by Chelle Bliss
But I had Trent’s plan, my vision, and a real chance to do something civilization had never achieved…reaching the outer edges of our solar system without using rocket fuel.
I’m about to place the final proposal on the table when Josh Goldman stalks into the boardroom. “We have a problem.” He’s almost hyperventilating as he clutches his chest.
My hand freezes a few inches above the table. “What’s wrong?”
The nervous excitement I felt immediately morphs into nausea deep in the pit of my stomach.
Josh runs his fingers through his dirty-blond hair and looks over his shoulder, peering into the hallways before answering. “It’s Cozza. Dawn raid. The bastards,” he says, stammering out the words and not talking in complete sentences.
Josh is my number two at Interstellar. He started a few months after I did with a nose for business and a love of numbers. He’s usually calm and collected, though today he’s anything but.
I slowly sit down and stare at the mahogany wood and the intricate design of the grain as I try to wrap my head around the information.
As with other dawn raids, Cozza purchased a minority stake in Interstellar just as the markets opened this morning. They are positioning themselves for a takeover.
It was old-school, sneaky, and purely Cozza, the cocky bastards. It was their way of making their intentions public to take over Interstellar without a huge media splash. Dawn raids were rare, especially in the United States, but I should’ve known Cozza would try anything to stop us. This meant only one thing—they’ve officially declared war, and somehow, they knew about the engine.
“Do you know what this means?” Josh collapses in the chair next to me.
Swallowing down the lump that’s settled in my throat, I nod. “I do.”
I don’t want to believe it, but I should’ve known they’d pull something like this on the verge of our announcement. The timing’s uncanny and screams foul play, but things like this happen all the time in our industry… I should’ve expected it.
“They’re going to try to take us over, Lauren.”
“It won’t happen,” I say with a firm voice, trying to make myself believe the words as I speak them.
Josh mashes his hands together tightly, and there’s a vein bulging from his forehead. “How can you be so sure?”
Tapping my fingernail against the conference table, I look out the window and try to think of a good answer. “I don’t know, Josh, but we better get every goddamn person on finding a way to stop Cozza dead in their tracks.”
This news changes everything.
No longer is this a meeting to discuss the exciting future of Interstellar, but the focus now shifts to how to save Interstellar and stop the slow bleed of shares to Cozza.
The stockholders need to know to hold their shares and not sell them under any circumstances. No matter what Cozza offers, with the invention just on the horizon, they’d be wealthier than they ever imagined.
He rises from his chair and fists his hands at his sides. “I’ll get the junior executives on it.”
Based on his anxiety, I can be certain Josh isn’t behind the information leak that led Cozza to purchase the stock overnight.
But if not him, who?
There aren’t many people who know about the engine outside of the design team and the top executives. The board probably had an inkling that something big was happening since we called an emergency board meeting, but I can’t imagine they’d shoot themselves in the foot…especially when it came to money.
“Wait.” My voice is surprisingly calm and unwavering as I speak. “Don’t.”
He stops and turns. “Why?”
“We don’t want word getting out until the board of directors knows about Cozza’s intentions. As soon as the meeting is over, we’ll put everyone on it.”
His Adam’s apple bobs and he nods, closing his eyes briefly. “Fine.” He looks down at his watch. “We have one hour before everyone gets here. We’d better come up with a way to break the news gently.”
“We’ll start with the original agenda. We’ll rave about the invention and needing final approval for the test phase so we can begin production as soon as possible. After we have everyone excited, we’ll drop the news about Cozza. With the revelation that we’re about to become the leader and make everyone in the room filthy rich, they’ll work their asses off to come up with a solution to get rid of Cozza and secure the corporation.”
He pulls on the cuffs of his dress shirt before straightening his tie. “If you think that’s a good idea.”
Josh rarely goes against me, but he isn’t sold on my plan either. Although he’d love to have my job, Interstellar means just as much to him as it does me. We both gave our blood, sweat, and tears to this company, and neither of us wants it to be for nothing.
“It’s the only way to go.”
“You’re right.”
Standing near the floor-to-ceiling glass windows of the conference room, I stare at the bustling city below after Josh leaves. There’s no way in hell I’m going to allow years of work to be stolen by Cozza and their infamous CEO, Antonio Forte.
Little is known about the man, the myth, the legend that is Mr. Forte. Since he was appointed head of Cozza International, he’s become somewhat of a recluse—at least when it comes to public events and cameras. The one thing I know about him is that he is a vulture. Most likely, he’s a portly old man, sitting alone in a dark room with nothing else to do but prey on the weaker companies surrounding his precious Cozza. He’s knocked off competition over the years without an ounce of remorse, and I vowed that would never happen to us.
Even if Josh has reservations about leading with the original agenda, it’s the right plan. As the minutes tick by and the board members enter the room, my anxiety heightens.
Interstellar board members’ sole purpose is to look out for the interest of the shareholders, which number in the millions. We have five board members, and each has very different agendas, but they all have the best interest of the company at heart.
