A STARTUP THRILLER NOVEL BIG DATA

Prologue 

If you think artificial intelligence is dangerous , then you don't know the real threat to humanity's future. 

Isabella Jordan is the founder of the hottest artificial intelligence startup in history. She's about to become incredibly rich and powerful. But just when she's about to get her company publish , her world begins to fall apart. 

On the day of her startup' IPO, a stock exchange shooter plummets Isabella into a downward spiral toward a threat menacingly that she ever imagined possibj]le. Faced with losing her company her entire world, Isabella searches for answers to a series of terrifying accusations. Failing to uncover the truth could destroy her company.....but success could get her killed. 

Big data is a fresh approach to the artificial intelligence sci-fi-thriller. If you like fast -paced action, heart-stopping tension, and tech -filled worlds set in the near future ,then you'll love Sylvia Eaton's first novel. 

     Chapter 1 

I was at the Wizag stock exchange to ring the opening bell when I saw the gunman. Damon grabbed my shoulder and when I turned , he was moving his lips. But I couldn't make out his words in all chaos. 

I meet Damon that morning. I'd been instructed to come to the stock exchange es side, a nondescript door in an alleyway. 

'' I'm your liaison ,'' Damon said , grinning wide. He pulled out a business card. 

'' Been here before ?"

I shook my head and brushed my hair off my face. I took the card handing him one of my own. For ten years , I'd been handing out the same cards. But this would be one of the last that still read ''CEO ''

'' Well , I guess everyone sees the trading floor. I'll give you real behind the scene tour.'' 

I said , '' It's every entrepreneur's dream to do this once in their career.'' 

Damon let out a high pitched laugh. 

''I have good feeling you'll be doing this more than once.''

Damon held the door open for me, and I stepped into a small concrete room with a security guard in one corner and an old timecard machine on the wall. 

The guard checked my ID , patted me down and waved me through. Damon guided me through the cement corridors. The doors were all red, the same shade of a barn and unmarked. It felit like a maze.

'' I have to admit , I'm pretty nervous.''

'' Oh, don't be. Tons of people ring the bell. Opening and Cllosing. Twice a day , everyday. I mean , your'e still a big deal , don't get me wrong. It's not every day we get a high powered CEO walking through these doors. Yesterday it was Mr Nitin Dessai from Tech San Box. He's an adorable man with his nose up the air. A great Butler and a Dealer. Believe it or not. But all you have to do is press the green button.''' 

I wasn't nervous about pressing a button. I was nervous because ringing the best was my last official duty as CEO OF Dream High. It was my last day. The board of directors have already hired the new guy , and he'd been shadowing me in meetings. Greetings to know the staff working on smaller projects here ans there. In just a few more hours the sun would rise on the East and Brandon hillary would officially take my place. 

'' Is Brandon here?" I asked. 

''He got here an hour ago. He's waiting in the coffee room. Didn't want the tour , just the wifi password. 

Can I introduce you to our head of IT?" 

Brandon probably wanted a head start on his new position. No doubt he was writing a barrage of important emails to important people. After all , that's what I should have been doing. 

'' No'' 

Damon scrunched his nose and looked awkwardly down at his watch. '' Oh well. I didn't realize how late it was. 

Need the restroom?

'' That be great.'' 

Poor guy, Taking life so seriously , Rules. Schedules. Why didn't more people realize how silly it all was ? Impossible bosses. Impossible family members. Impossible strangers. Everyone trying to please everyone else. It wasn't until I stopped playing by other peoples rules and started making my own that I got anywhere in life.

The only thing that diffrentiated the bathroom door from all the others was that its red color was broken up by a small brown - stenciled woman. 

'' If you can, make it fast. You need to do your hair and makeup fast. Damon said as I walked in. 

I stood infront of the mirror in a cold sweat . Maybe there was still time to break out. What if I just didn't show up ? Maybe they wouldn't ring the bell, and the IPO wouldn't go through. My Company would stay mine. Then I realize how crazy i sounded., and I splashed some cold water on my face. I had to get it together. This was going to happen the train had already left the station. There was no turning back.This was merely a formality. If I didn't ring the bell Brandon would take my company public , and he would take all the credit. Grab all the glory from the decade of hard work. I poured into this company. 

Dream High was not my passion it was my Obsession. It was to to lift up the youths into becoming a better CEO and growing their businesses. It was my first startup that I had shed my blood for. I begged for investors and went beyond to bring Dream High to where is it now. Ten years and this is how the board thanked me ? By replacing me ? Ofcourse they didn't call it that. But that's what it was. 

There was a knock on the door. 

''Miss Jordan, are you okay in there ?"

