Chapter 3 — Building Bridges
Andy
The steady hum of Kelex’s open office buzzed around me, a blend of muted conversations, clicking keyboards, and the faint whir of desk fans. My custom glasses glowed faintly, the HUD active, lines of debugging notes hovering just within my peripheral vision. I adjusted them instinctively, the familiar weight grounding me even as my thoughts threatened to veer off course. No adjustment, however, could erase the looping echo of Lex’s voice from this morning: “Andrea Walker, lead developer…” The words carried a precision that felt both clinical and heavier than necessary. A calculated move or a sincere choice? I still couldn’t decide.
“Lead developer,” I murmured under my breath, as if repeating the title might help me claim it. The weight of those words felt like trying on someone else’s tailored coat—impressive but not quite mine yet. I stared at the blinking cursor on my screen, its insistence a taunt. My fingers hovered over the keyboard, but my thoughts spiraled instead of settling. The stakes of Project Evolve loomed larger than the code in front of me. What if I made the wrong architectural choice? What if Brett used this as an opening to—
The sound of chair wheels rolling broke through my thoughts. “Talking to yourself already?” Mason’s voice laced with teasing warmth was a welcome interruption. He rolled up to my desk, his holo-watch projecting a pixelated dragon mid-spin above his wrist, its tiny wings flapping in time with his grin. “Not a great sign for Day One as our fearless leader.”
I pushed a stray curl out of my face and mustered a wry smile. “I’m not technically anyone’s leader yet. Right now, I’m just the girl trying not to panic while Brett probably sharpens his knives.”
“Oh, Brett’s definitely sharpening his knives,” Mason said cheerfully, his tone light but his gaze betraying a flicker of seriousness. “But don’t worry. He’s mostly bark. The guy’s been coasting on buzzwords since the last reorg.”
“Mmm, tell that to the last person who beat him out for a promotion,” I replied, leaning back in my chair with a sigh. “He made their life miserable until they transferred out.”
Mason shrugged. “He’s just noise. The kind you tune out once you realize he’s not half as smart as he thinks he is. Plus, you’ve got me, Tamika, and, you know, actual talent. Brett’ll implode under the weight of his own ego long before he gets to you.”
The corner of my mouth quirked up despite myself. Leave it to Mason to inject humor and perspective when I needed it most. “Thanks for the pep talk, Dragon Whisperer.”
“Anytime,” he said, leaning briefly on the edge of my desk and glancing at my screen. “By the way, Tamika’s been hunting you down. Something about a celebratory coffee break.”
I raised an eyebrow. “She does realize it’s Monday and I’m buried, right?”
“When has that ever stopped her?” He grinned, his dragon letting out a tiny pixelated roar before vanishing. “Anyhow, get back to conquering the world. Just don’t forget to breathe occasionally, Walker.”
“Noted.” I watched him retreat to his desk, his easy bounce a reassuring rhythm against the chaos around me. There was a part of me that envied his ability to keep things light, to shrug off tension like it was nothing. Squaring my shoulders, I turned back to my screen. A particularly stubborn bug dared me to fix it, and I dove in, letting the sharp focus of debugging quiet my restless thoughts.
---
By mid-afternoon, the knot in my stomach had loosened just enough for me to take a break. The second-floor café bustled with energy, the scent of freshly brewed coffee threading through the air. Tamika was already at a high-top table by the window, her bright yellow blazer standing out like sunlight in a sea of muted business casual. Two iced coffees dripped condensation onto the tabletop, a clear invitation.
“About time!” she called, waving me over. “I was starting to think Lex chained you to your desk.”
I rolled my eyes, but her enthusiasm was infectious. “Not yet. Give it a day.”
She slid one of the coffees toward me, her smile softening into something more sincere. “So, lead developer, huh? How’s it feel? And don’t give me any of that ‘fine’ nonsense. Real talk.”
