The Sins of Our Fathers

Agenda Item Seven

(Q4 REVENUE ADJUSTMENT STRATEGY)

Six people sat around the table of coffee, tablets, and lukewarm pastries.

Leah Chen, Chief Financial Officer, tapped her stylus against the screen.

"Before we move to projections," she said, "we need to address the insurance portfolio. It's currently underperforming." A slide appeared.

EMPLOYEE POLICY HOLDINGS

Columns of names. Policy values. Dates. Projected payout curves. Across the table, Daniel Kline, Director of Risk Optimization, leaned back in his chair. "Forty-two active policies," he said. Seventeen mature enough for a worthwhile return. But only eight of those are still employed with us."

A muffled ripple of laughter went round' the table.

"Former employees always age the best," someone said.

Leah clicked to the next slide. A ranking chart popped up on the screen.

TERMINATION CANDIDATES - PRIORITY INDEX

Next to each name was a calm, sterile number.

$2.3 million.

$3.1 million.

$875,000.

"Let's start with Patel," Leah said. A profile appeared.

Arjun Patel - Former Software Engineer

Policy Value: $2.8M

"Left the company three years ago," Daniel said. "Moved to Oregon. Healthy, unfortunately."

The CEO, Robert Hall, folded his hands thoughtfully. "Remind me," he said, "does Patel have dependents?"

"None," Leah replied.

Robert nodded once. "Well that simplifies the optics."

Another executive scrolled through his tablet. "We attempted natural probability last quarter," he said. "Car accident modeling. Ineffective."

"People who leave tech jobs start jogging," Daniel uttered. "Very inconvenient."

Soft chuckles.

Leah made a note. "Let's mark Patel for Q1 action," she said. A chime confirmed the entry. The next slide appeared.

CECELIA ALVAREZ - ACCOUNTING

Policy Value: 1.9M

"She's still employed," Daniel noted.

"Correct," Leah said. "But retirement eligible next year. If she gets away, we lose control of the timing."

Robert tapped the table. "Can we package it as a workplace incident?"

"Possibly," Daniel said. "Slip hazard, electrical fault. Those play well with liability caps."

Someone across the table took a sip of coffee. "Honestly," he said, "we should invest in better staircases. They're our most reliable asset."

Laughter again.

Leah adjusted the chart. "Alvarez moves to Priority Two," she said.

A younger board member, new to the committee. shifted slightly in his seat. "Just to confirm," he said carefully, "these are...internal terminations?"

The room paused.

Robert smiled at him in the way someone might smile at a child asking where babies come from. "These are, permanent, terminations," he said gently.

The young man swallowed. "But...they're people."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Yes," he sighed, "that's why the policies pay so well."

More laughter. Names appeared in succession. Values assessed.

"Too young."

"High payout but messy family."

"Natural causes within ten years, statistically."

One employee received pointed interest.

HENRIETTA RODRIGUEZ - UX DESIGN

Policy Value: $4.7M

A low whistle blew around the table.

"That's a cathedral," Daniel said.

"She signed the policy when we acquired her startup," Leah explained. "Standard retention incentive."

"Does she know we still hold it?" Someone asked.

Leah smiled faintly. "Of course not."

Robert leaned forward. "And her risk profile?"

"Healthy. Thirty-two. No dependents. Urban lifestyle."

Robert considered this for a moment, with the chin-rubbing thoughtfulness of a decision between car colors. "Let's not rush Rodriguez."

A few nods.

Leah agrees. "Premium assets deserve patience."

Outside the glass windows, the city beamed. Thousands of employees worked in offices below. Designers, analysts, engineers.

They believed their salaries told their value.

The screen in the boardroom shifted to the final slide.

TOTAL PROJECTED REVENUE - TERMINATION PORTFOLIO

$38,400,000

Robert closed his tablet. "Well," he said pleasantly, "that should satisfy the shareholders."

Chairs slid backward. Coffee cups chugged. The meeting concluded.

Downstairs, in a brightly lit office, Henrietta Rodriguez laughed at something on her phone.

She had no idea that twelve floors above her head, a room full of calm, reasonable professionals had just decided that her life was excellent for next year's earnings.