'' Coming" 

'' Isabella , happy to see you , ''Brandon said.'

I forced a smile but said nothing. The place was buzzing we stood on a raised platform overlooking the trading floor. It smelt like sweat and money. The air conditioners blast behind my neck , which usually would have bothered me but today the cold air felt fresh under the spot lights. 

'' Okay , you two ,'' said Damon . '' The cameras are over there .'' He pointed toward the center of the trading floors ceiling. I could barely make them out, nestled between the blue - screened monitors hanging everywhere .'' You don't need to say anything , just smile , wave and push the button. 

Brandon waved at men on the floor. The perfect politico. A sea of suits were finally talking to each other. In a few minutes , when the bell rang , it would be chaos. But in that moment , there was nothing to do but hang out. A few of them even waved back. 

It's easy . There are three buttons . At nine thirty , press the green button and the bell goes off . If the green button doesn't work , push the red button.'' 

''What's the third button for ?" I asked . 

Damon cocked his head and squinted.

'' You two will be great . Just remember to relax and smile. Two minutes to showtime,'' he said. I'll be waiting behind the curtains.''

I was not ready this was not right . Such a stupid event. This was not how it was supposed to happen . Why was I doing this ? Just rolling over and giving up my company without a fight. A company I had worked so hard to build from nothing . I'd been warned-been told to be careful about who I let on to the board of directors. But everytime we raised money , it was a deal- breaker if the investor wasn't given a seat . And now I had to lie bed of my own making . 

'' Everything okay?" You look nervous .

I didn't respond . 

Brandon had a warm and gentle demeanor, but I had spent enough time with him to see it was alll a facade. He was a rat. No, a supet rat. Everyone else had bought the act, but not me. He didn't like other people more than I did - he just knew how to hide it better. Sure, it was easy to like him. He was so damn good at being phony .But deep inside , I knew this guy was a total jerk . 

'' You know, you've done an amazing job in building this company . I have to admit, I've always been jealous of people like you. Founders who can create something to be proud of . I promise I will do everything I can to take good care of it . But today is all about you, Isabella, Enjoy your moment.''

As Brandon spoke , I could feel the fast thud of my heart through the echo of his voice. The light on the dashboard turned green this was it. It was time to press the button. The crowd below me began to yell . I reached my hand toward the button and froze. That was when I saw the gunman.

                             Chapter 2

I stood there in shock , watching the mob of men on the trading floor yelling and pushing against eachother, trying to get away. I saw a small man with a long nose fall flat on the floor one moment , and the next moment, he was trampled by a stamplede of suits . Those on the outside of the crowd didn't know what to do . For the most part , they stood still , blocking the exits of the people near the gunman . 

But in the center of the crowd , space cleared as if it were Moses , parting the Red sea . Alone in the middle of the mass of people , stood a tall black man holding a gun in one hand and something I couldn't make out in the other . Around his torso , he'd stapped a bomb. I could only guess that's the object he held was a dead man's switch. If someone killed him  the bomb would go off instantly .But the man looked just as terrified as those trying to flee. He wasn't moving . Just holding his hands high in the air and screaming . I couldn't understand what he was saying ; the room was filled with so much noise. 

'' Brandon, let's go . Let's go out of here.'' I cried. But Brandon was no longer at my side. 

Damon grabbed my shoulder . But I couldn't make out his words in the sea of sound. I shouted into his ear. 

'' Where's Brandon ?"

Damon shook his head. 

A group of makeup artists and cameramen peered around the curtain. 

'' Come on people ,'' I yelled . They seem mesemerized. 

I heard a loud pop. Then two more in quick succession. My feet started moving before my brain processed what was happening .The screams became frantic. Even after the shots had been fired ,most people still weren't running .They were just watching the events unfold as if this were some reality Tv Show . 

I ran for the exit and made my way into an empty concrete corridor. There I found Brandon. He was on the phone but I couldn't hear what he was saying .I tried to get him to come with me , but he refused , looking angry and turning away. And as I said he was a total jerk . 

Somewhere along the way I had lost Damon . For a moment . I considered going back for him. But my instincts told me I needed to get out of there as quickly as possible. 

I dashed past two men in suits running in the opposite direction. I considered if they were running toward from the action or away from it. I tried to ask them which way I needed to go in order to get out , but they didn't stop and soon disappeared around a corner . 

The thick concrete walls blocked all but the most immediate of sounds . I heard only my own footsteps . I imagined people still screaming on the trading floor . I imagined more gunshots . Or did I actually hear them ? I couldn't tell I thought I knew where I was going, but the corridors all looked the same. I stopped and turned around . 

Then I heard footsteps

'' Damon?"

No reply. The footsteps got louder. 

