Chapter 8 - Exposing the Network
At 0800 hours, the executive top floor of Aethelgard Systems in downtown Washington, D.C., was bathed in bright morning sunlight.
CEO Arthur Sterling—a powerful, ruthless man in his late sixties—sat at his expansive mahogany desk, sipping espresso as he reviewed the morning financial reports.
The heavy oak doors of his private office suddenly shattered inward.
Arthur gasped, dropping his porcelain cup as four armed FBI tactical agents swarmed into the room, followed closely by federal prosecutors and a senior military officer.
"Arthur Sterling! Put your hands on your head!" the lead FBI agent ordered.
Arthur stood up, his face red with outrage. "Are you insane?! Do you know who I am?! I have the Attorney General on speed dial!"
"Not anymore, Arthur," a steady, quiet voice spoke from the doorway.
Lucas Reed walked into the office, dressed in a clean, sharp dark suit. Beside him walked Lily, holding his hand tightly, wearing new clothes, her leg supported by a brand-new, perfectly fitted medical brace. At Lucas’s other side walked Shadow, his silver muzzle held high, his presence dominating the luxurious room.
Behind them came Governor Nathan Hale, along with a team of federal digital forensics experts carrying aluminum evidence cases.
"You..." Arthur gasped, staring at the young girl in shock. "How are you alive?!"
"Because good people still exist, Mr. Sterling," Lily said, her voice clear, strong, and completely devoid of fear.
Governor Hale stepped forward, placing a thick stack of federal arrest warrants onto the mahogany desk.
"Twenty minutes ago, the Department of Justice unsealed the data drive retrieved from Lily’s medical brace," Hale said coldly. "We have complete video records of your illegal offshore trials, your offshore embezzlement accounts, and the direct voice recordings of you ordering the assassination of Dr. Richard Mercer."
Arthur’s knees buckled. He sank back into his leather chair, his face turning ash-gray.
"Take him away," the federal prosecutor ordered.
As the agents slapped heavy steel handcuffs onto Arthur Sterling’s wrists and led him out of the room, he passed right by Lucas and Lily.
May you like
Arthur looked at the retired Navy SEAL with bitter, hollow eyes. "You destroyed everything..."
"No," Lucas replied softly, looking down at the brave young girl holding his hand. "You destroyed yourself the moment you decided to hurt a child."
