The presentation ended in a wave of murmurs. Rafael packed his backpack calmly, but his heart hammered in his chest. He had shown the officials everything the Codex advised—simplicity, proof, and scale. Still, HydraCorp's shadow loomed heavy in the room.
The procurement officer at the center cleared his throat. "Thank you to all participants. The committee will deliberate. Results will be announced within seven days."
Seven days.
Rafael nodded politely, bowed slightly, and walked out. Behind him, he could feel HydraCorp's representatives glaring daggers into his back.
Outside, the humid Manila air wrapped around him. He stopped under a tree by the parking lot, pulling out his cheap phone. Messages flooded in from his workers and friends.
"Boss, how did it go?"
"You think we have a chance?"
"We're all praying for AquaPure!"
Rafael typed a short reply: "We did our best. Now we wait."
But in his mind, the Codex was less comforting.
"Warning: Probability of HydraCorp interference during deliberation period: 82%."
He muttered, "Of course they won't play fair…"
That evening, inside HydraCorp's boardroom, tension simmered.
The sharp-eyed executive drummed his fingers on the table. "The officials are impressed with AquaPure. More than expected."
One manager asked, "Do we bribe the committee?"
The executive shook his head. "Too obvious. We'll lose credibility if caught. Instead…" He smiled thinly. "…we'll dig. Rafael Dela Cruz. No man builds miracles from nothing. Find his weakness. Find out who's backing him. And if he has no backer—then we'll make sure he doesn't survive long enough to become one."
Back at his small office, Rafael tried to focus on production. Orders from NGOs were piling up after the smear article backfired. Workers were busy assembling straws, the warehouse alive with the clatter of plastic and chatter of voices.
Yet he couldn't shake the unease. The Codex projected scenarios in his mind: bribes, smear campaigns, even assassination attempts.
Rafael whispered to himself, staring at the glowing interface:"They're coming for me. But this time, I'll be ready."
Seven days had never felt so long.