Dr. Frank POV

The air in the dimly lit conference room was as cold as the holographic images flickering before me, their blue light casting ghostly shadows on the walls. The eight board members of BPO stood like translucent specters around the table, the static of their projections only adding to the tension. Each face, a testament to their respective power, hovered ominously in the room. But the real force was seated at the head—Mrs. Chandler herself. Physically present, her eyes bore into me with a piercing intensity that made my skin crawl.

I stood stiff, hands clasped behind my back, waiting for the inevitable. I knew what was coming....