11. Confrontation (3)

I woke up before the sun had risen, feeling anxious about the day ahead. There were a lot of things to get done today and, there was no chance of failure. I already informed my part-time job that I wouldn't be coming in today due to matters and had applied for leave the day before which had been accepted.

After getting ready, I decided to take a taxi to the research department. When I arrived, I was struck by the modern and sleek skyscraper that housed the company. It stood tall above the city skyline.

This company was all the hard work that the old man poured into. The research department was only a few floors from this skyscraper and the whole thing belonged to the old man. As I stepped inside, I was greeted by the cool air condition in the spacious and elegantly decorated lobby.

I could see the reception desk and several comfortable sofas and chairs arranged in a small cluster. The walls were adorned with expensive artwork and there was a large, high-definition screen displaying news and stock market updates.

As I approached the reception desk, I noticed the friendly receptionist smiling at me. I cleared my throat and asked her about the location of the research department.

"Excuse me, could you please tell me where the research department is located?" I asked politely.

The receptionist nodded and tapped on the screen of the table in front of her. A map of the building appeared on the screen, and she pointed to the elevator on the left.

"The research department is on the 15th floor. Take the elevator on your right, and it will take you directly there. May I ask for your details and whether you have permission for meeting the research department?"

The moment she said that I fished out the seal of authority from my pocket and showed it to the receptionist, who looked at it closely. The moment she saw it, her expression changed, and she quickly apologized for asking about my details and permission.

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to offend you. Please go right ahead to the 15th floor. The research department is waiting for you," she said gesturing towards the elevator.

I nodded my thanks and made my way toward the elevator. As I waited for it to arrive, I couldn't help but feel a bit anxious about the situation. This seal of authority represented the trust and faith that the old man had in me, and I needed to live up to his expectations and prevent this incident from happening.

Finally, the elevator doors slid open, and I stepped inside, feeling a sense of anticipation building inside me. This was it. The moment I had been waiting for. This was the chance to make a real impact and fulfill my end of the deal to the contract.

The elevator doors slid open and the moment I stepped out of the elevator, I was stopped by the security there at the research department. Looks like, the old man had given his orders to assemble the best of the security department to be dispatched here.

They asked me to show my identification, and I handed over my ID card and the seal of authority that the old man had given me.

As the security personnel examined both the seal and my ID card, I couldn't help but feel a sense of apprehension creeping in. Was something wrong? Had I missed something? Did the old man take care of everything as intended?

Just then, one of the security personnel received a call, and he turned to me with a serious expression on his face. "Sir, we have received orders from the old man. Please follow me."

I felt a lump in my throat as I followed the security personnel toward a conference room, where a group of people was gathered around a large table. As I entered the room, all eyes turned toward me, and I felt a wave of nervous energy wash over me.

"The old man has given his orders to assemble the team for a crucial project, and you are a part of it," one of the people said, handing me a folder with the project details.

I took a deep breath and opened the folder, my heart racing with excitement and anticipation. This was it. The old man had given me the authority to seize this situation into my hands.

After looking at the documents at hand, I decided to start the meeting with the people in the conference hall. I introduced myself to the group and began to discuss the details of what was supposed to happen in a few more hours. I tried to make sure that everyone understood their roles and responsibilities.

Hours passed by as we discussed the incident that was going to happen, there wasn't anyone opposing me since I had the seal of authority with me. I felt confident that we had a solid plan in place to avoid the culprits from stealing the Portable Mana Storage that was still in development.

As the meeting came to a close, I felt even more confident in our plan. We had a solid team in place and a detailed plan that took into account all possible scenarios.

It was finally the time had come to put our plan into action was going to come soon. I made my way to the lab where the Portable Mana Storage was being developed and oversaw the final preparations so that the plan won't go haywire.

I walked into the lab and was amazed by the room in which the development was taking place. I would have never thought to see such a sight in my previous life.

The lab was modern and well-equipped with technology that I hadn't seen at all. The walls were lined with screens that displayed data and graphs, and the tables were cluttered with various tools and equipment.

In the center of the room was a large machine that looked like a cross between a computer and a mechanical arm. It was the heart of the Portable Mana Storage project and the key to its success. The machine was surrounded by a team of technicians who were frantically working on further improvements of the machine.

The researchers were huddled over their workstations, furiously typing away on their keyboards as they worked to finalize the devices.

Even though the Portable Mana Storage was still in development, the prototypes were still developed and tested for further advancements. I made my way over to one of the lead researchers and asked for an update on the progress since the time that the culprits will attack was coming near. It didn't hurt me to learn a few things about the project that the old man poured a lot of money into.

The lead researcher turned to me, their eyes tired but determined. The other researchers paid no attention and seamlessly on their work.

"We're making good progress. The prototypes are performing well in initial testing and we're working to finalize the design and ensure the durability for the field."

I nodded, impressed with their dedication to the project.

"What's the timeline for the completion?" I asked, eager to know when the project will be completed without any flaws.'

"We're aiming to have everything ready in around 3-4 months if everything goes as planned. We hope that there won't be any incident that will be a major setback in the research since we have spent a lot of time on this project as well."

He quickly filled me in on the final preparations about how the project was in its final stages, and I nodded in approval and went back to the control room. The control room had access to all the cameras on the floors and anything that will be happening would come to my notice. As the clock ticked down, the tension in the room grew more.

The secretary was for some reason in the same room as well. Probably, it was the old man keeping an eye on me. Everyone was acutely aware of the importance of this moment- one misstep could mean the loss of millions of dollars in research and development, not to mention the potential security breach that would occur if the Portable Mana Storage devices were stolen.

Finally, the moment arrived. The lab fell silent as we all watched the monitors, waiting for the signal that would indicate the culprits were attempting to steal the devices.

Suddenly, the alarms blared and the monitors flickered to life. The culprits had breached the lab and were making their way towards the Portable Mana Storage devices. We sprang into action, following the plan we have meticulously laid out earlier. But as the chaos unfolded, I couldn't help but wonder – would it be enough to stop them? The fate of the project and potentially the entire company including the contract hung in the balance.