Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of bullying and gender discrimination.

The Prologue takes the form of a press release from Kelly Lawrence, Chief Industry Analyst at Nestor Meyers. Lawrence discusses changes in leadership at Parts Unlimited, whose stock Lawrence recommends investors sell. The CEO of Parts Unlimited, Steve Masters, is stepping down from his role as chair of the board of directors, which splits the roles of CEO and chairperson. Bob Strauss is coming out of retirement to fill the chair role, and Lawrence believes investors like Wayne-Yokohama are pressuring Parts Unlimited to rearrange leadership following a rough month of trading. Parts Unlimited stock has fallen 52% in the last three years, but the company’s Phoenix Project, though consistently delayed, is supposed to return the company to the forefront of the market. Lawrence suggests that Sarah Moulton, the SVP of Retail Operations, could be the new leadership the company needs. The board has given Strauss and Masters six months to turn the company around.

While driving to work, Bill Palmer, Director of Midrange Technology Operations at Parts Unlimited, gets a call from Laura Beck, Vice President of Human Resources, who wants to meet.