Page 50 of Claws and Controllers

However, as they finished eating, Ellie noticed a shift in Zy’s demeanor. His brow furrowed slightly, and the easy smile from moments ago faded into a more serious expression.

“Ellie,” he began, his tone measured but gentle, “there’s something important we need to discuss.”

Concern flickered in Ellie’s chest, but she quelled it, trusting in the bond they now shared. “What is it, Zy?”

Zy took her hand, his thumb tracing soothing circles on her skin. “It’s about your game, Infinite Odyssey.”

Ellie set her fork down, her appetite vanishing. “What about it?”

“During the convention, when we played together, I noticed something... unusual,” Zy continued. “There are elements in your game—specific code and features—that are identical to proprietary technology developed by Ashford Entertainment.”

The words hit Ellie like a physical blow. She stared at Zy, struggling to process what he was saying. “What? That’s impossible. Every line of code in my game was developed by my team.”

Zy held up a hand, his expression sympathetic. “I believe you, Ellie. That’s why I’m bringing this to you now. I never suspected you of any wrongdoing, but I needed to understand how this happened before I involved you.”

Ellie’s mind raced, trying to make sense of the revelation. “But how? I don’t understand. We’ve been working on similar AI and customization features, but it was all our own work.”

“That’s what we need to figure out,” Zy said gently. “Is there a way to trace who worked on those specific parts of the code?”

Ellie nodded, her game developer instincts kicking in despite her shock. “Yes, we keep detailed logs of all our development work. Everything’s on my laptop at the office.”

“I can have someone bring it here,” Zy offered. “The sooner we start looking into this, the better.”

As the initial shock began to fade, a mix of emotions washed over Ellie. Gratitude that Zy trusted her, fear about what this meant for her game and company, and anger at whoever had put her in this position.

“Zy, I swear I had no idea,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “If someone on my team did this...”

Zy reached out, taking her hand in his. The warmth of his touch grounded her. “We’ll figure this out together, Ellie. I promise.”

Ellie squeezed his hand, drawing strength from his support. “Okay. Let’s get my laptop and start digging. I want to know exactly how this happened and who’s responsible.”

As Zy made the call to have her laptop retrieved, Ellie’s mind whirled with possibilities. Who on her team could have done this? And why? The implications for her game and her company’s reputation loomed large.

“While we wait for your laptop,” Zy said, returning his attention to her, “let’s talk about how we want to approach this investigation.”

Ellie nodded, pushing the breakfast tray aside and sitting up straighter. “We need to be thorough but discreet. If word gets out about this before we have all the facts, it could be disastrous.”

“Agreed,” Zy said. “I have a team I trust implicitly who can assist with the technical aspects if we need them. But for now, let’s keep this between us.”

As they discussed potential strategies, Ellie found herself grateful for Zy’s calm, methodical approach. It helped temper her own swirling emotions and allowed her to focus on the problem at hand.

“Once we identify the source of the code integration,” Ellie said, her mind already racing ahead, “we’ll need to do a completeaudit of our development process. I can’t risk something like this happening again.”

Zy nodded approvingly. “That’s smart. It’ll help protect you and your company moving forward.”

A thought struck Ellie, and she fixed Zy with a serious look. “Zy, what does this mean for Infinite Odyssey? If your company’s proprietary code is in my game...”

Zy’s expression softened. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Once we have all the facts, we’ll figure out a solution that works for both of us. I promise I’m not out to destroy your game or your company, Ellie.”

The sincerity in his voice eased some of the tension in Ellie’s shoulders. “Thank you. I just... this game means everything to me. The thought of losing it...”

“I understand,” Zy said, his thumb tracing soothing circles on the back of her hand. “We’ll do everything we can to protect your work while resolving this issue.”

As they waited for Ellie’s laptop to arrive, their conversation drifted to lighter topics. Ellie found herself marveling at how quickly Zy had become someone she trusted implicitly. The way he’d handled this situation—coming to her openly, offering his support—spoke volumes about his character.

A knock at the door signaled the arrival of Ellie’s laptop. As Zy went to retrieve it, Ellie took a deep breath, steeling herself for what they might discover.

Zy returned, setting the laptop on the bed beside her. “Are you ready for this?”

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