The Hunter Robotics boardroom was deathly quiet. The soft hum of the air-conditioning in the room was the only break in the silence. I looked around the oval table at the members of the board, people who served as both my staunchest allies and my biggest challengers at the same time. I saw worry and concern on their faces.

Gordon Beckett had a frown on his face. His lips were pursed, his hands folded together in front of him. I could tell he was deep in thought.

Robert Mayer stood up and went next to Rina Tanaka as they both moved to the head of the table.

"My, my, what a rather interesting turn of events," remarked Death. He wasn't smiling then, just the slightest hint of one, perhaps, but like everyone else in the room, he was probably wondering what happened.

I sat in my chair glaring at Rina, but I didn't say a word. I was going to let this unfold for me first. I needed to gather information, find out what exactly this new situation meant for me. That Robert had betrayed us was evident. But I still couldn't figure out what his purpose was.

"It appears you have some explaining to do Robert," said Gordon Beckett in a dry tone. "Were you planning this all along?"

"I think we should start by hearing what Rina Tanaka has to say," said Robert.

"I think we should start by hearing from Hunter Robotics' CEO and majority shareholder, Robert," Gordon insisted. "Did you betray everyone here? Were you involved in Vanessa Hunter's death?"

"Those are some pretty tall accusations, Gordon," Robert responded, his eyes staring coolly into Gordon's. He leaned on the table, laying both hands flat on the surface. It looked like he was about to say something, but changed his mind.

"Alright," Robert shrugged before continuing. "Since you so nicely insisted, Gordon, I will tell you." Robert began to pace the room again. "It is my belief that this merger is in Hunter Robotics' best interests. Merging with a giant pharmaceutical conglomerate with advanced R&D capabilities like Tanaka will be a boon to our business."

Robert paused as Rina Tanaka passed around a set of files for the board to review. She stopped as she got to Death and myself. "Sorry, board members only," she said with a smile.

"Well that's certainly not a good way to treat a potential investor," I remarked.

"You're not an investor, sweetie..." Rina responded in her thick Japanese accent.

Robert began speaking again. "We would gain access to vast amounts of resources, far more than we would have normally had access to. With Tanaka's backing and wherewithal, we could take significant strides toward advancing the nanotechnology division of Hunter Robotics."

"So you want to turn Hunter Robotics into a biotech firm?" asked Steven Rutherford.

"In a way, yes," Robert responded.

"But why keep this from your board?" asked Gordon Beckett.

"To get this to work and minimize exposure, I couldn't get your advice on this. I am sorry, old friend. I realize how awful this might look, but I couldn't have done this any other way."

There was loud knock at the door and one of the secretaries walked in, a young attractive woman dressed smartly in a conservative black and gray striped suit. "I'm sorry for interrupting," she said. "There is a Daniel Ashcroft here that says he has something important to say to the group."

My heart stopped.

No Daniel.

Stay away.

This wasn't already a precarious situation, but Daniel turning up at this time made it far worse. I've never doubted Daniel's corporate acumen or his presence of mind in most business settings. In fact, there were several times in the past when his sixth sense for business had come in handy for me.

What worried me more, was that when it came to me - to matters that involved Vanessa Hunter - he was far more likely to jump to the wrong conclusion and equally as likely to utterly mess things up.

Daniel walked into the room, and I could tell he was already impatient. I saw those beautiful blue eyes survey the room. He had to have known what was going on, even without any cues from me. Daniel was no fool. I saw his eyes go from Robert Mayer to Rina Tanaka. I knew in that moment that he understood the significance of the situation. But I was entirely unprepared for his response.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Board of Hunter Robotics," Daniel began, and it was one of the things we had practiced long ago. Daniel and I had been groomed from an early age to say the right things. We knew that certain things were expected of us; that we had to behave in a certain way.

I fought those expectations a lot harder than Daniel did back in the day. After all, he had siblings. The situation for a first-born son of the Ashcroft Dynasty was different from mine. He had big shoes to fill, and his job was a lot harder than mine. Donovan Hunter was hardly a household name when I was growing up, but the Ashcrofts name was a lot to live up to. A name with a heavy burden attached to it.

Still, it was clear Daniel was walking into a firetrap; a perfect combination of a situation he didn't understand and was ill-equipped to deal with, compounded by the fact that he was blind and vulnerable to the many individuals pitting their interests against each other. I couldn't blame him however, Daniel had lost me once already, and the memory of that loss was far too close to home for him to easily forget. This weakness alone made him considerably easy prey for someone like Rina Tanaka.

"I wish to make a counteroffer," Daniel said finally, and my heart stopped.

"Daniel," I said, looking at him, hoping he could see the concern in my eyes.

He looked at me sternly as if to tell me not to say another word, and I knew better than to argue with him.