Mr. Grayson is the first to enter, as is always the case. The older gentleman wouldn’t know how to be late if his life depended on it. “Nice to see you, dear.” He greets me the same every time, giving me a handshake and a wink. If anyone else would refer to me as “dear,” I would probably take offense, but when Grayson says it, I kind of melt a bit. Maybe it is the fact that he reminds me more of a grandfather or my father, whom I miss so terribly that I embrace the term of endearment.
Next in the room is the cold and often calculating Ms. Edwards. Mr. Edwards, her ex-husband, used to run Interstellar, but after a very embarrassing scandal that dealt with his treatment of women at the company, not only did he step down, but his wife took him to the cleaners. I clapped for her…silently, of course. But she didn’t let what her husband did keep her down. After she took his shares of the company, she walked into Interstellar like she owned the place. With the amount of shares she held, she practically did.
As the others arrive, my hearing becomes more acute, listening to the murmuring of the people in the room as they speak. I shake hands and greet everyone before I make my way to the head of the table. All the while, I never stop thinking of a way to stop the impending takeover.
When all board members have been seated, I clear my throat and wait for the room to quiet down. “Ladies and gentlemen.” I pause for their complete attention before continuing. “You’re here today to approve the final phase of our newest invention. The engineering team has finalized an engine that does not require fuel of any sort and is ready for testing before we begin production.”
Murmurs start, members turning to the person sitting at their side, all talking quietly with smiles on their faces. I hear the word amazing more than once.
Pacing behind their chairs, I watch them closely. Is the traitor among them? I can’t imagine that’s possible since this is the first they’re hearing that the project is ready to move forward. “If you’ll open the
packet in front of you, you’ll find the specs and information on how the engine works, including the findings the design team have been able to verify through their testing thus far.”
I walk around the room quietly as they read the packet that has been prepared for them, studying each person’s face for a tell or any sign of betrayal, because in my mind everyone is a suspect. The voices grow louder, and the excitement becomes tangible.
“This is truly spectacular, Ms. Bradley,” Mr. Grayson states.
As the longest serving member of the board, he’s been too loyal to Interstellar to sell us out.
I smile. “Thank you, sir.”
“How exactly does the engine work?” the newest member of the board, Mr. Connors, asks and instantly piques my curiosity.
I never liked Tad Connors. He always has a question, and there’s something about him that keeps me on edge. Maybe it’s the way his eyes linger a little too long on my legs when I wear a skirt or his perpetual quest to find out the exact information I’d never reveal.
“I can’t divulge that information. The patent is still pending, and leaking the details, even to the board, wouldn’t be in the best interest of Interstellar.”
He runs his hand backward against his hair, making sure every strand is perfectly slicked back. “Understood.”
“All I can say is that it will change the aerospace industry forever. Imagine being able to reach Mars without an ounce of rocket fuel to power the vehicle. Or flying to Europe without hundreds of gallons of jet fuel to pollute the environment.”
“Astonishing.” Tad relaxes back in the high-back leather chair, watching me closely as I pace the length of the room.
But today, I wore pants to keep his eyes on the prize instead of my calves.
“If we approve the final testing today, production can be started in under three months, and the first Interstellar engine can be in the air in well under a year.”
“That soon?” Ms. Edwards’s perfectly plucked black eyebrows shoot up before a small grin spreads across her thin red lips.
“Yes, ma’am. There’s nothing stopping us once we prove the design is safe and reliable.”
“How certain are we of that the test will work?” Mr. Jameson asks before I can say another word.
In his mid-sixties and extremely wealthy, along with being drop-dead gorgeous for a silver fox, he isn’t in it for the money. He believes in the company and our dreams for the future. Mainly he’s driven by the dreams of his children. His oldest, Bennett, is in the Air Force with hopes of entering the space program someday.
“Based on the initial test data, the work of the design team, and the report on my desk, I’d say that I’m fairly confident the engine will work as planned without an issue.” Returning to my spot at the head of the table, I pray I won’t have to eat my words.
Ms. Kirby, the member with a legal background who always seems to worry about the legalities more than our legal department, pipes in before I can put it to a vote. “So, by doing the test, we’re announcing to the world the new project. Has Interstellar taken the necessary steps to patent the invention and keep as much detail from leaking into the wrong hands? We want to maximize the potential growth for Interstellar and their stockholders, along with protecting the future assets of the company.”
I want to growl as a warning for her to back off. The entire company has been working on the project in some form, and we did everything possible. “Yes, Ms. Kirby, we have taken the necessary steps, including patenting the technology.” There is no time to waste and more business to discuss, which will hit on Ms. Kirby’s second part of the question. “Let’s vote. All in favor.”
One by one, I count the raised hands around the table even though everyone has theirs in the air. A unanimous decision is exactly what I had expected when I called the meeting yesterday.
“It’s unanimous. The final step in testing will be scheduled. I’ll send a memo when we have a date for members to attend.”