'' Damon is that you ?"

A man came around the corner., breathing heavily. He walked with a pronounced limp, and there was blood on his leg. He was young. Maybe nineteen or twenty. Just a kid. 

'' Isabella ?" he said . I recognized him. It was the shooter.  The kid was tall and lean . I didn't see a gun, but I tried to scream anyway. Nothing came out . I told my feet to run , but they wouldn't . I was paralyzed . My mind froze. All I could do was watch in terror as this young man approached me . He looked like he wanted something. He wanted me. 

My legs sprung into action, and I was off. I whirled around and sprinted down the hallway. With his limp, I had a good chance of living if I could only keep these hallways straight. This maze of concrete would literally be the death of me . 

I turned to another corner and stopped to catch my breath. To listen . For a moment, I thought I was safe. Then I heard the limping thuds. He was running faster than when i first heard him. I looked around . I was in a short corridor with a dead end on one side , and a long hallway on the other. I couldn't see what was at the end of the corridor. 

I turned into the dead -end and ducked into the last doorway  I could find . I tried the door. It was locked . I thought about running for the next one over, but before I could, there he was. Why was he following me ? Why wasn't he trying to escape ?  How did he know my name? I held my breath and made myself as small as possible against the door. I heard no footsteps . He must have stopped. 

'' Isabella,  I need to talk to you.'' His voice was thick with terror. 

'' This is not what it looks like.'' 

I squeezed my eyes shut so hard they hurt. I kept telling myself . I was invisible . I wasn't there . This was happening . He would move on. 

At last , he started running again. I didn't dare take a breath yet , but I thanked God and promised Him that I would  go right back to church the moment this was over. 

Then my phone rang . The ringtone echoed the empty hall . Immediately I started fumbling to hurt it off . It was Brandon. Damn Brandon of course. I managed to shut it off . But the gun man  heard . He was coming back   Quickly. 

    

                                Chapter 3

'' Please let me explain.'' 

In the last few seconds before the gunman arrived. I reached into my pockets . My dad always insisted that I should carry mace everywhere. It was on my to-do list , but I had never gotten around buying it. My fingers wrapped around my keys. Maybe  I could jab them into his eyes. But he was much taller than me, so reach would be a problem. Before I could come to any decisions, he was in front of me. 

'' Stop or I'll mace you.'' 

I held up the only thing in my pocket which was an red apple. ''OMG!" This really seemed ridiculous . What was I doing ? Had I gone insane. 

He bursted out into a loud laughter and paused ......'' I'm not going to hurt you, '' he said.'' I'm not armed.  I just want to talk.'' 

For the first time , I actually looked at this kid . He was on the brink of tears . He looked and spoke more like an mature man than a crazed lunatic kid. 

'' I swear , move or I'll spray.'' 

'' I'm sorry , I know this isn't ideal , but this was the only way I could think of to getting your attention. I've been trying to contact you for months . I tried getting in touch with everyone at Dream High , but nobody would listen . I tried talking to the police ,  but they laughed me out of the room. I'm a nobody. You're the only who understands. You've got to believe me - I'm desperate . I knew you'd be here for the IPO , but I couldn't figure out any other way to get your attention.'' 

'' Shooting people ?"

'' I didn't shoot anyone .'' 

'' I heard the shots.''

''Someone shot me . That's why I'm bleeding . All I had was a toy gun and spray - printed toilet  paper rolls.'' 

He  pulled back his overcoat  to show the bomb. Up close , it was clearly not a bomb. I lowered my apple . Slightly. 

'' What could possibly be so important that you had to talk to me like this ?" I asked. 

But a thundering roar interrupted us . '' Freeze . Put your hands in the air.'' 

He quickly handed be a small paper . 

A SWAT  team filled  the small corridor . They looked like a group of aliens  to me .  Every inch of their bodies was covered ,  and they wrore strange marks over their faces. Sounds of boots on concrete filled the air. 

'' On the floor . Hands behind your head.'' 

The kid lifted  his hands slowly , looking resigned. 

'' Isabella , please . You have to help me its a matter of life and death . 

'' Shut up , yelled the leader of the SWAT  team. He kicked Theback of the kids legs, knocking him to the ground. '' Hands behind your head.'' 

They pushed the boy to the ground and handcuffed him . As they hauled him from the corridor,  he yelled back ; find me in the woods. '' 

I stood there mesmerized. I quickly opened up the  small piece of paper which he handed me, which read, ''    WE ARE LIKE BOOKS. WE WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO FIND US AND OPEN US TO SEE WHAT'S INSIDE.'' 

My heart raced rapidly the words echoed over and over again . It played in mind like the musical chair .

'' How could I not realize .'' It's Him !"

