I'm The King of Business & Technology in the Modern World-Chapter 153: Getting SuS

Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

Six Months Later

Colonel Mark Hudson sat quietly at the head of the polished mahogany table, his eyes narrowed as he reviewed the latest intelligence briefing. Around him, analysts and high-ranking military officials exchanged tense looks, the mood unusually grim. The atmosphere felt heavy, the air thick with uncertainty that hadn't been present in months.

"This can't be accurate," Hudson finally muttered, scanning the detailed reports in disbelief. "There's no way China and Russia closed the gap this quickly. Not without outside help."

Across the table, CIA analyst Karen Simmons adjusted her glasses carefully, her expression serious but steady. "Colonel, we've triple-checked the intelligence. Both nations have accelerated their exosuit development programs far beyond projected timelines. Their most recent joint exercises demonstrated near-Titan level capabilities, particularly in power management and mobility."

Hudson exhaled slowly, leaning back in his chair, frustration clear in his tense shoulders. "Are we talking direct Titan tech replication?"

Simmons hesitated, choosing her words with precision. "No. Our analysts confirm it's not a direct replication of Titan suits. But the new models—Russia's new 'Arktika' suits and China's 'Longxing' variant—are clearly benefiting from some form of significant technological breakthrough, far beyond incremental improvement. They're lighter, faster, and more efficient. They've leapfrogged several stages of anticipated development."

A silence hung over the room. Everyone understood the implications. The United States' exclusive dominance over battlefield exosuit technology had just taken a significant hit.

"Could there have been a leak?" Hudson asked sharply, frustration evident in his voice. "Perhaps corporate espionage at Sentinel BioTech?"

Simmons shook her head firmly. "We've investigated thoroughly. Sentinel's security remains intact. No breaches, internal or external. Mr. Borja himself cooperated fully. He even proactively initiated audits and invited us to conduct independent investigations."

Hudson frowned deeply, tapping his finger on the classified folder. "Yet we can't ignore this. Months ago, we were at least two years ahead. Now the gap is almost negligible. There's something we're missing."

General Douglas Anderson, sitting at the far end of the table, cleared his throat quietly, drawing everyone's attention. "Have we considered the possibility of Borja himself facilitating this indirectly?"

Hudson looked up sharply, eyebrows raised. "Indirectly, General?"

Anderson nodded slowly, clearly uncomfortable yet determined. "Officially, Sentinel's contract remains exclusive to us. Borja has been transparent and cooperative—perhaps too cooperative. What if he's exploiting some legal gray area? Licensing secondary-tier technology or component enhancements indirectly?"

Simmons interjected thoughtfully, leaning forward with interest. "Possible. But we have no evidence. Borja's contractual exclusivity to the Titan suit is airtight. If he's licensing secondary tech discreetly, it would be nearly impossible to detect without direct confirmation or a leak from his internal circle."

Hudson considered carefully, reluctantly admitting, "Borja's too smart to compromise Titan directly. But these leaps by Russia and China—especially in actuator and heat dispersion technology—match precisely the areas Borja has recently refined in Titan Mk-II."

"Exactly," General Anderson replied, frustration evident in his voice. "This isn't coincidence. We need to speak with Borja directly—face-to-face."

Hudson exhaled quietly, nodding with reluctant agreement. "Arrange it. But keep it informal, respectful. Borja remains a critical asset. We can't afford to alienate him without proof."

Manila, Philippines

Sentinel BioTech Headquarters

Matthew sat calmly behind his desk, casually reading through quarterly financial reports, feeling quietly satisfied at the healthy profits from Sentinel's growing operations. The sun streamed warmly through the expansive windows behind him, lighting the office with a gentle glow.

A soft knock drew his attention to the doorway, where Angel stood respectfully, tablet in hand.

"Sir, Colonel Hudson from the Pentagon has requested a private video conference. Urgent, but informal."

