ECHO PROTOCOL: Rise Of The Rejected

CHAPTER FIVE

Velmora Institute of Neural Sciences (VINS)

Veyra Lune adjusted her white lab coat and stood in front of the computer, staring at the screen as she reflected on how she had arrived at this place.

She was in Velmora, the capital city and she was hundreds of miles away from what used to be her hometown, Draxion.

Compared to Draxion, this place was a contrasting city, it was filled with rich people and politicians. The technologies were advanced and everyone abided by the laws. Infact, everything seemed to go well.

Her thoughts shifted back to her family. They had died in a deadly massacre except she and her younger brother. They were all eliminated, killed before her eyes due to a debt her father owed.

The man responsible for their deaths did not kill her or her younger brother; instead, he took her in as a hostage and employee.

She was a skilled neurosurgeon, blessed to have had a complete education made possible by the debt her father had collected.

Now it was payback time and she was to work with the evil man. The murderer. She sighed. Her refusal would result in her brother's death, but she cannot allow that to happen; he is her only remaining family member.

After a few years of work, she was promoted, but she was still dissatisfied; this was not what she wanted, but there was nothing she could do about it.

Her life was at risk and only–

“Miss Veyra?” someone called.

“Yes?” she said, turning to face the tall muscular man dressed in black overalls.

“We have a new specimen, and Mr. Lazik would like you to take a look,” he stated boldly.

Lazik! That name sparked a wave of hatred through her veins. He was the reason behind everything.

Specimen? How dare he call them specimens?

“I will be there, Mr. Ryker,” she said, returning her attention to the screen.

“I am sorry, but he needs you right now!” The man spoke in a more stern voice.

Fuck Lazik! She yelled in her mind, then turning to face him, she smiled and gestured towards the door, “Let’s get going, Mr. Ryker.”

***

“What do you mean by he is the new CEO?” Vira questioned angrily.

Jace said nothing. He just stood there, enjoying the tantrums she was throwing.

“What I mean is that this man bought the company yesterday,” Elias said, raising his voice in frustration.

Vira could not bring herself to come to terms with what she had just heard. How was it even possible?

Jace smirked. Now he has money, he doesn't need to speak for himself. He can let others do it for him.

Then suddenly he looked over to Elias who stood opposite him and smiled again.

Here was the man who had made his wife divorce him, the same man who had made the love of his life discard him like a nobody.

Seeing him staring at him, Elias quickly bowed but Jace walked past him and headed to his office.

Vira fumed as he passed her, her anger was rising with the heat she felt within her.

How did her position as the CEO’s wife come crashing down like this? she asked herself. She then turned to her husband and stared at him with tears in her eyes.

This was the same man her parents had pressured her into marrying. The millionaire with multiple businesses, who they claimed was worth more than her ex-husband. She had taken the bait, allowing them to humiliate her ex-husband and send him away.

Now she was all regretting it. What appeared to be her lovely husband was actually the opposite.

“Now the company has been sold, you can now come work with me.” Elias told her, placing a hand on her shoulder, “Did I not tell you that building that plan was pointless and would only cost me more?”

Viraa immediately gave him a cold stare, “So this was what you had been plotting, right? To sell my company and have me work for you?”

Elias smiled, “The plan for the company was made by you and your ex-husband. I wasn't in support of it before but after some time it started booming then all of a sudden it crashed. So I guess it is high time you ditched the past and stupid memories of that lowly man and come to work for me.”

Vira scoffed. Her husband had no idea that the man he had just downgraded was the same person he had just bowed to. Of course, they had never met before, but she could not wait for him to realize this.

“You know what, you can keep that offer to yourself. I am done abiding by your rules!” she yelled and stormed out.

“Get those fucking cameras off my face!” she screamed at the people taking photos but it didn't stop, instead the flashes increased.

Jace stood at one corner of the large environment and observed.

“Still the same short tempered lady,” he muttered to himself.

“Sir?” Serex said quickly.

Jace turned to him. He had totally forgotten about his assistant.

Before he could say a word, the system flashed before him.

|[Have your first conference meeting with the board of directors]

|[Reward: An upgraded inventory]

|[Penalty: If you fail to do the task, you will lose 50% of your assets]

On seeing this, Jace scoffed. “Easy.”

“What is, sir?” Serex asked with a confused look.

Jace immediately cleared his throat, “Nothing,” he then added to him, “set up a meeting with the board of directors.”

“I can't believe the system would give me such easy tasks.” He said to himself when Serex was gone.

He was confident that if things continue as they were, he would complete every task. But was every task going to be this easy?

Well, he had no idea. He was unaware of what had been laid out for him.