The boardroom filled once again with the hum of static. Corporate executives from across the globe were assembled for an emergency feed, though a certain specialist was conspicuously absent. No one brought it up; he had been dismissed weeks prior, and a "curious accident" involving a coconut crab had cut his vacation short, removing him permanently from the payroll. No questions were asked. Everyone understood the protocol when an employee knew too much and money lost its leverage.
Most of the board complained bitterly about their financial losses, which represented a massive chunk of their bloated budgets for R&D, marketing, and supply-chain expansion. Production lines worldwide were being crippled by various animal species that, once released without foresight, were causing permanent damage to civil infrastructure and corporate profit margins.
The executives representing the Asian market laughed bitterly. In the rest of the world, civilians still had a fighting chance to evade the swine or mount a reasonable defense. But in Asia—particularly in high-demand pork markets, where genetic programs had produced giant black boars with dense muscle tissue and extreme survival instincts—the outbreak had turned into a slaughter. Tanks and armored vehicles struggled to hold lines against herds extending to the horizon, while urban populations were powerless to assist rural farmers armed only with hoes and bamboo spears. Fortuitously, vast desert expanses and rugged terrain kept the herds away from select industrial zones, offering a faint hope of military preparation or the option to sacrifice more eastern blood to defend the Party.
In Europe, reinforced concrete architecture minimized human casualties, but poor emergency protocols left populations confined to sealed structures with failing ventilation and unstable power grids. This exposed residents not only to hybrid bee swarms, but to severe drainage blockages caused by ornamental fish species. Released en masse, the aquatic pests abandoned clear ponds to feed on urban sewage, clogging filtration plants and contaminating municipal water supplies across the continent.
After enduring waves of complaints, the corporate leader restored order. His first directive amidst the global chaos was to order the finest reserve liquor to be served to the board. Though no one understood the motive, an order from the top was executed without question.
Crystal glasses were filled with aged spirits. The board members held their drinks, waiting for the toast.
—Rejoice, gentlemen... We have officially entered the most lucrative era in the history of this corporation.
No one dared to drink or applaud, though a few mid-level directors felt compelled to nod along with the man who approved their compensation packages.
—Don't you see it? —the CEO asked calmly—. Pay attention. Land Acquisitions and Infrastructure Division: what is the status of our territorial buyouts?
—Across every major territory, vast tracts of land lie abandoned. No government or private firm wants to fund reconstruction after the attacks, —the division head reported.
—Excellent. As of today, we are terminating our "altruistic" funding for independent hunting groups. They will cease operating as freelancers and be absorbed into our private security force under direct corporate command. Supply Chain Management: where do we stand on acquiring foundries, concrete plants, and construction fleets?
—Competitors are bankrupt, and regional governments refuse to underwrite liability insurance for construction crews operating in high-risk zones. We have purchased their production assets at pennies on the dollar.
—We are standing before the largest commercial monopoly in human history, and you are failing to grasp it. Intelligence and Security: status of the telecommunications acquisition? Specifically those fools who attempted to sabotage our infrastructure.
The head of corporate security allowed himself a thin smile:
—We secured controlling shares in at least two major satellite networks. We will offer communications at cost under the guise of a "public relief initiative" to repair the damage caused by their former board... who have quietly retired from public life.
—Outstanding, gentlemen. Now, allow me to present the master plan we have been engineering for the past three years.
The primary display shifted to a promotional visual: a smiling family walking through a pristine residential complex, backed by a massive reinforced containment wall. The footage highlighted hydroponic greenhouses with oversized produce and stingless bees peacefully pollinating crop lines.
The camera pulled back to reveal private thoroughfares protected by concrete blast barriers, set to upbeat background music while a voiceover guaranteed total security for families seeking refuge from the chaos outside.
—We didn't just design housing modules for a civil war or an apocalyptic scenario, —the CEO explained—. Construction is already underway. Desalination facilities and air-filtration plants are ready to accommodate the upper-middle and high-income demographics.
A wave of relief swept through the room. Several executives finally took a drink from their glasses, until the Chief Legal Officer raised a hand to ask about state intervention and regulatory oversight.
—I would call you foolish, —the CEO replied coldly, —but we both know that with elections approaching, no government will challenge a corporation offering safety in a destabilized world. We will implement state-subsidized credit programs, allowing the middle class to lease housing units in our standardized zones. We will guarantee the structural integrity of their mortgages without a single beast ever breaching their perimeter.
The room erupted into applause. Glasses clinked across the table, yet the CEO left his drink untouched, watching the celebration with a detached smile.
—I see you still haven't grasped the full scale of the operation, —he added, bringing the room back to a sudden silence—. I mentioned the lifetime of the credit, yet none of you asked about the principle... nor the interest rates, the terms, or the actual square footage they will receive for their money.
His smile broadened into a cold, calculated grin.
—That is the beauty of it. We are entering the most profitable quarter in corporate history, and the revenue stream will remain constant until every single one of you is in the ground... After that, the world will simply have to manage without us.
The boardroom dissolved into cheers, toasts, and pledges of loyalty. Outside, night had settled over the city. Every so often, a wild squeal, a distant gunshot, or a scream cut through the dark. Down below, civilization was falling apart; up above, in the penthouse suite, they had bet on the crisis... and won.