Matthew raised an eyebrow curiously, setting the papers aside. He'd anticipated this moment for weeks. It was remarkable they'd waited this long. "Very well, Angel. Set it up, please."

Minutes later, Hudson's serious face appeared onscreen, polite but clearly troubled.

"Colonel Hudson," Matthew greeted warmly, smiling slightly. "What can I do for you today?"

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"Mr. Borja," Hudson began cautiously, clearing his throat gently. "I'll be frank. Recent intelligence indicates China and Russia are rapidly closing the gap with our Titan suits. Their progress appears accelerated, particularly in areas closely related to your recent advancements—actuator efficiency, heat dispersion, and mobility. Are you aware of this?"

Matthew maintained a calm, neutral expression, offering a slight nod. "I've seen similar reports. Frankly, their progress is impressive."

Hudson watched him closely, carefully gauging his reaction. "Impressive is one word. Disturbing is another. Frankly, we're concerned. I don't need to remind you how valuable Titan exclusivity is to national security."

Matthew leaned forward slightly, exuding quiet reassurance. "Colonel, Sentinel BioTech takes its commitments seriously. We've maintained absolute exclusivity over Titan technology with the United States, as per our agreement. Our audits and internal security protocols have consistently verified that."

Hudson's eyes narrowed slightly. "Yet their advancements match your recent breakthroughs exactly. Is there something we should know, Matthew? Perhaps secondary technology licensing?"

Matthew's face softened slightly, his voice gentle yet firm. "Colonel, as you're aware, my contractual obligations are clear and carefully outlined. Sentinel BioTech has never—and will never—breach these terms. Of course, many Titan-adjacent technologies originate from openly available civilian applications. It's possible both Russia and China found parallel paths."

Hudson visibly hesitated, clearly unconvinced but unable to directly challenge Matthew's calm assurances. "You're certain there's nothing we need to know?"

Matthew smiled warmly, maintaining confident composure. "Colonel, your concern is understandable, but Sentinel remains fully committed to our exclusivity agreements. We're even willing to share additional data on our recent security audits. Would that reassure you?"

Hudson paused, visibly uncertain, but finally relented. "Please send those audits. We appreciate your transparency, Matthew."

"Always happy to cooperate," Matthew replied smoothly. "Your trust is essential to our ongoing partnership."

Hudson disconnected shortly afterward, visibly frustrated yet unable to press further. Matthew leaned back comfortably, a faint, knowing smile playing at his lips.

Washington, D.C.

Pentagon, Hudson's Office

Hudson sat silently, staring blankly at the darkened screen. General Anderson appeared quietly at the doorway, studying Hudson's troubled expression carefully.

"What did Borja say?" Anderson asked gently.

Hudson sighed deeply, rubbing his temples in frustration. "Nothing definitive. Everything he said sounded perfectly legitimate—reassuring even. Yet, my gut says he's carefully sidestepping something."

Anderson nodded thoughtfully. "Borja's too intelligent to slip up easily. He's likely found a perfectly legal gray area—a loophole we overlooked. Unfortunately, he's also too valuable and well-connected to antagonize directly without concrete evidence."

Hudson nodded slowly, resigned. "Then what do we do?"

Anderson exhaled quietly, eyes narrowed in determination. "We watch closely. Keep Borja as a trusted partner—for now. If he's genuinely playing both sides, eventually he'll leave traces. Until then, we quietly reinforce our defenses and accelerate Titan Mk-III."

Hudson stood slowly, reluctantly agreeing. "Fine. But I hate feeling one step behind."

Anderson's voice was firm, reassuring. "Borja is powerful, intelligent, and playing a complex global game. Right now, he's managed to balance perfectly between competing interests. But no one walks that line forever."

Hudson stared quietly out the window, knowing Anderson was right. Somewhere out there, Matthew Borja was undoubtedly planning his next move, always thinking two steps ahead.

They had no choice but to do the same.