Chapter 8 - The Lingering Threat
The peace of the hospital room was shattered abruptly when the secure door chimed and swung open.
Agent Marcus Vance strode into the room, his expression uncharacteristically grim. He didn't bother with pleasantries. He dropped a secure tablet onto Elena’s lap.
"I thought you said Hale Global's network was completely dismantled," Daniel said, standing up protectively beside Elena's bed.
"It was," Vance said sharply, tapping the screen. "At least, the American branch was. But twenty minutes ago, an encrypted data ping originated from an offshore server registered in the Cayman Islands—a server directly linked to a mercenary security contractor who used to work for Victoria’s father."
Elena’s eyes scanned the data on the screen, her professional instincts instantly kicking in. The gentle housekeeper vanished in a fraction of a second, replaced by the elite intelligence analyst.
"They aren't trying to hack the financial accounts anymore," Elena said, her voice turning ice-cold. "They're wiping the transaction logs. They're scrubbing the physical evidence linking the assassination attempt on me to the corporate conspiracy."
"And more than that," Vance added grimly. "Our intelligence feeds indicate that one of the contractors—a man named Viktor Vance, no relation to me—managed to slip through airport security before the federal freeze took effect. He's currently in Chicago. And based on his operational profile, he doesn't leave loose ends."
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Daniel’s jaw tightened. "You're saying he's coming here."
"I'm saying," Agent Vance said, reaching inside his jacket and unlocking his sidearm, "that this hospital is no longer secure."
