Chapter 64
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The sheer scale of the horror contained on the micro-flash drive was staggering. For six hours, Noah, Sarah, and Marcus poured over the decrypted files, building an undeniable, airtight case against Apex Horizons.
"It’s worse than we thought," Sarah said, her voice shaking with disgust as she highlighted a massive spreadsheet. "They aren't just using the teenagers for free labor. They are actively selling the proprietary software these kids develop to international defense contractors. Thorne is literally profiting off the weaponization of child slavery."
"And look at the disciplinary logs," Marcus added grimly, bringing up a series of internal memos. "Solitary confinement, chemical sedation, physical restraint. Julian wasn't exaggerating. If a child refuses to work, they are systematically broken down until they comply."
Noah stared at the glossy, smiling photographs of Elias Thorne posing with politicians and celebrities, juxtaposed against the horrific reality of the ledgers. The absolute hypocrisy made his blood boil.
"We bypass the local authorities entirely," Noah decided, slamming a heavy binder of printed evidence onto the table. "Thorne has half the state legislature in his pocket. If we hand this to the local police, it will disappear, and Thorne will know we cracked the drive."
"So who do we call?" Sarah asked.
"We call the federal authorities," Noah replied smoothly. "Specifically, the FBI's human trafficking and cyber-crimes division. My father established a direct, trusted contact there years ago during the Sterling fallout. Director Hayes. He is incorruptible."
"If we bring the FBI in, this goes public immediately," Marcus warned. "Thorne will realize his empire is collapsing. A cornered predator is the most dangerous kind."
"I am counting on it," Noah said, a dangerous, strategic calm settling over him. "I want Thorne to panic. I want him to make a desperate move. When he realizes we have the ledger, he will try to eliminate the threat."
Suddenly, the red emergency klaxon in the command center began to wail, bathing the room in a pulsing, terrifying crimson light.
Chloe spun around in her chair, her hands flying across the security console.
"Marcus!" Chloe yelled over the alarm. "The perimeter sensors on the eastern ridge just went dark. Someone just disabled the secondary power grid. We have an active breach."
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"Thorne didn't wait," Noah realized, his jaw tightening. "He sent his extraction team."
"Lock down the medical wing!" Marcus roared into his radio, drawing his sidearm. "Defend the boy. Nobody gets past the main corridors."
