Chapter 2

I opened the email. The enormous bolded headline practically stung my eyes.

The email read, "In recognition of Hank Zucker's exceptional leadership and strategic vision in the SkyDome AI Project, the board of directors has unanimously approved the following awards and promotions.

"Hank will receive the Outstanding Contribution Gold Award for the year, along with a bonus of 50 thousand dollars. He will be promoted to Vice President of Technology..."

Hank's name appeared repeatedly throughout the email, surrounded by one flowery phrase after another. One would think he'd single-handedly pulled off the entire project, working tirelessly around the clock and pouring his heart and soul into it.

As for my team and me, we were merely given a single passing mention at the very end.

"We would also like to thank all members of the project team for their hard work and dedication."

They didn't even bother to list our names.

A coworker beside me let out a gasp. "50 thousand dollars! Holy crap, Mr. Zucker just hit the jackpot!"

"He's a VP now! From now on, we'll have to call him Vice President Zucker!"

"Following the right boss really makes all the difference. Look at how lucky he is!"

50 thousand dollars...

He'd called my three thousand dollars in overtime pay an insult to workplace relationships. However, he had no problem pocketing a handsome bonus of 50 thousand dollars himself.

Even more ridiculously, HR summoned me for a meeting that afternoon.

Inside a small, windowless conference room, an HR representative named Erica Jones handed me a performance evaluation form with an expressionless face.

"Mickey, here's your performance review for this quarter."

I took it and looked straight at the final rating. There was a big, bright red "C", which essentially meant my performance was rated unsatisfactory.

Under the section for comments, it read, "Excessive individualism. Lack of team spirit and dedication. Undue concern for personal gain. Poor alignment with the company's core values."

Erica explained in a rehearsed and matter-of-fact tone, "According to company policy, employees who receive a C rating will forfeit all quarterly bonuses and be subject to temporary reassignment and a performance observation period. In other words, you've lost your bonus for this quarter."

I almost laughed out loud.

I argued, "I led the project that generated over a hundred million dollars in potential business value for this company, and my performance is considered unsatisfactory? I spent an entire month living at the office, sleeping only three hours a night. And you're telling me I lack dedication?"

Erica adjusted her glasses, her tone as flat as ever. "This evaluation came from your direct supervisor, Mr. Zucker... Oh, sorry. He's Vice President Zucker now. Our job is simply to notify you. If you disagree with the assessment, you can discuss it with Mr. Zucker."

Go talk to him? So that I could humiliate myself all over again?

I held the thin sheet of paper in my hand. Somehow, it felt like it weighed a thousand pounds.

When I walked out of the conference room, the atmosphere in the office had changed completely. The coworkers who used to crowd around my desk asking for help now avoided me like I was the plague. They went out of their way to avoid me.

At lunchtime, I carried my tray over to our usual table, only to find that the people I normally ate with had quietly moved to another one.

I was an island, completely cut off from everyone else. I could clearly hear their whispers coming from a nearby table.

"Did you hear? Mickey got a C on his performance review."

"Serves him right. Who told him to go against Mr. Zucker and demand that lousy overtime pay?"

"Exactly. He's too young and doesn't know how things work. He's just ruined his entire career."

"Better stay away from him. I don't want Mr. Zucker thinking we're on his side."

Some coworkers these were. At the first sign of trouble, it was every man for himself.

I finished my lunch alone. The food on my tray might as well have been cardboard. I couldn't taste a thing.

That afternoon, Hank emerged from his new office. He looked positively triumphant, with several sycophantic subordinates trailing behind him. As he passed my desk, he stopped and looked down at me.

Hank said, "Mickey, you've seen your performance review, haven't you? Don't let it get to you. You're still young. A little tough love will do you good. I'm only doing this for your benefit."

He wore a fake smile, and his eyes were filled with contempt and a silent warning.

I lowered my gaze to my keyboard. "Thank you for the advice, Mr. Zucker... I mean, Vice President Zucker. I'll remember it."

Apparently, he thought I was backing down. With a satisfied grunt, he turned and marched off with his entourage.

Fine. I'd remember this.

Not only would I remember every last detail, but I'd make sure he paid for every last bit of it.

I closed all my work windows and opened a black code editor. New lines of code began appearing on the screen, one after another.