Part 12:
Is that why you hired me? Because I’m too new to be compromised. Partly, but mostly because when everyone else ran from danger, you ran toward it. That’s rare, Daniel. Rarer than you might think. They talked until 3:00 a.m. conversation, drifting from security concerns to their children, from corporate threats to favorite movies.
It was strange and comfortable and dangerous in a way that had nothing to do with physical threats. When Daniel finally slept, he dreamed not of Afghanistan or the mall shooting, but of Clara’s voice in the darkness, admitting fears to a man she’d known for 3 weeks that she’d probably never told anyone else. The next morning came too soon.
Ethan bouncing on his bed at 6:00 a.m. excited about something involving breakfast and cartoons. Daniel made pancakes from a mix, letting Ethan pour syrup until his plate looked like a sugar lake, then drove him to school in the coughing Honda. “Dad,” Ethan said as they pulled up to the building. “Are we poor?” The question hit like a physical blow.
“Why do you ask that, buddy?” Tommy’s mom said we were. She said, “You were a hero, but still poor, and that wasn’t fair.” Daniel gripped the steering wheel, searching for the right words. “We’ve had some tough times, but being poor doesn’t make us less than anyone else.” “I know that.” Mom said, “Money doesn’t make people good or bad, but it would be nice to not worry, right?” “Yeah, buddy. It would be nice.
Maybe your new job will help.” Daniel had told him about the job, but not the details. Certainly not the salary. Maybe it will. After dropping Ethan off, Daniel drove to Donovan Technologies, the Honda, seeming even more out of place in the executive parking garage among the Teslas and BMWs. He took the employee elevator this time, avoiding the lobby where people stared and whispered.
The security office was on the 38th floor, a suite of rooms with monitors and communication equipment that Marcus had turned into his kingdom. Daniel’s new assistant, a sharp-eyed woman named Janet, who’d clearly been warned about him, handed him a stack of messages and a schedule that made his head spin.
Senior staff meeting at 9:00, she said crisply. Department heads at 10:00. Lunch with Miss Donovan at noon. Facility inspection at 2. Conference call with the Pentagon at 3:00 about clearance protocols. The Pentagon? We handle classified contracts, Mr. Hayes. The Defense Department likes to be kept informed about security changes.
Daniel stared at the schedule, feeling like he jumped into deep water without checking for sharks. In the army, he’d had years of training before taking on this level of responsibility. Here, he had instinct and Clare’s faith, and he wasn’t sure either was enough. The senior staff meeting was held in a boardroom that could have housed his entire apartment.
12 executives sat around a table that gleamed like black ice, their faces ranging from curious to openly hostile. These were people who’d worked with Marcus, who saw Daniel as an interloper, a feel-good hire made from misplaced gratitude. Clara introduced him with perfect professional distance, no hint of their late night conversations.
Mr. Hayes comes to us with extensive military experience in threat assessment and protective operations. He’ll be implementing new security protocols over the coming weeks. With respect, said a man Daniel recognized as the CFO, Thomas Wright. Marcus had established systems that worked well for three years.
Why fix what isn’t broken? Because, Daniel said, standing to address the room, “Your systems are not just broken, they’re compromised.” The room erupted in protests and questions. Daniel raised his hand for silence, then pulled up his presentation on the main screen. 20 pages condensed into brutal efficiency. In the last 6 months, you’ve had 47 unauthorized access attempts on your servers. Marcus reported three.
You’ve had employees using the same passwords for 5 years. Marcus never required changes. You have contractors with building access who’ve never been background checked. Marcus signed off on all of them. He clicked through slides showing vulnerability after vulnerability, each one documented and verified.
The executives expressions shifted from skepticism to alarm. This is speculation, Wright protested. You can’t prove. Actually, I can. Daniel pulled up another screen. Last night, someone accessed the system using Marcus’ credentials. Marcus, who was terminated yesterday and should have had his access revoked immediately. Either your IT department is incompetent or someone wanted those credentials active.
Clara leaned forward. What did they access? Personnel files, specifically mine. Daniel let that sink in. Someone wanted to know about your new security director. They downloaded my military records, my financial history, even my son’s school records. That’s a violation of someone started. It’s corporate espionage at minimum treason at worst if they’re feeding information to foreign entities.
Daniel looked at each executive in turn. One of you or someone in your departments is compromised until I determine who everyone is suspect. This is outrageous. Wright stood up. You can’t treat us like criminals. Sit down, Thomas, Clara said quietly. Mr. Hayes is doing exactly what I hired him to do. You hired him because he saved Lily.
