Elio Novan has it all-wealth, power, and the success of YUI, the world's leading tech giant. But beneath the surface, his life is anything but perfect. Haunted by a tragic past and a betrayal that left him shattered, Elio has built walls around his...
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Several weeks had passed since HBM's acquisition, and it was turning out to be more of a tangled web than I had imagined. The merger itself had been smooth enough, but integrating HBM's assets into DIAD? That was a whole different beast. I had been buried in evaluations, trying to sift through the talent over at HBM's district, and finally, after what felt like an eternity, I zeroed in on four people who I was convinced could make a real difference.
Sitting in the DIAD conference room, I flipped through my final notes, feeling a mix of anticipation and nerves. This meeting—it was big. A turning point for DIAD, if I played my cards right.
The door slid open, and in came the current DIAD leaders: Demian, the one who could strategize his way out of anything; Feya, our fresh Tactical Response leader; Falk, who ran Surveillance and Control like a well-oiled machine; Avena, our go-to for anything psychological; and Elvin, the guy you wanted on your side in a fight. They all took their seats, exchanging the usual nods and murmured greetings.
"Morning, leaders," I said, looking each of them in the eye as they got settled. "How's the week been treating you?"
Demian leaned back, his face thoughtful. "Busy, but productive. We've been reworking some of our operations to mesh better with the new structure."
Feya nodded, looking a bit tired but determined. "Same here. It's been tricky to integrate the new elements."
Falk glanced over at me, a bit of uncertainty in his eyes. "We've been tweaking surveillance protocols, but it's hard to fine-tune anything without knowing where the new recruits will slot in."
Avena chimed in, her voice steady. "I've been focusing on adjusting things to make sure the new recruits will have their space in DIAD when they arrive."
Elvin looked around, a hint of curiosity in his expression. "There are also a few new leaders joining, right? Let's see the fresh meat! I'm eager to find out who's joining the team."
I nodded. "Alright, let's dive in. We've pulled some key people from HBM, and I think you'll see why I'm excited about them."
I clicked the remote, and the first image popped up on the screen. "This is Ava Romano. She led HBM's Operational Intelligence. Ava's got a sharp strategic mind and knows how to keep things running smoothly in the field. She's going to be working with Demian."
The photo showed a woman with piercing eyes and a calm, collected look. Demian's eyes lit up a bit. "New blood for my team? Sounds like it could get interesting."
Feya leaned in, clearly intrigued. "It's good to have someone with that kind of background. Operational Intelligence could really give us an edge."
I moved to the next slide, showing Lena Fischer. "Lena was in charge of HBM's covert operations. She's skilled at gathering intel and handling delicate situations. She'll be a great fit for Demian's team too."
