Definitely.
“You look familiar.”
Henry said:
“I don't.”
Corbin’s smile thinned.
“Interesting.”
He left.
Henry waited until the door closed.
Then looked at Alexandra.
“He knows me.”
“You're sure?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“I don't know.”
Alexandra exhaled.
“Then find out.”
For six hours, Henry disappeared into systems.
Code.
Logs.
Power curves.
Environmental test sequences.
He forgot hunger.
Forgot time.
Forgot Clinton.
Forgot rent.
The work took over.
And Alexandra watched from the glass wall periodically.
At 8:30, she brought coffee.
Henry did not notice until she put it beside him.
“You haven't eaten.”
“I will.”
“When?”
“When the problem gets less interesting.”
“That isn't how food works.”
“Coffee counts.”
“No.”
She placed a sandwich down.
Henry looked.
“CEO duties?”
“I delegate.”
“To yourself?”
“Apparently.”
He took a bite.
Alexandra leaned against the desk.
“Anything?”
“Yes.”
Her expression changed.
“What?”
“The failure isn't accidental.”
“You're sure?”
“Almost.”
“Show me.”
Henry rotated the screen.
“Normal control code manages power requests through multiple safety gates.”
“Here.”
He pointed.
“This one branch behaves differently only when four environmental conditions align.”
“Could be bad coding.”
“Could.”
“But this.”
He enlarged a section.
“This pattern.”
“What?”
“It’s mine.”
Alexandra stared.
“What do you mean?”
“I wrote this architecture eleven years ago.”
Silence.
Henry opened another file.
Old Dynatech material Alexandra had authorized him to access.
He placed the windows side by side.
Same logic.
Same sequence.
Modified variable names.
One branch altered.
Alexandra whispered:
“Somebody used your code.”
“Not just used.”
“Corrupted.”
“Why?”
Henry leaned back.
“To make it fail.”
“And because my name remains on the oldest architecture…”
Alexandra understood.
“If anyone traces the concept backward…”
“They find me.”
“The disgraced engineer whose design already supposedly failed once.”
Henry smiled bitterly.
“Convenient.”
Alexandra looked at him.
“Corbin.”
“Probably.”
“Can you prove it?”
“Give me time.”
“You have tonight.”
Henry resumed working.
At 11:14, Bonnie called.
Henry answered instantly.
“Hey.”
“Are you fixing the rich lady’s car?”
Alexandra heard from across the room.
Henry looked at her.
“She’s fixing her company.”
Bonnie said:
“Is she there?”
“Yes.”
“Can I talk to her?”
Henry frowned.
“Why?”
“Because.”
Alexandra held out her hand.
Henry reluctantly gave her the phone.
“Hello?”
Bonnie’s voice came loudly enough that Henry heard:
“Are you really a CEO?”
Alexandra smiled.
“Last I checked.”
“Do you boss people?”
“Constantly.”
“Do they listen?”
“Rarely.”
Bonnie laughed.
“Dad doesn't either.”