Chapter 14 - THE SHADOWY ALLIANCE
The video played silently for a moment before the audio kicked in, crisp and clear despite the hidden microphone's location inside a decorative desk lamp.
"She’s poking around where she shouldn't," Robert Vance said, slamming a manila folder onto the mahogany table. "The book was a fluke. The foundation is a nuisance. But if she uncovers the Cayman accounts we used to siphon the corporate restructuring funds during the merger, Daniel isn't the only one going down. We all go down."
The federal prosecutor—a man introduced on the audio as Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Sterling, no relation to Daniel, but a vital cog in the judicial machine—let out a dry, humorless laugh.
"Then why hasn't she handed those files over to the DOJ?" Thomas asked, leaning back.
"Because she doesn't have them *yet*," Robert hissed. "Daniel hid the master backup in that stupid Stamford storage unit as an insurance policy against us. He thought if we turned on him, he’d use it to blackmail us. But since he’s locked up and out of reach, that unit is now a ticking time bomb. If Maya finds it before we do, our careers are over."
Maya gripped the edge of the hotel desk so hard her knuckles turned chalk-white. They hadn't just watched her suffer; they were actively plotting to neutralize her permanently, using the very federal system that was supposed to protect citizens.
"We need to move fast," Thomas said on the screen, his expression hardening. "If the storage facility drills those locks, the inventory goes to public auction. Anyone could buy that box. We need to secure a federal search warrant under a seal of national security before she or anyone else can access it."
"On what grounds?" Robert snapped.
"Corporate espionage and suspected terrorist funding," Thomas replied smoothly. "It’s a stretch, but a friendly judge in our district will sign it before morning. Once we have the warrant, we raid the facility, seize the drive, and bury it in classified limbo where no court can ever subpoena it."
Maya stared at the screen, the reality of the situation crashing down around her. They didn't just want to silence her; they were about to use the full weight of the federal government to steal the evidence and frame her for a crime.
Eleanor, standing behind her and watching the screen, drew a sharp breath. "My God, Maya. They’re using the DOJ as a private security firm."
"Not if we beat them to the punch," Maya whispered, her eyes flashing with a dangerous, long-dormant fire. "They think I’m still the timid woman at the top of the stairs, waiting to be pushed. They don't realize I’ve already burned the house down."
"What are you going to do?" Eleanor asked, her voice trembling slightly.
May you like
Maya looked down at the flash drive still plugged into her laptop. "I’m going to make sure the whole world sees what’s in this folder before their corrupt warrant can even be printed."
***
