We had started calling the poorly lit conference room on the building's top floor the "war room," and I could sense the tension in the air as I entered. We were sealed off from the outside world with the blinds pulled. Every wall was covered in a series of screens that painted a clear image of the stakes involved: graphs, spreadsheets, and surveillance footage. This was warfare, not simply business. As the commander in chief, I prepared my soldiers for combat.
I leaned across the table to examine our competitor's headquarters' blueprint. Our team of analysts had gone over every square inch of that map, but now it was my job to lay the traps that would knock our enemy to the ground. I couldn't afford to disappoint the CEO because she had given me complete power over this business.
My right hand, Mercy, broke the silence that had descended over the room by remarking, "You're quiet today." Her eyes showed the worry she was trying not to show, even if her voice was calm. More than everyone else, she was aware of how serious the situation was.
With a low, rumbling voice, I answered, "I'm just thinking." We can't afford to make any mistakes because we only have one chance at this. We must predict every move they will make before they even consider doing so.
I marked possible entrance points, security cameras, and guard stations by tracing my fingertips around the outside of the plan. Not only was the strategy to outwit the opposition, but it also involved anticipating human behavior and laying traps that would go undetected until it was too late.
I circled a portion close to the rear of the structure and said, "Let's start with the obvious weaknesses." The dock where they transport goods. I know our competition will see it as their ace in the hole because it's the weakest point in the entire complex. But we're going to turn the tables on them.
I turned to give Mercy a nod. She understood what that implied. With a swift tap on the screen, she brought up the security logs we had managed to obtain, pulling out her tablet. We had an undercover agent working for them, whose identity I refused to even reveal. We needed to keep them in the dark because it made everyone safer. But what they had secretly extracted from the data was gold.
Pointing to a series of timestamps, Maria said, "They've been receiving shipments at odd hours." "It looks random, but there's no pattern."
"But nothing is random," I remarked, my thoughts already racing with possibilities. "They're attempting to gauge interest by putting out feelers. And we do.
I designed our countermeasures by drawing a line through the delivery dock with a marker. To trick them, we would make it appear as though there was an open, small security flaw. But the moment they entered, they would fall victim to our web.
With a marker, I indicated on the map, "We'll plant the false access points here and here." We'll give them just enough misleading information to inflate their sense of self-worth. Additionally, we'll shut everything down on them as soon as they believe they are winning.
Mercy gave a subtle smile as she nodded. "They will not predict it."
Adrenaline shot through me. I used to live for this game, this strategic dance where one wrong move could cost millions of dollars. But money wasn't the only factor. It was intimate for me. Years ago, the CEO had seen promise in me that no one else had and pulled me out of a dead-end position. In return, I wanted to show him that his confidence in me was well-founded.
I went to another page that showed a confusing network of phone numbers, emails, and encrypted messages and said, "Next, we need to address their internal communications." We can access their emergency channels by tapping. They assume their rotating encryption key is secure, but it's not.
Mercy's mind was working, and I could see it. Already two steps ahead of us, she was formulating our plan to take advantage of this weakness.
She said, "We can intercept and replace key communications if we time it right." "Trick them into believing they are getting orders from their superiors when they are stepping straight into our trap."
"Exactly," I concurred. They will be forced to second-guess every choice. Their whole organization will implode if they begin to doubt their intelligence.
I couldn't resist the rush of knowing we had the upper hand, and there was a certain satisfaction in using their flaws against them. I'd seen it all before their CEO making bold choices because he was too sure he could outwit us. It was our turn, though, today.
Taking in my team's looks, I looked around the room. Everyone in this room was personally chosen for their loyalty as well as their expertise. We were united by the same goal, which made us more than just a team. Error and uncertainty were not an option.
"I want everyone to be aware of their surroundings," I uttered, raising my voice to make sure my words had an impact. Go over everything again. Say something if it doesn't feel right. We anticipate their counterattacks rather than merely laying traps for them. They will retaliate. They do, always.
I stopped, giving my words time to register. We all knew that this was a risky game with big stakes. We could, however, change the rules to our advantage as long as we remained one step ahead.
Mercy looked up at me with a query in her gaze. What about the Chief Executive Officer? Have you explained to him the entire scope of the plan?
I gave a head shake. Not quite yet. He knows I can handle this, and I want to keep the specifics under wraps. It's best if as few people as possible know. We work according to the need-to-know principle. He doesn't need to worry about every little move we make because he already has plenty on his plate.
To tell the truth, I didn't want him to be a part of this plot. Safeguarding him was not the only priority; the operation as a whole needed to be protected. There is less likelihood of a break in a chain with fewer links.
I got to my feet as my obligations began to weigh heavily on me. The most difficult phase was about to begin: waiting after we had set up our traps. Observing Real-time strategy adjustments were made while our rivals were taking action. It resembled a high-stakes game of chess where each piece on the board had an independent thought process.
I gave the team one final instruction, "Stay sharp." "We're not merely vying for market dominance. To preserve what we've created, we're fighting. They won't be able to predict it if we execute this properly.
The group nodded, the determination in their eyes reflecting my own. There was an overwhelming sense of resolve in me as I left the room. We had the traps set and were prepared. It would not be too much longer before our enemies happened upon them.
We would be waiting for them when they did.