(Start of Week 25. Theo's Balance: $54,435.00)

  Week 25 - Monday

  The cold fire of vindictive purpose warmed Theo against the pre-dawn chill as he unlocked the shop Monday morning. Reading the weekend’s one-star reviews lamenting ‘Something Fishy’s’ sudden decline, the off-tasting oil, the freezer malfunctions, the general misery, had been deeply, satisfyingly validating.

  Phase one of his counter-offensive was landing with precision. Now, while continuing that subtle pressure campaign on ‘Something Fishy’, Week 25 was about consolidating his own base, fortifying his position, and formally transitioning operational control. With Maria’s going in the right direction, it was time to free himself from the chains of working in the business, and start working on expanding and moving to the next venture.

  He arrived to find Henry already starting the morning prep, moving with a newfound confidence that Theo noted with approval. Olivia arrived shortly after, bright and eager as usual. Theo also thought about Jenny, who he wouldn’t see till later in the week. Despite her hours being part time, Jenny seemed less hesitant with each additional shift. The rhythm of the shop was stabilizing, finding its groove under the steadying influence of the enhanced equipment and the developing team dynamic.

  Theo’s first priority today, however, wasn't chicken or chips. It was security. He checked his email, confirmation from Carlos, the installer Sarah recommended. He’d be arriving tomorrow morning. Excellent. Step one in fortifying the asset.

  His second priority was solidifying the command structure. Later that afternoon, during the lull before the evening shift, Theo called Henry into the tiny back office closet.

  "Henry," Theo began, leaning against a stack of supplies, "I was impressed this weekend. Seriously impressed. You handled the pressure, managed the flow, kept things moving even when it got insane."

  Henry flushed slightly but stood straighter. "Thanks, boss. Just trying to keep up."

  "You did more than keep up," Theo stated plainly. "You showed real leadership potential. Which is why, effective next week, I'm officially making you Assistant Manager." He saw Henry’s eyes widen. "The pay will reflect the added responsibility – twenty-five an hour base to start."

  "Whoa! Seriously? $25?" Henry stammered, clearly stunned. "Theo, that's… wow. Thank you!"

  "You've earned it," Theo said, cutting off further thanks. "It means taking ownership of the day-to-day. Supplier orders, inventory management, daily prep schedules, overseeing Olivia and Jenny, ensuring quality control… basically, running the shop floor. I'll handle the finances, payroll, overall strategy, but I need someone reliable running point here so I can focus on expansion." He held Henry’s gaze. "Think you're up for it?"

  "Yes! Absolutely," Henry said, his voice firm with newfound determination. "I won't let you down, Theo."

  "Good." Theo gave a curt nod. "We'll talk details later this week about the new pay structure for everyone else too. Now, let's prep for tonight." The brief conversation cemented the shift. Henry was now formally on the management track.

  That evening, Theo continued his subtle assault on 'Something Fishy'. While walking home after closing Maria's, he took a slight detour. Finding a dark spot down the street offering a clear line of sight to the rival shop's front window, he paused, pretending to check his phone. He focused on the large glass display fridge just inside their door, likely holding prepped fish or drinks. Freezer Compressor Unit. +1 Efficiency/Cooling Power. Un-Enhance Timer: 36 Hours. Thrum. (Charge 1/10). And just for good measure, lets give the water mains another crack and see how their pipes hold up. Water Main Valve. +1 Flow Rate. Ping. Un-Enhance Timer: 72 Hours. Thrum. Another small disruption, making their cold storage unreliable, timed to potentially affect stock over the next day and a half. And if the water pipes start having issues this week, well they only have themselves to blame. He walked on, the familiar cold satisfaction mingling with the fatigue from his own shop's busy service.

  Week 25 - Tuesday

  Tuesday morning began with the arrival of Carlos, the security installer Sarah had recommended. He arrived exactly at 8 AM, punctual and professional, carrying tool bags and several unassuming boxes bearing the familiar Ring logo. Theo met him at the back door, letting him in before the morning prep fully ramped up. Henry and Olivia paused their work, watching with undisguised curiosity.

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "Alright, Mr. Sterling," Carlos said after brief introductions, his gaze sweeping expertly around the small shop. "Sarah mentioned you wanted coverage for the main counter, front and back entrances, and a general kitchen overview with four PoE cameras and a doorbell cam. Standard setup for a space this size."

  "That's the plan," Theo confirmed. "Reliability and clear footage of transactions are key."

  Carlos nodded, pulling out a small tablet displaying a basic floor plan Theo had sketched for Sarah. "Okay, typical placement would put one wide-angle right up there," he pointed to the ceiling corner above the POS register, "gives you a clear shot of the till, customer interactions, and most of the front door."

