politico

Chapter 6 - The Unraveling

Inside the quiet, dim room of the AV suite, two technicians were monitoring audio levels on massive digital consoles.

Before they could even turn around, the lock on the door clicked shut from the outside.

Vincent stepped out from the shadows of the adjacent utility closet. Before the head technician could scream, Vincent pressed a silenced stun device against the man's shoulder, dropping him instantly to the floor. The second technician threw his hands up in terror.

"Not a word," Vincent said calmly, pointing to the secondary console.

Delaney pulled the encrypted flash drive from her clutch bag and handed it to Vincent. "Marco saw the necklace. He’s going to check the list in two minutes."

"Two minutes is all we need," Vincent said, plugging the drive into the master server node.

On the main ballroom monitors outside, Julian was stepping up to the podium, holding a gold fountain pen above the massive legal contract resting on a gilded table.

"And now," Julian proclaimed into the microphone, his voice echoing through the house speakers, "I officially sign the waterfront transfer!"

CLICK.

Suddenly, the massive LED screens behind Julian flickered violently, changing from the glossy architectural renderings of luxury towers to a stark, high-definition video recording.

The audio blared across the five hundred speakers in the ballroom.

It was Marco’s voice, clear as day: "Is he deep enough, Julian?"

And Julian’s reply: "Six feet. Make sure the body isn't found until after the zoning board signs the waterfront deed. Once Vincent is gone, the entire council is in my pocket."

The ballroom went deathly quiet.

Julian’s pen stopped mid-air. His face drained of all color as he stared up at the giant screen displaying the video recording taken from his own private office security network—a network Vincent had hacked weeks prior.

"Turn that off!" Julian shrieked, dropping the pen. "Turn it off right now!"

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The crowd began to whisper frantically. City council members took frantic steps backward, trying to distance themselves from the stage.

Then, the heavy oak doors at the back of the ballroom slammed open.

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