It was completely unoccupied.
The old man reached inside the inner pocket of his field jacket and pulled out a sleek black smartphone.
Bringing the receiver to his ear, he spoke in a low, gravelly voice that carried a chilling, commanding weight:
"Why is my chair empty?"
Chapter III: The Panic in the Boardroom
Inside the soundproof glass boardroom, the executive speaker system chimed.
The Chief Operating Officer, who was reviewing quarterly acquisition slides on the main projector, froze as the call patch activated across the room’s private encrypted line.
"Chairman Vance...?" the COO stammered into the table mic, his voice trembling as every director in the room snapped to attention. "Sir! We... we were told you were delayed abroad!"