  Theo considered it. "Good, but angle it slightly more towards the door itself, capture faces as they enter more directly. And this area," Theo pointed towards the space between the end of the counter and the fryer station, "feels like a blind spot from that position."

  Carlos zoomed in on the layout. "You're right. We can adjust the angle easily. For that fryer area blind spot, maybe mount camera two high on this opposite wall?" He indicated a spot above the small customer tables. "Gives a clear shot of the cooking line and anyone approaching the counter from the side."

  They spent ten minutes walking the space, finalizing placements. Camera three would cover the back door, storage area, and walk-in fridge entrance. Camera four, mounted high near the rotisserie, would provide a wide overview of the entire kitchen prep space. The Ring Video Doorbell Pro replaced the existing simple doorbell button outside the front entrance. Theo appreciated Carlos's practical suggestions, focusing on coverage and minimizing cable runs.

  With the locations confirmed, Carlos worked with quiet efficiency. He ran thin Ethernet cables discreetly along ceiling corners and wall edges, drilled small, neat holes, and mounted the sleek, dark Ring Stick Up Cam Elite cameras securely. Henry, Olivia, and Jenny watched him during lulls in their prep work, fascination mixing with perhaps a touch of apprehension. Carlos connected the cables back to a small network switch and a cloud recording device tucked away securely in the back office closet next to the newly installed router.

  Within two hours, he was ready to test. "Okay," Carlos announced, wiping his hands and pulling out his own testing tablet. "Let's bring the eyes online." He tapped on his screen, configuring the devices. One by one, live video feeds popped up, displaying crisp, clear images of the shop from four different angles, plus the wide view from the front doorbell.

  "Alright, all cameras are live," Carlos confirmed, showing Theo the feeds on the tablet. "Recording 24/7 directly to the Ring cloud account you'll set up with your subscription. Motion alerts are enabled by default on all zones, but you can go into the app later and customize detection areas, sensitivity, notifications, everything." He pointed to a small icon on each feed. "See that little red dot? Means it's recording. Everything's time-stamped and securely stored online, can't be easily tampered with or erased locally."

  Henry, Olivia, and Jenny had gathered nearby, peering curiously at the screen over Theo's shoulder.

  "Wow, the picture is really clear," Olivia commented, impressed. "So, like, even if the power goes out here, the recordings are safe online?"

  "Exactly," Carlos confirmed. "As long as your internet connection holds up until the outage, the footage uploads. The PoE system also means the cameras get power directly through the network cable, simplifying wiring."

  Henry pointed to the counter view. "Does it record audio too?"

  "Yep, audio recording is enabled by default, captures conversations near each camera," Carlos explained. "Again, fully configurable in the app if you have privacy concerns or local regulations to consider."

  Theo nodded, processing. Audio was good. Another layer of verification. Jenny remained silent, just watching the feeds intently, perhaps absorbing the reality of constant recording in her first real workplace.

  "All set then," Carlos said, packing his tools. "System's solid, app is pretty intuitive. Any issues, warranty questions, number's on the invoice."

  Theo thanked him, settling the payment via a business check, another significant expense, but a necessary one. As Carlos left, Theo turned to his team, the small black eyes of the cameras observing them all. It was time for the official briefing.

  "Alright team," Theo began, his tone calm and business-like. "As you can see, the security cameras are installed and operational." He saw their eyes flicker towards the devices.

  "I want to be crystal clear," he continued, meeting each of their gazes in turn. "This isn't about me not trusting you." He paused, letting the words sink in. "What happened with Tammy last week was unacceptable, and frankly, it was a failure on my part for not having better security in place from the start. These cameras are standard practice for any responsible business, especially one handling cash and serving the public. They protect the business assets from theft, internal or external. They protect the inventory. And they protect you. If there's ever an incident, a customer dispute, an attempted robbery, any kind of issue, we have an objective record. It ensures accountability and safety for everyone here."

  He saw the understanding dawn on their faces. Henry nodded firmly. "Makes total sense, boss. Good call. Feel safer already."

  Olivia added, "Yeah, especially when I'm closing up sometimes, knowing there's a camera watching the door? Definitely makes me feel better." Jenny offered a small, relieved nod.

  "Exactly," Theo concluded. "So, just be aware they're recording 24/7. Any questions, let me know. Otherwise, business as usual." The brief meeting achieved its purpose – establishing the cameras as a necessary tool for mutual security, not invasive surveillance. Internally, Theo felt a significant measure of relief himself. Now he could verify things remotely, allowing him to truly begin detaching from the hour-to-hour operations.