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 possible. 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.