Chapter 37: The Alliance of Evils
Chapter 37: The Alliance of Evils
Sarah looked at her father’s extended hand. She felt nothing but a cold, heavy disgust.
"You don't want a daughter," Sarah said. "You want a hard drive."
"I want survival," Sterling corrected, his voice dropping the warmth. "Julian Vance is currently cutting a deal with the Department of Justice in Chicago. He is giving them the names of my shell corporations in exchange for immunity. If those accounts aren't encrypted within the next twelve hours, the Sterling name is erased from history. I will not let twenty-five years of hiding go to waste because of your sentimentality."
Suddenly, a phone on the table buzzed. It was Thomas Hale’s secure line.
The video feed flickered to life, revealing a live news broadcast from Chicago. The headline read: Julian Vance Escapes Federal Custody; Two Agents Dead.
Julian hadn't just escaped transit; he had gone completely rogue.
The screen split, showing a live video feed sent directly to Arthur’s encrypted app. It was Julian, sitting inside a dark moving vehicle, his face bruised and maniacal.
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"Arthur," Julian’s voice hissed through the speaker. "You thought you could lock me up? You think Thomas Sterling is your biggest problem? I just unlocked the secondary fail-safe James built into the logistics mainframe. If Sarah doesn't upload that drive to the Chicago hub by midnight, the automated shipping grids across three continents will freeze. Total economic gridlock. The world will hunt her down as the greatest cyber-terrorist in history."
Julian smiled, a terrifying, desperate expression. "And guess who just found out where your little safehouse in the marsh is? See you soon, Uncle Thomas."
