Chapter 9 - A New Management
At 9:00 AM on Monday morning, the glass doors of Whitmore Global Logistics opened.
Employees lined the corridors in tense, whispered huddles. News of Arthur Whitmore’s sudden resignation and Julian Vance’s arrest had broken across the financial news networks over the weekend, leaving the six thousand workers terrified for their jobs and their futures.
In the central atrium, Claire Whitmore sat on a waiting couch near the security desk, wearing plain clothes, looking hollow and completely stripped of her former glamour. Her luxury apartment had been repossessed by the bank, her personal accounts frozen pending court review.
The private elevator doors chimed open.
Maya stepped out, wearing a tailored charcoal-gray suit, flanked by a team of senior restructuring managers and corporate attorneys from Reed-Vance Capital.
The entire lobby went completely silent.
Maya walked past the security desk, pausing briefly in front of Claire.
Claire looked up, her eyes wide, holding her hands tightly in her lap. "Maya... are you... are you going to shut the whole company down?"
Maya looked at her calmly.
"No," Maya said. "Reed-Vance Capital has officially executed an emergency bailout acquisition. We are restructuring the company, purging the corrupt management, and protecting every single warehouse job, pension, and healthcare plan."
Claire let out a ragged breath, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Thank you... thank you..."
"Don't thank me yet, Claire," Maya added flatly. "Your father is facing federal charges, but because you were not listed as an officer of the company, you won't be charged. However, all assets purchased with fraudulent corporate funds have been returned to the company estate."
Maya signaled to her HR director, who stepped forward holding a clip-board.
May you like
"If you want an income, Claire," Maya said softly, "our facilities department is currently hiring night-shift file clerks in our secondary fulfillment center in Gary, Indiana. Minimum wage. Forty hours a week."
Claire stared at the floor, swallowed her pride, and nodded slowly. "I'll take it."
