Chapter 4 The Fallout (and the unravelling)

The headline screamed from the Tribune's front page:

HART MEDIA CEO, CAUGHT BREAKING INTO A LAB?!

Ava's apartment was quiet, save for her laptop's whir. The article's comments section was a total mess:

Voss Tech's pulling a desperate PR move!

Hart's a saint! Voss is trash!

Locke & Voss = Crooked. Both of them.

Her phone kept blowing up. Texts from her mom:

You've embarrassed us. Julian is mad. Your dad is thinking about cutting you off.

Ava slammed her laptop shut. It had been three days since the video got out. The media turned it into a huge drama-his word against hers. Julian's lawyers were saying the video was fake. Kane's sister's haven had already lost two funders.

Someone buzzed her door.

Kane stood there, holding a bag. I brought food. You went totally silent.

Ava let him in. His eyes were red, and he hadn't shaved. How's your sister?

He put the bag on the counter-pastries and coffee. She's freaked. Julian's 'charity' board voted to pull her funding. Said the 'scandal' makes them seem bad.

Ava cringed. I'm sorry. I thought the video would stop this.

It did, for a day. Now Julian's hitting back harder. His lawyers filed a request to ditch the case-saying the video has nothing to do with the IP theft. The judge is thinking about it.

Ava felt sick. So all this... was pointless?

Kane leaned on the counter. Not pointless. We spooked him. But we need more. Something that ties Julian to the IP theft for real. Not just the break-in.

Ava poured coffee, hands steady despite the chaos. The code itself. If we can prove it's yours, not his... but how?

Kane opened his laptop. My code has a signature, a secret thing. A line only I'd write. But to show it's mine, I need to show the first versions. Which are...

In your lab. Which Julian's lawyers want. We can't go near them.

Exactly.

Ava's brain went into overdrive. What if we forget the lab? What if we find someone who saw you write the code? A witness?

Kane stopped. There was... a guy. My old partner. We built the first Pulse together. But we fought, and he quit. He's at Hart Media now.

Ava's eyes lit up. Amazing. If he can back up that you wrote the code before Julian's team 'found' it...

Kane looked grim. He hates me. I bought his shares. He thinks I cheated him.

Ava grabbed her jacket. Then we make him not hate you. Where does he work?

Hart Media Tower. 37th floor. But we can't just stroll in. Julian's got security everywhere.

Ava grinned. We don't stroll. We sneak.

Two hours later,

Ava fixed her wig-blonde and slick-and pulled at her skirt. The Hart Media lobby was full of staff.

You look... very different, Kane said, checking out her disguise.

She gave him a pass. I'm 'Mia Carter,' new HR person. You're 'Ethan Cole,' IT guy. Let's go.

The lift was quiet,. Kane looked down, but Ava acted confident, like her mom.

37th floor, she told the guard, showing the fake ID she made.

The doors opened to offices with glass walls. Down the hall, a sign said Alex Rivera | Lead Developer.

Ava knocked.

A man in a hoodie opened it. If this is another team thing, I'm not interested.

Ava stepped in, closing the door. Alex Rivera? We need to talk. About Pulse.

Alex frowned. Who are you?

Kane took off his glasses. It's me, Kane.

Alex looked shocked . Get out. Now. Before security kicks you out.

Ava blocked the door. Julian's suing Kane for pinching code you know he wrote. Are you okay with letting that happen?

Alex looked angry. Kane dumped me. Left me broke. Why would I help him?

Because Julian's using your work to destroy him. And if Kane loses, your code-the code you helped make-goes with him.

Alex looked at her, then Kane. What do you want?

Kane showed the code on his phone. The first Pulse script. The part where I put in the special sign. You remember-the line about the 'golden ratio'?

Alex's eyes went wide. You kept that in the final version? That was just a placeholder.

Kane said, It's still there. In the code Julian says he 'wrote.' If you confirm I wrote that line before Hart Media 'found' it...

Alex paused. Julian's got me trapped. I signed papers. If I talk, I lose all. .

Ava leaned in. Not if we help you. We can get you a lawyer, get new work. Just trust us.

Alex looked at the code again, then at Kane. You really think this will work?

Kane nodded. It's our only shot.

Back At Ava's Place

Alex's statement glowed on Ava's screen. This is amazing. If we give it to the judge, he has to listen.

Kane fell onto the sofa. If he doesn't junk it. Or if Julian doesn't bury it.

Ava sat with him. The room seemed smaller suddenly. We're doing this as partners. Even if my folks ditch me. Even if your sister loses all funding.. We'll fix this.

Kane faced her, his look sharp. Why are you doing this? You could have quit. Saved yourself.

Ava thought: Because I like you. Because I can't see you losing. I just answered Because the truth is important.Even if no one believes it.

He gave a small smile "You really are very bad at Lying, Counselor."

Their hands almost met on the sofa. Ava didn't move away.

Her phone rang. Text message from mom.

"Your Dad is taking you out of the family, don't even try to come over"

Ava shut her phone "Let's talk about the statement we can sort everything else out another day"

Kane nodded, but before she had even made it to the kitchen he called her.

"Ava?"

She opened the door separating the two rooms, looking at him.

"Just so you're fully aware, thankyou, more than you know - for not giving up so easy"

She smiled back at him before replying "That will never be something I do."