Chapter 2: Strings Begin to Pull

Lex woke up with a strange sense of anticipation—a feeling that something was different. He turned over, his hand automatically reaching for his phone on the nightstand. The app was still there, its icon glowing softly, waiting for him.

He hesitated for a moment, part of him wondering if he had imagined it all in a sleep-deprived haze. But no, there it was: The CEO System. He opened it, and the same dark screen greeted him.

Mission Active: Identify the Saboteur.

Beneath it, new instructions appeared.

Gather evidence against Damien. The saboteur has left traces. Search his recent emails and server logs for anomalies.

Lex's initial excitement dampened slightly at the thought of going through company emails. It wasn’t exactly a thrilling assignment, but it was a start. And if the system was right, this could be his chance to change everything.

He quickly got dressed and headed to the office, arriving before anyone else. The early hours were his favorite; the place was quiet, the desks still empty, and there was a kind of calm before the storm of daily chaos. He settled at his workstation, opened his laptop, and began to work.

Lex wasn't new to sleuthing around the company’s systems. As a software engineer, he had access to a lot of the backend data—information most people didn’t realize was even stored. He typed quickly, bypassing the usual administrative barriers. A few well-placed keystrokes, and he was into Damien’s emails.

The flood of messages felt overwhelming at first—meeting requests, reminders, business updates. Lex scrolled through them, looking for something, anything, that might stand out.

After nearly an hour, he spotted a conversation thread marked “Re: REVISED Plan.” The subject line alone made Lex pause. He opened it, reading quickly. The email thread was between Damien and someone he didn’t recognize—a third-party contractor whose address wasn’t listed in any of the company databases.

Damien,

The changes have been made as per your request. Delays in deployment should provide the window you need. Be sure not to leave traces.

—A.

Lex felt a chill run down his spine. Delays in deployment... Damien had purposefully sabotaged the launch. But why? To buy himself time for something else? Or maybe to make someone else look bad.

The thought sank in—it was meant to make him look bad. Lex was the one Damien always pushed the blame onto when things went wrong. A surge of anger mixed with satisfaction rose in his chest. He finally had something. He took screenshots of the emails, storing them on a secure drive.

By the time people began filtering into the office, Lex was deep into the server logs. He found more anomalies there—timestamps of changes that corresponded with Damien’s email instructions. It was enough. He knew it was enough.

He took a deep breath, his heart pounding. He had the evidence. Now he just needed to use it. The system had promised increased influence if he completed this mission, and he intended to cash in on that promise.

“Upload evidence to upper management.”

The new instruction blinked onto his screen, and Lex almost laughed. It was as if the system knew the exact step he needed, even when his own doubts surfaced.

He opened a new email, attaching the files and drafting a message to the department head. He worded it carefully—factual, without emotion. He was just presenting information that management needed to see. With one final glance at the email, he clicked send.

Hours passed, and the day unfolded in its usual, mundane way. Damien walked around the office as if he owned the place, talking too loudly on his phone, oblivious to Lex’s quiet focus. Tessa messaged Lex, asking him to grab lunch, but he declined. He couldn’t focus on anything else, his eyes drifting to his inbox, waiting for some response from the department head.

Finally, just after 3 PM, a new email notification popped up. Lex opened it, and his heart leapt. It was from Michael, the head of their division. The message was brief.

Lex, please come to my office.

Lex stood, his palms slightly sweaty. He grabbed his phone, the app still open. A new message had appeared:

“The first step is complete. Trust leads to power.”

He took a breath and headed down the corridor to Michael’s office, Damien watching him curiously as he walked by. Lex avoided his gaze, knocking on the door before stepping inside.

Michael sat behind his desk, his expression serious. “Close the door, Lex.”

Lex obeyed, trying to keep his nerves in check. Michael gestured to the chair across from him. “Sit down.”

Lex took a seat, waiting. Michael leaned back, regarding him carefully. “This is quite the accusation you've made,” he began.

Lex nodded. “I wouldn’t have sent it without proof. Everything is in the emails and logs I attached.”

Michael tapped his fingers on the desk. “And you’re absolutely sure about this?”

“Yes,” Lex said firmly. “Damien has been deliberately sabotaging the project. He’s trying to make our team look incompetent, to cover himself and push blame onto others.”

Michael looked at him for a long moment, then finally nodded. “We’ve had concerns about Damien for a while now. This evidence will make it easier to move forward.”

Lex felt a surge of triumph. “So... what happens next?”

Michael gave him a small smile. “Next, Damien will be taken off the project. And we’ll need someone to step in as interim lead. Considering your experience and your diligence in uncovering this, I think you’d be a good fit.”

Lex’s breath caught. “You’re promoting me?”

Michael nodded. “On a trial basis, for now. Show us what you can do.”

Lex could hardly believe it. Finally, after years of work, of being overlooked, he was getting the recognition he deserved. He shook Michael’s hand, thanking him, and left the office.

As he walked back to his desk, Lex felt an unfamiliar lightness in his chest. Damien was gone—just like that. And now, he had his position. It almost seemed too easy.

His phone buzzed, and he glanced down at it. The CEO System had another message for him.

“Congratulations, Lex. Your influence has grown. But remember, power comes with a price. The next mission will be revealed soon.”

Lex frowned slightly, the thrill of his success tinged with unease. A price. What kind of price? He thought back to Tessa’s words: You deserve better, Lex. You’re wasting your time here.

He wasn’t wasting his time anymore. But at what cost?

For now, it didn’t matter. He had taken his first step toward something greater, and he wasn’t about to stop. He had the system, and he would trust it—at least for now.

As Damien packed his things and left the office, casting Lex a look of pure venom, Lex couldn’t help but smile. This was just the beginning. The city outside the window seemed brighter, more welcoming than ever. He had the means to rise, and he was ready to climb higher than he’d ever dreamed.

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