Chapter 35 - The Trojan Horse
The morning sun broke over the jagged peaks of the Cascade Mountains, casting long golden rays across the skyline of Seattle. Inside the executive boardroom on the 45th floor of Apex Global Security, Director Marcus Vance stood before a dozen board members, his hands braced against the glass table as he tried to maintain an aura of absolute control.
"Gentlemen, there has been a minor security breach," Marcus lied smoothly, adjusting his silk tie. "A disgruntled former naval officer has attempted to extort our corporation using falsified medical data. Rest assured, our tactical teams have the situation under control. The asset will be secured within the hour."
Before the lead board member could respond, the massive flat-screen monitor mounted on the boardroom wall suddenly flickered. The corporate presentation vanished, replaced instantly by the official, high-security seal of the United States Department of the Navy.
Marcus’s jaw dropped. "What is this? Cut that feed!"
The boardroom doors slammed open with a deafening crash. Two dozen heavily armed federal marshals and Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) agents poured into the room, their weapons raised and ready, led by Admiral Thomas himself.
"Director Marcus Vance," Admiral Thomas's voice echoed through the boardroom with the force of a tidal wave, cold and uncompromising. "You are under arrest for corporate espionage, illegal human experimentation, obstruction of justice, and treason against the United States."
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Marcus stumbled backward, his hands flying up as an NCIS agent shoved him roughly against the mahogany table, snapping heavy steel cuffs around his wrists. "You can't do this! I have immunity! I have contracts with the highest levels of—"
"You had contracts," Thomas interrupted coldly, stepping forward to drop a heavy, encrypted thumb drive onto the desk right in front of Marcus’s face. "Captain Daniel Vance transmitted the complete, unedited Obsidian Ledger directly to the Joint Chiefs of Staff twenty minutes ago. Your empire is over, Marcus."
