Chapter 11 - THE REVIEW OF EVERYONE
The board refused to restore old governance.
That surprised Jonathan.
It pleased Ryan.
An independent review examined Jonathan, Patricia, Malcolm, and Ryan.
Malcolm’s section was worst.
Undisclosed supplier relationships.
False internal reporting.
Use of executive staff to shape security narratives.
Possible obstruction.
He was terminated for cause and referred to authorities.
Patricia’s findings were mixed.
Emergency rescue:
valuable and necessary.
North Bridge conflict:
disclosed originally.
Later option expansion:
insufficiently disclosed and economically excessive.
False statement to Ryan about Jonathan’s death:
personal misconduct.
Use of company security to track Ryan after release:
improper.
She lost unilateral authority and agreed to surrender the enhanced option value.
She retained her legitimate original North Bridge investment.
Jonathan’s findings surprised the board.
He created an indefinite emergency proxy without independent oversight.
He disappeared without a full continuity structure.
He privileged a federal investigation over company transparency.
He allowed family relationships to become governance mechanisms.
He announced his retirement as executive chair.
Then Ryan’s section.
No management experience.
Felony conviction.
History of impulsive conduct.
Recent compliance with parole.
Cooperation with investigators.
Recommendation:
No executive authority.
Possible supervised operational employment after standard hiring review.
Ryan stared at the page.
“Operational employment?”
Jonathan answered:
“You said you wanted work.”
“I can get work somewhere else.”
“Yes.”
“Then why here?”
“Because you know fleets.”
Ryan had worked in maintenance before prison.
That part of his life had been real too.
Then the board approved something else.
All Carter family inheritance interests would move into professionally administered trusts with no automatic management rights.
Ryan looked at Jonathan.
“You don’t trust me.”
“I don’t trust blood as governance.”
From the other end of the table, Patricia said:
“Finally.”
Everyone looked at her.
May you like
She smiled without warmth.
“Something we agree on.”
