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Chapters (56)
  1. Front Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. Part One
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. Part Two
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. Part Three
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. Part Four
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. 33
  42. 34
  43. 35
  44. Part Five
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. 38
  48. 39
  49. 40
  50. 41
  51. 42
  52. 43
  53. Epilogue
  54. Acknowledgments
  55. About the Author
  56. Back Cover

“I’m sure you’re all wondering how things at Moncha are going to progress from now on. Most of you heard my press conference last week. Of course, I have resumed my position as CEO of the Moncha Corp. Team Happiness has been disbanded and, after thorough interviews and investigations, it’s clear that most employees were kept in the dark about the team’s true objective. Eric Smith kept the circle extremely small. The fault lay at his feet alone.” At this, her gaze falls solely on Carter. “I know it’s been a difficult week for you, Carter, and I thank you for all your help. Eric has given himself up voluntarily to the authorities, and he is being processed as we speak. The likelihood is that he will spend the rest of his life in prison.”

“As long as I get my mom back, then that’s what he deserves,” Carter says, sticking out his chin defiantly. I have to admire him. I can’t imagine what it would be like to know that my dad was behind a plot like this—and that I might never see him again, except behind the bars of a prison cell. Deserving or not, it’s got to be tough if that’s your parent.

Monica continues: “As you’ve probably noticed, your old teacher Derek Baird is here. He is a senior VP at BRIGHTSPRK. Plans are full steam ahead to work with him and his team at BRIGHTSPRK, the city, and other big technology companies to come up with proper legislation to regulate the advanced technology we’re all developing at lightning speed. But one step we’ve taken is the formation of an impartial board, who will oversee all the developments here at Moncha Corp—total transparency. And Paul here, one of my former board members, is going to oversee that. It’s clear I wasn’t careful enough in planning for the time of my demise, whether that’s accidental or done through malice. We need better protections in place, so that we can protect the future of bakus—and the future of all of us—going forward.”

“So…you’re not going to have total control anymore?” I ask Monica.

She shakes her head.

“Won’t you find that hard?”

She smiles. “The bakus were always going to outlast me, Lacey. That was always the plan. One day, one way or another. I’ve always known that. I selfishly thought I could do everything all on my own and still be the creator and innovator I’ve always been. But I took my eye off the ball, and someone took advantage of me. We need people who aren’t going to do that. This is the right thing to do. The right way forward.

“And Moncha Corp is never going to let you down again.”

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