a vital thread in the vast tapestry of Chronos Holdings, yet their expressions ranged from wary curiosity to outright skepticism. Beside him, Mara Netlixie sat poised, her quiet confidence a steady anchor in the tense atmosphere.
"I won't waste your time," Isaac began, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. "This company was not founded to chase profits at any cost. Chronos Holdings exists to safeguard humanity's progress—its knowledge, its innovations, its history. Somewhere along the way, that purpose was compromised. Today, I intend to set it back on course."
The room remained silent for a moment before murmurs rippled through the gathered executives. Some leaned forward, intrigued. Others leaned back, arms crossed in defiance. One man, sitting near the middle of the table, cleared his throat loudly.
"With all due respect," said Nicholas Voss, his tone tinged with derision, "this company has evolved far beyond its origins. What you're suggesting—diverting resources to something as impractical as a library—would destabilize everything we've built."
Isaac's gaze locked onto Nicholas. "What we've built," he said evenly, "is a machine. And machines, when pushed too hard, break. The Library of Legacy is not an impractical endeavor. It is the foundation upon which this company was meant to stand."
Nicholas leaned forward, a smirk tugging at his lips. "And what do you suggest we tell our shareholders? That we're abandoning growth to invest in… idealism?"
Isaac's voice didn't rise, but the intensity of his tone made the room fall silent. "Tell them the truth. That growth without purpose is a dead end. This company was never meant to serve shareholders—it was meant to serve humanity."
---
From the far end of the table, a younger executive hesitated before speaking. "Mr. Netlixie… I don't disagree with your vision, but implementing something like this would take time. And resources. The board and shareholders won't give us that without proof of its value."
Isaac inclined his head slightly, acknowledging the validity of her point. "I don't expect blind faith. We'll demonstrate the library's value through action. But we cannot afford to wait until it's convenient."
Mara leaned in then, her voice calm but firm. "The Library of Legacy has the potential to transform this company's mission. We need to invest in it now, while we still have the means to do so."
Nicholas scoffed, leaning back in his chair. "Bold words. But what happens when those bold words turn into shareholder outrage and market crashes?"
Isaac regarded him with calm intensity. "We've faced worse challenges. And if we don't act now, there won't be a company left to protect. The question isn't whether we can afford to do this—it's whether we can afford not to."
The tension in the room thickened. Isaac watched carefully, taking note of those who seemed receptive and those who resisted. The divide was clear, and he would need allies to navigate it.
---
Once the room was empty, Mara approached Isaac. "That didn't go as badly as it could have."
"No," Isaac agreed, his gaze distant. "But it didn't go as well as it needed to."
Mara crossed her arms, leaning against the table. "Nicholas is going to be a problem. He's been on the board for years and has connections with several of the major shareholders. If he pushes back too hard, it could derail everything."
Isaac exhaled slowly, his focus sharpening. "Then we need to make sure he doesn't have the leverage to push back."
"And how do you plan to do that?" she asked, tilting her head.
Isaac walked to the window, his reflection blending with the glowing cityscape beyond. "How much of the company's shares does the family still hold?"
"Thirty percent," Mara replied. "It's enough to maintain influence, but not control. The rest is split between institutional investors, private shareholders, and the board."
Isaac frowned, his mind already turning. "We need more. Quietly."
"That would take resources we don't have," she said cautiously. "The board would notice if we made a move."
Isaac turned, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Resources are not an issue. Not for me."
Mara raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Isaac gestured for her to follow as he walked toward a private conference room adjacent to the boardroom. Inside, he sat at a table and leaned forward, his voice low but filled with conviction.
"Long before you were born, I secured wealth across time—gold, jewels, artifacts. Hidden caches that modern markets would still value. If we need funding to buy back control, I know where to find it."
She blinked, her skepticism momentary before giving way to curiosity. "You're serious?"
"I am," Isaac said. "But wealth isn't the only tool we'll use. Influence matters more."
---
Mara studied him. "What do you mean by influence?"
Isaac leaned back slightly, his gaze thoughtful. "Every shareholder represents a family, a legacy. And legacies are rarely clean. Somewhere in their lineage, there's likely a debt—a mistake, a loss they couldn't recover from. All it would take is one moment in their family's history being altered, and suddenly they're indebted to us."
Mara's eyes widened slightly. "You mean to use your powers?"
Isaac nodded. "If wealth isn't enough to sway them, then I'll remind them how fragile their success truly is. Call it a safety net, should traditional methods fail."
"But altering time like that…" Mara hesitated, her voice lowering. "Isn't that dangerous? Doesn't it cause the same disruptions you spend so much time fixing?"
Isaac smiled faintly, his expression tinged with both confidence and caution. "I won't rewrite major events. These adjustments are delicate. A suggestion here, an opportunity nudged there—nothing that creates a ripple large enough to disrupt the timeline."
He paused, his voice softening. "That's the key to using time properly, Mara. It's not about forcing the world to change. It's about guiding it, nudging it just enough to ensure balance."
Mara still seemed hesitant, but she nodded. "All right. But promise me you won't do anything too drastic."
Isaac chuckled softly. "Drastic changes only make my life harder. Trust me—I've learned that lesson too many times."
---
Mara left to begin preparations, leaving Isaac alone in the room. He turned the small hourglass pendant he always carried over in his hands. His thoughts shifted to the places he needed to revisit, the caches he had hidden centuries ago, and the histories he might need to subtly reshape.
"This isn't just about power," he said softly to himself. "It's about protecting the vision I built, ensuring that it isn't lost to greed and short-sightedness. Control without purpose is meaningless. But control with purpose? That can change the world."
He rose, adjusting his bracelet and glancing once more at the city. The future awaited, and Isaac was ready to reclaim it.
---
End of Chapter