I shot a quick glance at Death and noted again, just the slightest hint of a smile from the enigmatic being who had taken everything I had known and turned it on its head. I was annoyed, angry even, but part of me was impressed as always at how calm he was, even in the most dangerous of situations.

"Daniel Ashcroft," Gordon Beckett began, "it is strictly out of respect for the association between Donovan Hunter and your father that we continue to tolerate this charade," he said in a monotone voice that did little to betray his emotions. "And you, young lady," he continued, addressing Rina Tanaka, "have some nerve to just waltz in here and lay claim to a company that has taken a lifetime to build. No," Gordon Beckett said as he pounded his fist on the table, "this board will not be bullied into submission, nor will it partake in the silly political finagling that is occurring at this moment. Had Vanessa..." he paused for a moment, unsure of what to say, "Had Vanessa been alive, she would have said..."

"This is such bullshit!" I said.

The room erupted in an uproar.

"Ah, I knew you'd manage get yourself in trouble one way or another, cherie," Death remarked as he winked at me.

All eyes were on me once again. My angry outburst had gotten everyone's attention big time. Still, I was hoping that the way I had said it would remind them of the old me. Of Vanessa Hunter. The real leader and rightful owner of Hunter Robotics. I would have only once chance at this. I had the strangest feeling in my gut. My heart pounded as I realized I know had the biggest piece of the puzzle solved. Everything suddenly made sense.

"Listen, I know I'm the one person in this room that everyone distrusts universally." I said the words slowly, deliberately, doing what I could to hide the excitement I felt at the realization I had just reached. "As the person shorting Hunter Robotics, I have the poorest bargaining chip right now. I'm all the way at the end of the table and everyone else is at least on the opposite side of that." I stood up and began pacing the same way Vanessa would.

Come on dammit everyone, recognize; remember. Realize who it is standing before you.

I couldn't tell them outright, but I could certainly give them clues.

"Donovan Hunter founded Hunter Robotics with noble goals. To further the human race, to make things better for the common man. Over time, that goal has been muddied. Things changed. The nanotechnology division began to take precedence over everything. Why is that?"

"Donovan wanted to focus on miniaturization," said Robert.

"Donovan wanted to focus on something else," I responded.

I could feel the energy in the room. This was a highly charged situation and I was playing with fire at the moment. I needed to be careful with this. If I played my cards wrong, I could end up turning this into a dangerous situation for everyone in the room. My heart raced and I struggled to stay focused.

"I ask only for a favor, and then I promise you, Haley Wellington will bow out of the race, and will henceforth cease my involvement with Hunter Robotics."

"What is the favor you are asking of the board?" Gordon Beckett's calm and resolute voice cut through the uproar.

"I wish to speak to Robert Mayer alone. Five minutes is all I need."

There was silence as the board deliberated on my request. I looked around the room. It didn't take long for the board to make up their minds. I saw people nodding heads. As odd as my request was, I knew it would work. After all, everyone was unanimous in their desire to get rid of Haley Wellington. My mother's plan continued to work brilliantly, even past what we had originally planned for.

"Very well, Ms. Wellington you shall have your five minutes and then some. The board will break for recess and reconvene in ten minutes.

I looked around the room as the board members got up, dumbfounded. I saw curious looks on their faces as they passed me. Rina Tanaka glowered at me as she passed, but I knew there was nothing she could do. I smiled back at her with all the charm I could muster.

I noted a look of concern on my mother's face and I smiled at her to reassure he I knew what I was doing. Daniel looked at me grimly as well, but I shook my head to let him know everything was going to be alright.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Death who was last to leave the room. "Hope you know what you're doing cherie. Still, I will be here waiting in case you need me."

Death walked slowly, and closed the door finally behind him.

It was finally time.

Robert and I were alone in the room. Robert looked at me with a puzzled expression on my face, and I smiled sweetly at him.

"I still remember the one day you took me out to Belmont Harbor," I said slowly. "It wasn't a typical day," I paused to point up at the sky. "The skies were overcast, the day was ripe for a storm. It wasn't the usual trip for you and I." I stopped to look at Robert Mayer. "Don't you remember? I think I was maybe nine at the time."

"Ms. Wellington, I'm not quite sure I follow," Robert began.

"Looking back on it all," I said, ignoring what Robert said, "I think that was one of the the few times when I realized you'd changed." I paused again, waiting to see what effect my words would have. "You said something to me back then, that puzzled me. As the rain fell, and we continued to stay out at sea, the lightning flashing in the sky and the thunder rumbling as the waves rocked the boat angrily." I paused again as the anger in my voice continued to mount. "You said, 'the time had come for man to break out of his shell'." I smiled once more at Robert.

"I'm afraid, I don't..." Robert tried to say something again.

"But I fully understand now what your words back then meant," I said, cutting Robert off before I walked right up to him stared deeply into his eyes.

"It was you. It's always been you all along. You never left. I guess we finally meet again, Dad."

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