The morning after ClearSource's veiled threat, Rafael stood in the middle of the warehouse floor, watching his people work. Maria barked orders with crisp precision. Jericho laughed loudly, trying to cover how much his hands still shook after soldering mishaps. Rosa triple-checked invoices with hawk-like focus.
They were loyal. They were fighters. But Rafael knew loyalty alone couldn't win against giants who commanded armies of scientists, engineers, and strategists.
The Codex pulsed softly in his vision:
"Strategic Priority: Talent Acquisition. Locate high-value individuals. Criteria: Technical proficiency, adaptive intelligence, loyalty probability. Estimated success rate increases with personal recruitment."
He whispered under his breath, "So you want me to build a brain trust."
That evening, he called his core team to the office. A whiteboard was dragged into the cramped space, and Rafael picked up a marker.
"We survived HydraCorp because we fought smart. But this"—he circled the AquaPure logo at the top—"is bigger now. ClearSource, Nestle, every giant that thinks water is theirs—they'll come. To stand against them, we need more than grit."
Rosa tilted her head. "You mean… money?"
"No," Rafael said, shaking his head. "Brains. People who see what others don't. Inventors, engineers, scientists who are ignored because they don't have the right surname or diploma."
Maria crossed her arms. "And where do you find people like that?"
A small smile tugged at Rafael's lips. "The same way we built AquaPure in the first place. We go where nobody else looks."
The first lead came quicker than expected.
At a dingy barangay science fair, where homemade robots waddled awkwardly and solar cookers made from tin cans reflected under fluorescent lights, Rafael wandered through the stalls. Parents clapped politely. Teachers tried to look encouraging. But Rafael's eyes scanned with purpose.
The Codex whispered faintly, overlaying text onto his vision:
"Candidate Identified: Mechanical aptitude high. Resourcefulness: above average. Loyalty probability: 81%. Name: Arnel Ramirez."
Rafael stopped in front of a booth where a wiry teenager hunched over a cobbled-together drone, its wings patched with duct tape. The boy adjusted wires nervously while other students snickered.
"It won't fly," one sneered.
Arnel didn't answer. He flicked a switch, and the drone sputtered—then lifted shakily into the air. Not graceful, but it stayed aloft. The laughter died down.
Rafael stepped closer. "How long did that take you to build?"
Arnel blinked at him, caught off guard. "Three weeks. From scrap. My uncle's junkyard had parts."
Rafael studied the boy's eyes—bright, hungry, the same look he once saw in the mirror. "Ever think about working on something bigger than a school project?"
Arnel frowned. "Like what?"
Rafael extended a hand. "Like changing lives. How would you like to work with AquaPure?"
The boy's mouth fell open. Around them, the science fair noise blurred into background static. His hands trembled as he shook Rafael's.
Back at the warehouse, Maria raised an eyebrow when Arnel followed Rafael in. "A kid?"
Rafael smiled faintly. "Not just a kid. A builder. You'll see."
The Codex pulsed quietly in his vision:
"Acquisition Success: First recruit secured. Continue search. Pattern: organic encounters increase loyalty."
Rafael leaned against the office window, watching his workers laugh with Arnel as he shyly showed them his drone. He knew this was only the first of many.
The giants had money and armies of polished experts.
But Rafael would build his empire out of hidden gems—one spark at a time.