Chapter 2 — Disruption at Vantage

Liam

The glass walls of Vantage Hub pulsed faintly with the rhythm of a lively brainstorming session happening in one of the corner meeting rooms. Ideas ricocheted off the exposed brick walls like sparks from a fire, blending with the hum of 3D printers and the occasional hiss of the espresso machine. Normally, the buzz would energize Liam Carter, but today it only deepened the knot of tension in his chest.

He paced the open floor near his team’s cluster of workstations, sneakers scuffing softly against the polished concrete. In his hand, the sleek prototype of his smart pen glowed faintly at the tip, the holographic interface flickering like it couldn’t decide whether to come to life. He twirled it absently, the familiar weight grounding him. The faint scent of paint lingered from one of the murals being touched up earlier, but even that, usually a source of pride, couldn’t pull him out of his thoughts. His phone, balanced precariously on the edge of a stack of notebooks, broadcast his sister Sophia’s sharp tone loud enough for the engineers nearby to exchange uneasy glances.

“Liam, are you even listening? Or are you too busy charming your way out of another crisis?”

He grimaced, forcing a smile at the engineers before turning away slightly. “I’m listening, Sophia. Really,” he said, though his attention was split. The prototype of their new portable holographic interface had crashed mid-demo an hour earlier, and the investor presentation scheduled for next week loomed over them like a storm cloud. “It’s just… not the best time.”

“You’re always in the middle of something. But this merger meeting? You can’t wing it, Liam. Elena Grey isn’t someone you can ad-lib your way past.”

“I get it,” Liam said, running a hand through his tousled hair. “She’s a hard-ass.”

“She’s not just a hard-ass,” Sophia shot back, her voice as cutting as a cold wind. “She’s brilliant, meticulous, and she’ll see through you in a heartbeat. She’s built Greyspire brick by brick. You think a few jokes and that Carter charm are enough for someone like her?”

Her words landed heavier than she probably knew. Liam’s fingers tightened slightly around the smart pen, its glow pulsing faintly against his palm. A flicker of unease gnawed at the edges of his confidence, but he forced a grin anyway, as if the expression could shield him. “Who says I’m not taking her seriously? I’ve read her file. Intimidating, untouchable, probably color-codes her sock drawer.”

“Liam.” Sophia’s exasperation threatened to leap through the phone and throttle him. “This isn’t a joke. If you’re not careful, she’ll eat you alive—and she’ll still look impeccable doing it.”

“Relax,” he said, though the confidence felt thinner than usual. “I’ll surprise her.”

Sophia sighed, the sound loaded with her signature blend of authority and concern. “This is bigger than you, Liam. It’s about proving you’re more than just ideas. If you don’t nail this, your investors are going to start asking questions about whether you’re the right person to lead this ship. Think about what’s at stake.”

Liam hesitated, her words hitting harder than he wanted to admit. His grip on the pen tightened, and for a moment, the easy humor drained from his expression. “I know what’s at stake,” he said quietly. But before Sophia could press further, the engineers erupted in frustrated exclamations.

“It’s looping again!” one of them groaned as the holographic interface flickered erratically on the monitor.

“I’ll call you later,” Liam said quickly, cutting Sophia off mid-reply and pocketing his phone as he strode toward the workstation. “What’s the issue?” he asked, leaning over James, the team’s lead engineer.

James rubbed his temples, dark circles under his eyes betraying how long he’d been at this. “The memory’s overloading. The system can’t handle the real-time layering—it’s crashing as soon as we up the complexity.”

Liam exhaled sharply, gripping the back of James’s chair. “What if we strip it down? Focus on the core layers, cut the ancillary features for now. Stable’s better than flashy.”

“That’ll kill the wow factor,” James said, hesitating. “Investors are expecting—”

“They’re expecting something that works,” Liam interrupted, his voice firm but noticeably calmer. “The wow factor won’t matter if the thing falls apart mid-demo. Stability first, then we can add the extras back in.”