                            Chapter 4 

The rain  had stopped . The sun had come out with a new brightness . The universe had shifted , making the cards fall into place . The birdhouse kept  swinging from  its pivot point , happier than a moment ago because her secrets were finally out . This is where it had all started. 

I quickly ran behind the SWAT team . '' Stop !'' I yelled , How do you know these lines ?  '' Is it you , Steve ?"  '' How do you know these lines ?" I He did not answer. I considered him telling me the truth but something was stopping him, something that had stopped him all these years ever since we crossed paths .  That face. Steve's face . The anger in it . The realization of betrayal . The realization of being lied to. 

'' Please answer me ,'' I said with tears rolling down with my eyes . '' Please say something.'' 

'' Yes your right ,'' Steve said , not able to  take it anymore . '' I'm......He paused .'' 

..............................................................................

Like every other  former Wizag  Cop that  morning , Tom Wright  had already heard plenty  about the case on the news . That crazy kid carrying a fake gun and toilet paper rolls. He knew about the unknown shooter who'd almost kill the super kid. The NRA was on TV calling him a national hero. The press had already decided it must have been one of the floor traders with a concealed weapon . But Tom knew guns were not allowed in the stock exchage. No , this had to be something different . 

'' The guy's gone off deep end .'' said  Zaine Smith. '' I mean this is Vizag . I've seen more than my shares of crazies , but this one's a real piece of work . Keeps talking about conspiracies . How tons of people will die if he doesn't talk to Isabella Jordan.'' 

'' Where's his lawyer ?" asked Tom. 

Didn't wan't one. We've been talking to him for four hours straight . Won't eat or drink . Won't tell us his name or anything  about himself . No ID . Fingerprints didn't match anything in the database . We need to figure this out as we are getting no where. '' 

'' Where's Isabella Jordan ?" Tom asked. 

'' Dunno.''  

Tom could see that whoever this kid was , he wasn't in a state of mind where regular interrogation tatics would work . 

The cops looked at him . He nodded and they left. The kid was mumbling under his breath. He wasn't paying attention to anyone or anything . He was in his own world . 

Tom sat there quietly for five minutes or so, watching the kid  . He couldn't  pick out any individual words , just the general sound of muttering . The teen rocked slowly back and forth , and his eyes held a thousand -yard stare . 

Slowly and quietly , Tom asked this kid a question. 

'' Wanna see Miss Jordan?" 

Now the kid  made contact . Tom  had hooked the fish ; now it was time to reel it in.

'' I can bring you Isabella , but I'll need something from you first . '' 

This was a trick Tom  had learned  raising his son. His son's inability to articulate what he wanted used  to  make him exceedingly  frustrated when he didn't then get it. 'Although, '' Frustrated'' was a nice euphemism  for what actually used to  happen - flying off the rocker  was more apt . Screaming, throwing things. Tom's ex -wife  hadn't been able to handle those fits . She used to start screaming manically  as the child. 

Tom had learnt to do the opposite . He would keep calm , and in a quiet voice , simply ask his son  if he wanted a strawberry. His boy would stop crying instantly  . He had been understood . Tom knew  that people would cooperate  much more freely when they felt appreciated . Worked at my age . 

'' I'm Tom Wright . I need you to explain what happened this morning . Do that and I will find Isabella . Deal ? "

'' No.''

Progress. Got him talking . Tom  left the room. 

Zaine put a hand on Tom's  arm. '' looks like you're losing your edge.'' 

Tom didn't reply . He went to the other side of the one-way mirror and sat and watched the kid. He was no longer mumbling . No longer rocking  back and forth. Now he was just sitting motionless. 

Kyle and Anna  were sitting at a small  table in the back , drinking coffee out of paper cups. 

'' Nice one, Tom . Smooth work , Deane,''  said kyle  .''Why 'd we even call you in , old man ?"

Tom didn't take  his eyes off the kid in the room. 

''Do your gooddamn job , and I'll do mine ,'' said Tom .'' Go make yourselves useful and find Isabella Jordan.'' 

Kyle walked right up to Tom's face . 

'' Come on ,let's get some more  coffee .'' said Anna. She grabbed his arm and pulled him from the room . Tom remained motionless, staring at the kid. 

After a few more minutes , the kid came up to the window . 

'' Fine , I'll tell you what you want to know . But I'm only going to talk to you . And you better have Isabella back there ready to talk to me when I'm finished. '' 

                           Chapter 5 

Brandon was in a special room at this hotel, designed specifically for high - powered executives  to hold meetings like this. There was a big oak desk in front of Brandon in the frame , but it was empty. 

He said , I'd like to call this emergency  board meeting  for Dream High to order.''