A peragraph was missing at the end I added it
Chapter 20: The Hunt
Day 69, 5:47 AM, and I hadn't slept.
The access logs were spread across my apartment floor, coffee cups stacked on every surface, System running continuous analysis.
[BLACKMAIL ARCHIVE: ANALYSIS COMPLETE]
[SUSPECT PROFILES: 6 ASSOCIATES REVIEWED]
[ANOMALY DETECTED: KYLE DURANT]
[BEHAVIORAL CHANGES: SIGNIFICANT]
I pulled up everything I'd archived about Kyle over the past two months.
New watch—Cartier, approximately $8,000—appeared three weeks ago.
Expensive lunches increased in frequency—went from twice a month to three times a week.
New clothes. Better haircut. Living beyond associate salary.
Someone's funding a lifestyle change.
I cross-referenced the access logs with Wall Street Journal publication timing.
Kyle accessed the merger documents at 2:17 PM on Day 67.
WSJ published at 8:43 PM the same day.
Six and a half hours. Enough time to transmit information, for a journalist to verify and write the story.
[WIN RATE CALCULATOR: PROBABILITY ASSESSMENT]
[KYLE DURANT AS SOURCE: 67% (±15%)]
[CONFIDENCE LEVEL: MODERATE]
[ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE REQUIRED FOR 89% THRESHOLD]
Not enough. Jessica needs certainty, not probability.
I showered, changed, headed to the office by 7:30 AM.
Kyle was already at his desk, looking nervous.
Everyone's nervous. But he's nervous in a different way.
At 2:00 PM, I made my move.
Walked over to Kyle's desk, casual and friendly.
"Nice watch."
Kyle looked up, startled.
"What?"
"The watch. Cartier, right? Tank model?"
His hand instinctively covered it.
"Graduation gift."
[ARGUMENT CRUSHER: ACTIVATED]
[ANALYZING RESPONSE...]
[LIE DETECTED: 0.8 SECOND DELAY, DEFENSIVE BODY LANGUAGE, OVERCOMPENSATION IN CASUALNESS]
[CONFIDENCE: 91%]
I smiled.
"From three months ago? Weird timing for a graduation gift."
Kyle's expression flickered—just for a second, but enough.
I leaned closer, dropped my voice.
"I know you leaked the merger details, Kyle. I can prove it. You have one chance to confess before I take this to Jessica with evidence that'll end your career and possibly trigger criminal charges."
All color drained from his face.
"I don't—you can't—"
"Cartier watch. Expensive lunches. New clothes. You accessed the merger documents six hours before publication. Either you're the world's luckiest investor, or someone's paying you for information."
Kyle's hands started shaking.
"Scott, I didn't mean—it wasn't supposed to—"
"Conference Room C. Five minutes. Come alone or I go to Jessica now."
I walked away before he could respond.
Conference Room C was empty.
I set my phone on the table, opened the recording app, placed it face-down so Kyle wouldn't notice the screen.
Legally questionable. But necessary.
Kyle entered three minutes later, looking like he might vomit.
I gestured to a chair.
"Sit. Talk. And don't lie to me again."
Kyle sat, head in his hands.
"How did you know?"
"Does it matter?"
"I guess not." He took a shaky breath. "A rival firm approached me two months ago. Bratton & Associates. Said they'd pay for inside information on Pearson Hardman deals. Fifty thousand dollars per significant leak."
My stomach turned.
"How many?"
"Three. Small cases first, testing if I'd do it. The Techvance merger was the third."
"Why?"
"Student loans. Credit card debt. My dad got sick, medical bills—" His voice cracked. "I needed the money. I know that's not an excuse, but—"
"It's not an excuse," I agreed, voice cold. "It's a reason. They're different."
Kyle looked up, desperate.
"What are you going to do?"
I let the silence stretch for five seconds.
"You're going to confess to Jessica. Full statement. Every leak, every payment, every contact with Bratton & Associates. You'll exonerate me completely. Then you'll resign."
"They'll press charges—"
"If you do exactly what I say, I won't pursue criminal charges. Jessica and Harvey might, but that's their decision. The alternative is I hand them this recording and recommend maximum prosecution."
Kyle's eyes widened.
"You recorded this?"
"Every word."
More silence.
"Why are you helping me?"
I stood, grabbed my phone.
"I'm not helping you. I'm protecting myself. Your confession is my evidence. Don't mistake mercy for friendship."
I walked to the door, paused.
"You have until 9 AM tomorrow to confess to Jessica. If you don't, I will. And I won't be as generous."
I left him sitting there, shaking.
[MENTAL FATIGUE: 26%]
[SUSTAINED SYSTEM USE: 18 HOURS]
[RECOMMENDED: REST WITHIN 6 HOURS]
Not yet.
Back at my apartment that evening, I sat with my phone, staring at Louis's number.
The efficient move was obvious: take the recording to Jessica tomorrow morning. Clear my name. Let Kyle confess. Move on.
But Louis had betrayed me.
Not maliciously. Out of fear and insecurity and the desperate need to protect himself.
I could destroy him with this. Prove he was wrong to accuse me. Humiliate him in front of Jessica.
Or...
I made my decision.
Texted Louis:
Found the leaker. It's Kyle. Have recorded confession. Meet me tomorrow morning before you talk to Jessica.
His response was immediate.
How did you—
Tomorrow. 7 AM. My desk.
I turned off my phone, leaned back against my couch, and closed my eyes.
[SYSTEM ANALYSIS: CHOICE POINT DETECTED]
[OPTION A: PRESENT EVIDENCE TO JESSICA - MAXIMUM VINDICATION, MINIMAL LOUIS INVOLVEMENT]
[OPTION B: ALLOW LOUIS TO PARTICIPATE IN RESOLUTION - MODERATE VINDICATION, PRESERVES RELATIONSHIP]
[OPTION C: CONFRONT LOUIS FIRST - ADDRESS BETRAYAL DIRECTLY]
[RECOMMENDATION: UNCLEAR - EMOTIONAL VARIABLES DOMINANT]
Revenge or mercy. Vindication or relationship. Proving Louis wrong or teaching him something better.
Tomorrow morning, Louis would learn exactly who Scott Roden was.
And I still wasn't sure which version of myself I'd choose to show him.
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