Chapter 4 Father's headache

Nathaniel blinked groggily as he was jolted from a deep sleep by the sharp rapping of knuckles on his bedroom door. He squinted at the clock on his nightstand. 6:30 a.m. His father never woke him this early-if he ever woke him at all. Something was definitely wrong.

"Nathaniel!" His father's voice came through the door, tense and urgent. "I need to speak with you. Now."

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Nathaniel sat up, confused. His father, Edward Cole, was a man of strict routines. Early mornings were reserved for Edward's private workout, breakfast, and quiet contemplation over the news. He rarely interrupted Nathaniel's mornings, especially unannounced like this.

"Give me a minute," Nathaniel called back, swinging his legs out of bed. His mind was still foggy from the events of the previous night. Zara. The blueprint. The fake he'd handed over. Had something gone wrong?

He quickly threw on a T-shirt and jeans before opening the door to find his father pacing just outside, looking unusually disheveled. Edward's salt-and-pepper hair was uncombed, his suit jacket hung awkwardly over his arm, and there were deep lines etched into his face that hadn't been there the day before. Nathaniel had never seen his father this unsettled.

"What's going on, Dad?" Nathaniel asked, trying to keep his voice steady as a knot of anxiety formed in his stomach.

Edward stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. He ran a hand through his hair, then turned to face Nathaniel, his eyes sharp but troubled. "There's a problem at S.A.T.F.A.R.," he began, his voice low. "And it's bigger than I initially thought."

Nathaniel's pulse quickened. Was this about Project Helix? Had Zara's group already tried to make a move? He tried to keep his expression neutral, not wanting to give anything away.

Edward continued, pacing again as he spoke. "Our latest project-Helix-there's been an attempt to access classified information from the system. It wasn't successful, but someone was trying to get their hands on the blueprints."

Nathaniel felt his heart skip a beat. He hadn't expected Zara to act so quickly-or perhaps she had an insider working for her. Either way, he needed to play this carefully.

"Who do you think it was?" Nathaniel asked, feigning ignorance.

"That's the issue," Edward replied, his frustration evident. "We don't know yet. But someone is after that technology, and they're determined. We've tightened security, but I need you to be on high alert, Nathaniel. I know you haven't been directly involved in the project, but you're part of this company. Anything that happens here affects us both."

Nathaniel nodded, his mind racing. His father was right-Project Helix was groundbreaking. And dangerous. It was no surprise that someone was after it. But Zara hadn't revealed her true intentions yet, and Nathaniel couldn't shake the feeling that there was more at play than his father realized.

"I get it," Nathaniel said, keeping his tone measured. "But why wake me up so early for this? Is there something else you're not telling me?"

Edward paused, his shoulders slumping slightly as if the weight of his responsibilities was finally catching up to him. He sank into the chair by Nathaniel's desk, rubbing his temples.

"Your mother called me this morning," Edward said, his voice strained. "She said there's been chatter-rumors in certain circles-about S.A.T.F.A.R. being involved in something bigger than just technology."

"Rumors?" Nathaniel frowned. His mother, Evelyn Cole, had always been well-connected in the upper echelons of society. If she was hearing whispers, it meant someone was paying close attention to their family's company.

"Yes," Edward said, rubbing his temples as if to ward off a headache. "People are starting to speculate about what we're really working on. They're asking questions-dangerous questions. We need to get ahead of this before it spirals out of control."

Nathaniel's mind raced. His mother's warning added another layer of complexity to an already tangled situation. Zara's request for the blueprint had felt like an isolated threat, but now it seemed like there were multiple forces converging on S.A.T.F.A.R., all aiming for the same prize.

"Do you think someone in the company is leaking information?" Nathaniel asked, trying to keep his tone casual.

Edward sighed, leaning back in the chair. "I don't know. It's possible. We've been doing internal sweeps to make sure no one's compromised, but it's hard to trust anyone when the stakes are this high."

Nathaniel nodded, all too aware of how high those stakes really were. Project Helix wasn't just another invention-it was revolutionary. And if someone managed to get their hands on it, the consequences could be disastrous.

"I'll keep my eyes open," Nathaniel said, standing by the window and looking out at the city skyline. "But you should know...if someone's coming after us, they're not going to stop until they get what they want."

Edward stood up, his expression hardening. "That's why we have to be smarter, stronger. We can't let them win, Nathaniel. We built this company from nothing, and I'll be damned if I let anyone tear it apart."

Nathaniel turned to face his father, the weight of his own secret plan hanging between them. "Don't worry, Dad," he said, his voice steady. "I won't let that happen."

Edward nodded, satisfied for now, and headed toward the door. But just as he reached for the handle, he turned back to Nathaniel, his expression softening for a brief moment.

"Take care of yourself, son," Edward said quietly. "We're in the middle of something dangerous."

Nathaniel watched as his father left the room, the door closing softly behind him. The tension in the air remained, thick and suffocating. Edward had no idea how dangerous things really were.

As Nathaniel sat down on the edge of his bed, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw a message from an unknown number.

"We need to meet. Tonight. Same place."

It was from Zara.

Nathaniel sighed, feeling the familiar rush of adrenaline. He was about to walk a fine line between his family, the company, and the dangerous forces closing in around him. But one thing was clear: he had to stay one step ahead if he wanted to protect both his family and the secret of S.A.T.F.A.R.

And he had to do it without losing himself in the process.