The Way We Fall | Bruce Wayne

CHAPTER 1 - Acquisition

Sara Carter hated board meetings. She slammed a stack of files on her desk and sunk into her chair. Her fingers massaged her temples, attempting to rid herself of a merciless headache.

With a few clicks of a computer mouse, she opened her email and scrolled through endless messages, all with the same word in the subject line: URGENT.

A knock sounded at her door. She mumbled something under her breath. "Come in!"

Her assistant, Cathy Anderson, opened the door with a tablet in her hands.

"Mr. Riley asked if you could meet him in his office."

"Tell him I'll be there in five minutes."

As Cathy shut the door, Sara signed out of her email and stuffed the folders in a desk drawer.

When Sara arrived to the presidential office, Gregory Riley was sat at his desk with folded hands.

"The Board is breathing down my neck about our progress," he said once Sara had shut the door behind her.

She sat in a chair in front of his desk. "You should see the emails I get every day."

"We're losing investors by the day. Clients are shutting their accounts and moving them-"

"To Wayne Enterprises." The name left a bitter taste in her mouth. She had heard it enough around the office. They'd always been the largest tech company in Gotham City, but never had they practically run all competition out of business.

Mr. Riley sighed. "I know you'll object, but I think it's clear that the Board wants to negotiate a contract."

"You mean they want an acquisition." She shook her head. "They've given up on us already."

Mr. Riley crossed his arms. "Look, I don't like it either. But with these numbers, what else could we do? Downsize? Dozens of our employees will lose their jobs."

"We could partner with other companies. Find other ways to-"

"The Board will never approve it."

She wanted to slam a fist on the arm rest of the chair but decided against it. "So they'll only approve a takeover?"

"We don't have a choice-"

Sara muttered a foul word. "I'd rather shutdown the company then hand it over to Wayne."

Mr. Riley straightened in his chair, a sign that he was done talking. "I don't think it's solely your decision, is it?"

Her lips thinned to a straight line. He was right and she didn't like it. She stood from the chair and straighten her suit.

As she turned to leave, Mr. Riley spoke up. "I'll have a meeting arranged with Wayne Enterprises. We'll discuss our options from there."

She turned to him briefly and forced a nod before leaving the office.