Chapter 8 - The Boardroom AmbushThe double oak doors to Harrison Vance’s private boardroom blew inward as Caleb kicked them off their hinges.
Inside, sitting at a massive mahogany table overlooking the city skyline, was Harrison Vance—a ruthless sixty-year-old billionaire wearing a bespoke suit, flanked by four senior board members and his chief mercenary, Captain Vance.
In the corner of the room, tied to a chair with a bloody lip, was Caleb’s younger brother, Luke.
“Caleb!” Luke gasped through his swollen jaw.
Harrison Vance stood up slowly, a cold, arrogant smile spreading across his face despite the sudden breach. “Caleb Ward. The ghost of the Pacific. I must admit, I underestimated your resilience.”
“Let my brother go, Vance,” Caleb said, his voice quiet, flat, and lethal.
“Of course,” Vance sneered, gesturing to his chief mercenary. “The moment Miss Hail hands over the master drive and the decryption codes. Once the data is erased, you can all leave... through the window.”
Vance’s mercenary captain pulled his weapon, aiming it directly at Victoria’s head.
“You’re out of moves, Ward,” the captain mocked. “You’re in our house now.”
Victoria stepped forward, standing proudly beside Caleb. She pulled a tiny wireless transmitter from her pocket and held it up for Vance to see.
“You think this was about saving a drive, Harrison?” Victoria asked, her voice ringing with absolute, triumphant authority.
Vance’s smile vanished. “What is that?”
“This transmitter isn't connected to a local server,” Victoria revealed, her green eyes blazing. “It’s connected to a global live-stream broadcast. Ten seconds ago, the entire contents of that drive—every offshore account, every bribe, every assassination order—was broadcast live to the Department of Justice, Interpol, and every major news outlet in the Western hemisphere.”
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Vance’s phone on the desk began to ring violently. Then a second phone. Then the news monitors on the wall flickered, displaying breaking headlines: APEX GLOBAL CEO EXPOSED IN MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR CONSPIRACY.
“You bitch!” Vance screamed, losing his composure completely. He grabbed a pistol from his desk drawer.