The coolness of the cup was grounding. I swirled it absently, watching the liquid spiral inside. “Honestly? Terrifying,” I admitted. “Not the work itself—I know I can do that. But everything else? The expectations, the politics, Brett…”
Her expression hardened. “Forget Brett. The only thing he leads is the weekly meeting no one wants to attend. And as for expectations, you’ve already smashed them. That’s why Lex picked you.”
The mention of Lex tightened my chest. I took a long sip of the coffee, hoping the cold might steadier my thoughts. But the question that had been gnawing at me slipped out. “Do you really think he believes that? Or is this just about optics?”
Tamika studied me with her sharp, knowing gaze. “Does it matter? What matters is whether you believe it.”
“It’s hard to tell with him,” I said quietly. “He’s so… detached. I can’t tell if he actually trusts me or if this is just some calculated move.”
She leaned forward, her voice dropping. “Calculated or not, it doesn’t change the fact that you’re the best person for the job. Look, I know Lex is complicated. And I know you’ve got history. But don’t let him live in your head rent-free. This isn’t about him. It’s about you.”
Her words struck a chord, steadying something inside me. “Thanks, Tamika,” I said, the smallest smile tugging at my lips.
“Anytime. And just so you know, if Brett starts acting up, I’m one passive-aggressive email away from ending him.” Her grin widened, bright and mischievous.
The lighter turn in the conversation helped. We spent the next few minutes laughing about Mason’s latest antics and debating the viability of lobbying for better snack options in the office. By the time we finished our coffees, I felt more anchored than I had all day.
---
The office began to quiet as evening approached, the earlier cacophony fading into a softer hum. I sat at my desk, adjusting the framework for Project Evolve. Mapping out a cohesive structure was daunting, but there was a small thrill in the challenge. Every solved piece of the puzzle brought a flicker of pride, a reminder of why I loved this work.
“Burning the midnight oil already, Walker?”
The voice made me freeze. I looked up to find Brett leaning against my desk, his smirk as polished as the glass walls around us. He held a coffee cup, though the caffeine clearly wasn’t helping his attitude.
“Just getting a head start,” I said evenly, keeping my tone polite but firm. “The project’s timeline is ambitious.”
“Ambitious, sure,” he said, his gaze sweeping over my screen. “Or maybe just overly optimistic.”
I bristled but kept my composure. “Do you need something, Brett? Or are you just here to critique my work?”
“Relax,” he said, his smirk widening. “Just saying, leadership’s a different ballgame. Some of us have been around long enough to understand that.”
“Good thing I’m a fast learner, then.” I met his gaze, refusing to flinch under the weight of his condescension.
Before Brett could respond, a new voice cut through the tension, sharp and unyielding.
“Walker doesn’t need your advice, Brett.”
Emma Grayson stepped forward, her emerald blazer practically glowing under the fluorescent lights. Her arms were crossed, her green eyes fixed on Brett like lasers.
Brett straightened, his smirk faltering. “Emma, I was just—”
“Leaving,” she said coolly. “Weren’t you?”
He muttered something under his breath before retreating. Emma watched him go before turning to me, her expression softening. “You handled that well,” she said, pulling up a chair. “But don’t let people like Brett rattle you. He thrives on finding cracks in confidence.”
“Trust me, the cracks are already there,” I said, half-joking but mostly serious.
Emma tilted her head thoughtfully. “Confidence isn’t about never questioning yourself. It’s about not letting those questions stop you.”
Her words settled over me like a balm. I nodded, grateful. “Thanks, Emma.”
“Anytime. And remember, I’m here if you need anything. Or if Brett needs another reminder to stay in his lane.”
By the time I left the office, the city was bathed in twilight, the skyline glowing softly against the deepening blue. A faint scent of lavender from the rooftop garden teased the air, and I paused outside Kelex, staring up at the building that had come to hold so much of my life.
This wasn’t about Lex. Or Brett. This was about me. And for the first time, I realized that was enough.
I was ready to try.