Before I can continue, Mr. Grayson starts to push back from the table. “Thank you.” He stands, and all members start to follow suit.
“We have one other item to discuss.”
Mr. Grayson turns toward me, his eyebrows turned inward when his eyes meet mine.
“This morning something came to my attention.” The twelve sets of eyes around the table are glued to me. I clear my throat, looking above them for a moment. The room becomes silent, almost deafening.
In all the board meetings, I’d presided over, never had I introduced something not on the original agenda. “Cozza International purchased a minority stake in Interstellar this morning. As you all know, Cozza is our main competitor. Based on this information, I’m expecting an announcement soon about their plan to take over Interstellar. I feel that by their purchasing the stake in the company, it’s in our best interest to speed up the engine testing to help boost the price of the stock and stave off any further stock grabs by Cozza.”
“How can this be?” Mr. Grayson slams his fist down on the conference table, acting out in a way I’d never expected.
The murmurs of excitement from earlier now change to panic. “Ladies and gentlemen of the board,” I call out, trying to gain control of the room, but I keep my voice even. “We need to work together, along with the executive team, to find a way to stop Cozza from taking possession of Interstellar. I find it unsettling that their takeover attempt falls on the heels of our newest breakthrough, but we must forge on and do everything in our power to stop them. We need to make sure they are not able to purchase any more stock in Interstellar and do everything in our power to stop their advances.”
“How?” Ms. Edwards asks while nervously stroking her neck.
“There has to be a way to stop them. If you’re approached by anyone from Cozza, it’s imperative that you don’t speak with them and under no circumstances sell them your shares. They need to purchase a majority stake in the company in order to complete their takeover. The legal team, in conjunction with other executives, will be formulating a plan to halt them in their tracks and put the takeover to bed.”
“Forte has stooped to a new low,” Mr. Grayson says through gritted teeth, the wrinkles around his eyes growing deeper. “Cozza tried this years ago and was unsuccessful. I’m sure they’ll be stopped this time, too.” Even though he speaks the words, I don’t feel the conviction in his voice.
I grip the back of my chair and dig my fingernails into the soft leather. “I’ll keep everyone updated on our progress, and we’ll be working around the clock to find a solution.”
Tad stands and rubs the back of his neck. “Do we know who the mole is?”
“We don’t,” I inform the group, even though the list has grown shorter as the meeting went on. There’s too much money to be made for them to sell out Interstellar and share our secrets with the competition. That only leaves a member of the design team as the sellout. “It doesn’t matter. All that matters now is that we stop them.”
“Exactly,” Josh states, finally adding to the conversation and coming to stand at my side. “Rest assured this is our first priority.”
I lean into his space. “Finally,” I whisper without moving my lips.
He keeps his eyes pinned to the board members. “I’ll always have your back,” he whispers back to me.
“Let’s adjourn so that we may get started on finding a solution as soon as possible,” I announce, walking away from Josh and heading toward the door to shake the board members’ hands as they exit.
“Let me know if I can be of help,” Ms. Edwards says with a small smile before strutting down the hallway in her knee-high Louboutin boots and skintight black skirt.
“Bradley.” Tad stops in front of me, catching my attention. “When you find the mole, you cut him off at the knees. We’re too close to something amazing and world-changing to allow the credit to go to Cozza.”
“Agreed.” I stare into his eyes.
He couldn’t be the one.
He’s too money hungry and knows what the invention would mean for his bottom line.
“I’ll do what’s necessary, Tad.” I smile and hold my breath until he walks out.
“Lauren.” Mr. Grayson shakes my hand. “You have my entire legal team at your service. I’ve been with Interstellar too long to allow Cozza to take the credit for all your hard work. We’re too close to something that will revolutionize the entire industry.”
“I know, Mr. Grayson.” I study his aged face.
The deep wrinkles near his dark brown eyes give him character and make him appear kinder than everyone knows him to be. The man’s a pit bull and would take out any enemy that got in his way.
“I promise to protect Interstellar.”
He pats the top of my hand. “Thank you, dear.”
I give his hand a small squeeze before he walks out and I turn to find an empty boardroom. Standing here, I close my eyes and give myself exactly five seconds to let fear seep inside. Just enough time to allow it to finally hit home. I count to five and then head straight to my office to start to deal with Cozza.
As I shut my office door, I lean against it. The enormity of what’s transpired is enough to crush me. How could this possibly be happening? I thought I had done everything in my power to surround myself with the best people—the most loyal, most driven. But there is a mole somewhere. Why now? It’s too close to the engine development to be coincidence. This is calculated and led by someone in-house who spilled the news of the design to our competition. When everything seemed to be clicking into place, the bottom dropped out, and now I must do everything in my power to fix it.
I push off the door and head toward my desk to devise a plan, one which starts with my VP. “Cassie, get Josh in here and take messages on any calls today. We’re not to be disturbed.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Cassie replies before I disconnect the call.
I won’t leave the office until I have confidence that our team has a solution.
I wouldn’t go down.
Not now.
Not like this.
Not ever.