Chapter 4

Josh's hand still rested on the desk edge.

He stared at the new file, his lips moving several times. "Lena, should we back it up first?"

"It's already too late."

I opened the version history.

The system displayed a string of red alerts.

Original file overwritten.

Historical versions migrated.

Sharing permissions revoked.

Every timestamp fell within two hours before the launch began.

Nora hadn't accidentally grabbed the wrong remote control.

She'd walked in following a complete procedure.

I exported the records one by one.

Josh stood beside me, his face paler than the screen. "If this is confirmed, Mr. Knox won't be able to escape responsibility either."

"He was never going to escape it."

I opened the company's internal patent database and searched for "Starbridge."

The first result showed the applicant field had changed to three people.

Adrian Knox, Nora, Lena Sinclair.

I was listed last.

Josh inhaled sharply. "They can change this too?"

"Internal preliminary review allows it."

I opened the attachments.

The earliest experimental records had been replaced with a product requirements document.

On the first page was Nora's name.

She'd written: "I proposed the intelligent navigation system commercialization direction in the project's early stages and drove the core algorithm implementation."

Drove.

The cold wind in the lab at 3 AM, the smell of disinfectant at the animal facility entrance, the red error lights flashing beside the surgical table over and over---all erased by one line of her text.

The office door suddenly flew open.

Adrian stood in the doorway, his tie loosened and disheveled.

He glanced at the screen, his expression darkening.

"Josh, get out."

Josh didn't move.

I said, "Leave. Send the backup to my personal email."

Adrian's gaze turned cold. "Lena."

Josh lowered his head, grabbed his tablet, and quickly left.

After the door closed, Adrian walked to my desk.

"What exactly do you want?"

"I should be asking you that."

I turned the screen toward him.

"Launch credits, temporary permissions, patent preliminary review. Which one was a misunderstanding?"

He pressed his hand to his brow.

"Nora has product capabilities. The investors have always felt the company is too technical, lacking someone who can tell a commercial story."

"So you wrote her into the patent?"

"It's just preliminary review materials, not the final submission."

He said it too quickly.

So quickly it sounded like a prepared answer.

I opened the attachment modification records.

"Three days ago, you replaced my experimental records with her product document."

Adrian's Adam's apple bobbed.

"Lena, the company needs funding right now. Once the money comes in, we can negotiate whatever compensation you want."

"Compensation?"

"Equity, bonuses, title---name your terms."

He took a step forward, his voice softening. "We struggled together to get here today. We shouldn't tear each other apart over a credit line."

I picked up the sugar-free latte from the desk. The cup had gone completely cold.

"Adrian, do you think I care about one line of credits?"

He said nothing.

I tossed the coffee in the trash.

"Today you dare to change the credits. Tomorrow you'll dare to change the experimental data. The day after, when this system actually has problems, who takes responsibility?"

His expression finally changed.

A soft knock came from outside the door.

Nora stood beyond the glass door, her eyes red at just the right level.

She held a document in her hands.

"Mr. Knox, the board is waiting for an explanation."

Seeing me, she added softly, "Lena, I've already found the original filing. Should I bring it to you now?"

I stared at the manila envelope in her hands.

The opening had no seal.

But the cover bore my authentication code.

That code could only be generated by the project lead herself.