Page 6 of The Wolf Prince's Fated Heart

"You all know what your job is," I say, raising my voice so everyone can hear. "There are billions of videos recorded every day. We have to organize the footage as best as we can and delete the useless trash. It's important that we keep our database up to date. Write the code and upload the videos for our content specialists to review them."

I glance around the room at the nearly two hundred faces. I've handpicked my team of programmers and divided them into groups with varying tasks. The faces are lit by the several monitors on their desks, and even more screens mounted on the walls.

"I'll go see what can be done about the live stream," I say, understanding their need for reassurance. It's one thing seeing people die in the movies, and an entirely different one knowing that the footage we're watching is not only real, but it's happening at this very moment. "I'll be back."

I go to the back of the room, which is big enough to have two hundred desks for the same number of workers assigned to them. The stairs at the back of the room lead into the office, which is four feet higher and has glass floor-to-ceiling windows that give me a clear view of my team.

Even before I reach my office, I take my cell phone out of my pocket.

"Mr. Grey's office. How may I help you?"

"Harper? It's me, Cassie," I say, my voice trembling. "I need to speak to Mr. Grey."

"Oh, Cassie." There's a low whimper before she picks herself back up. "Mr. Grey isn't in the habit of speaking to people outside of his inner circle of department heads, and even if he was, right now isn't a good time."

I open the glass door with only one hand and lock it shut behind me. Without anyone entering, I stumble to the black leather chair behind the shiny mahogany desk that stands like a small island in this place.

"I get that," I say with a sigh. "You know me, Harper. I was the one who helped you get the job. I need you to listen to me when I tell you that I need to speak to Mr. Grey. It's very important, and it's vital that no one else knows about it."

"Maybe if you tell me what this is about, I can convince Mr. Grey to squeeze you in," Harper suggests. Her words sound shaky despite her best intentions to sound calm.

"It's about something I've seen on F-Rec," I reply, careful not to reveal too much. The rumor mill will be running soon enough, and I have to make sure Mr. Grey knows about it before the rest of the company. "You know about what happens if one of us goes above our heads."

There's silence.

"Mr. Grey mentioned something about F-Rec this morning," Harper says, sounding like she's thinking out loud.

"It must be connected to what I've seen," I push. "I don't want to risk blowing things out of proportion, but from what I just saw, it might be something that our boss should be aware of."

"You're scaring me, Cassie," Harper says.

I'm surprised she wasn't scared before this.

"Can you get me in to talk to him?" I ask.

"As a matter of fact," Harper starts. I can hear the rustling of papers, indicating that she's doing something to help me. "Mr. Grey's brother just left. If you hurry, you can catch him alone before anyone else comes."

"I'm on my way," I say, already rising from my chair. The glass walls hold a semblance of privacy and yet a measure of transparency. I hope to be spared from explaining myself, but my only priority is to inform Mr. Grey about the live stream as fast as possible.

"Please keep him there if he looks like he's about to leave."

"Mr. Grey leaves when he wants to," Harper says.

That's the truth. We all know he is even more powerful than the sound of his name. I just hope that today of all days, he doesn't decide to leave the office early.

"Do what you can," I reply and hang up.

Not wanting to waste another minute, I exit my office.

"Makayla is in charge while I'm gone," I tell those in the immediate area.

She is one of the supervisors. But not the only one. Two hundred programmers need more than one person to keep them on their toes and on schedule. I trust Makayla, though, more than the others. She doesn't let her private matters mix in her professional life. She does the job well, and I feel more comfortable leaving her in charge since her record speaks for itself.

Without saying much else, I head out of the control room. I won't allow the distraction of small talk to stop me. People will gossip and the rumors will spread. I'm certain of that, but I can't let that stop me from bringing the news to the top floor first.

Just like our technology and knowledge are constantly evolving, so is our organizational structure. Long gone are the days when the tech geeks worked in the basement and didn't leave their chairs until the job was done.

Most offices use an open-space concept, and Grey Tech is no exception. The company building has fifty floors, each structured so that each employee has a desk and a way to contribute to the business.

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