Chapter 8 - THE MOLE
Our bliss was short-lived.
Three days after returning to the city, a shadow fell over the Marchetti syndicate. A high-value shipment of legitimate pharmaceutical supplies—worth over thirty million dollars—was intercepted and seized at the docks by armed federal agents.
Someone inside Enzo's inner circle had leaked the encrypted shipping manifests.
The atmosphere at the Marchetti headquarters turned deadly. Enzo called an emergency meeting of his top lieutenants in the underground vault room beneath the skyscraper. I sat by his side, taking notes and observing every person's body language.
"There is a snake in this room," Enzo announced, his voice like iron sliding over ice. "Only five people had the encryption keys to that manifest. Four of my captains... and Elena."
One of the captains—a burly, scarred man named Victor, who had served Enzo's uncle years ago—immediately slammed his fist on the mahogany table.
"It's the girl!" Victor roared, pointing a finger at me. "She's been with us for barely a month! Her father was a nobody, and now she's sleeping in your bed, boss! She sold us out to the Ashfords or the feds!"
The room went dead silent. Marco's hand instinctively drifted toward his concealed shoulder holster.
I didn't panic. I remained calm, looking directly at Victor.
"If I wanted to sell out the Marchetti empire, Captain Victor," I said smoothly, opening my leather ledger, "I wouldn't steal a cargo manifest. I would leak the offshore tax files you signed in Zurich three weeks ago."
Victor’s face paled visibly. "What... what are you talking about?"
I turned my ledger toward Enzo. "While reviewing the shipping logs last night, I noticed a discrepancy in the dock's digital entry timestamps. The manifest wasn't leaked from our main office server. It was accessed via a satellite proxy linked to a private yacht currently docked at Navy Pier."
I pulled out a printout of the satellite coordinates.
"A yacht registered under the name of Victor's brother-in-law," I added coldly.
Enzo turned his gaze toward Victor. The look in Enzo's eyes was so terrifyingly devoid of mercy that Victor collapsed back into his chair, sweating profusely.
"Victor," Enzo said softly. "You served my uncle. I gave you a second chance because of your loyalty during the war. And you sold my trust for what... an Ashford payout?"
"Boss, please! They threatened my family!" Victor pleaded, his voice breaking. "Senator Ashford promised he would clear my brother's federal charges if I gave them the dock codes!"
Enzo stood up slowly. He didn't raise his voice. He didn't draw a weapon. He simply gestured to Marco.
May you like
"Take him to the harbor," Enzo commanded flatly. "Let him explain his loyalty to the fish."
As Marco dragged the screaming traitor out of the vault room, the remaining captains bowed their heads in absolute submission. They looked at me not as a helpless girl from the South Side, but as the sharpest intelligence mind in the Marchetti empire.
