Lucas Corporation—Johny’s Office

Johny paced the length of his office, his fingers tightening around his phone until his knuckles turned bone-white.

The normally pristine space—lined with glass walls and a mahogany desk—felt suffocating, as though the walls were closing in with each passing second.

His mind raced through a dozen worst-case scenarios, each one more unbearable than the last.

He exhaled sharply, barely keeping his fury in check. “Do you have anything?” His voice was controlled, but the steel beneath it was unmistakable.

“We’re working on it, sir.” His head of security sounded hesitant, and that hesitation sent a fresh wave of anger through him.

He gritted his teeth in...