James exchanged a wary glance with the others, but eventually nodded, turning back to the console with renewed determination. “Got it,” he said, his voice steadier now. The team dove into their adjustments, commands flying across the screen in rapid succession. Liam stepped back, resisting the urge to hover. He trusted them—but that didn’t make the tension in his shoulders any less crushing.

As the team worked, Liam caught sight of one of the younger engineers hovering near the edge of the group, her fingers twisting anxiously around the strap of her bag. “Hey, Sam,” he called gently, motioning her over. “What’s on your mind?”

She hesitated, her eyes darting to the monitor. “I—I think the layering issue might be in the compression algorithm. It’s not designed for this many inputs.”

Liam grinned, the tension easing slightly from his posture. “You think you’ve got a fix?”

“I—I could try modifying the buffer allocation?” she offered, her tone unsure.

“That’s a great idea,” Liam said, clapping her lightly on the shoulder. “Run with it. Let James know what you need.”

Sam brightened visibly, nodding before darting back to the console. Liam watched her go, his grin fading as his thoughts returned to the merger. Outside, the skyline blazed with late-afternoon sunlight, the glass facades of skyscrapers refracting the light into fractured rainbows. Somewhere out there, Elena Grey was likely sitting in her pristine office, reviewing strategies and figuring out how to whip his startup into her vision of “efficient.”

The thought made him chuckle, though the sound was as bitter as the coffee he poured himself at the corner bar. The merger—the one his investors had pushed so hard for—could be the boost his company needed to break into the big leagues. But at what cost? Vantage Hub, with its graffiti murals, chaotic energy, and late-night brainstorming sessions, was as much a part of him as the ideas he brought to life here. Could he really give that up? Could she even understand a place like this—or someone like him?

The smart pen in his hand blinked to life as he activated its holographic interface with a flick. The miniature projection of their prototype spun lazily above the pen, stable in this simplified form. It was a small victory, but not enough to shake the creeping doubt prickling the back of his mind.

“Hey, boss?” Claire’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. She stood nearby, holding a clipboard in one hand and a steaming cup of coffee in the other. Today’s brooch—a rocket ship with glittering enamel flames—added a pop of color to her otherwise professional outfit. “You look like you’re auditioning for a staring contest with that pen. Spoiler alert: it’s winning.”

Liam let out a laugh, grateful for her levity. “Just thinking.”

“Dangerous pastime,” she said, setting the clipboard on the counter. “Sophia already chew you out about tomorrow’s meeting?”

“Of course. The usual pep talk about how I’m doomed unless I act like a grown-up.”

Claire smirked. “She’s not wrong. Elena Grey’s no joke. She’s like the Terminator, but with a better wardrobe.”

“Wonderful,” Liam groaned, scrubbing a hand over his face. “That’s exactly what I needed to hear.”

Claire shrugged, her grin softening. “Look, you’ll be fine. Just… don’t try to wing it too much. Greyspire’s not like this place. They’ve got rules over there.”

“Noted,” Liam said, though the weight on his chest didn’t lighten. Straightening his spine, he pushed off the counter. “Alright, enough brooding. I’ve got a prototype to salvage.”

Claire raised her coffee in a mock toast. “There’s the fearless leader we know and love. Go save the day.”

The team was still hard at work as Liam returned, the glowing tip of the smart pen casting a faint blue light onto his hand. He jumped in, offering suggestions, testing solutions, and keeping the atmosphere focused but light. Slowly, the holographic interface began to stabilize, its erratic flickers smoothing into clean, sharp lines.

Liam’s anxiety ebbed slightly as they made progress, but Sophia’s earlier words lingered, her warnings about Elena and his own leadership casting a long shadow. Was he really ready for what tomorrow would bring? The thought tugged at him as he worked, but he shoved it aside. Whatever doubts he had, he’d face them later. For now, he had a team counting on him—and, at least for tonight, that was enough.