Chapter 7 - The Trap Snaps Shut
The presentation room on the third floor was empty when Lily was escorted inside by a silent security guard. The large mahogany table reflected the bright fluorescent lights above, and the floor-to-ceiling windows offered a clear view of the massive cooling towers outside.
She set her briefcase down, her fingers deftly sliding beneath the false bottom to activate the transceiver. “Dad, I’m in the third-floor conference suite. The local node is directly behind the projection screen.”
“Copy that, Lily,” Arthur’s voice crackled through. He was already moving through the facility’s maintenance tunnels, having slipped out of the van’s hidden compartment using an old underground delivery map. “Beginning the override sequence now. Give me two minutes.”
Before Lily could step toward the projection screen, the double doors of the conference room swung open with a heavy, ominous click.
Marcus Sterling walked in, flanked by two large men in tactical uniforms. He wasn't wearing his suit jacket anymore; his sleeves were rolled up, revealing a long, jagged scar running down his forearm—a souvenir from the Colombia crash.
“Miss Miller,” Sterling said, his smile sharp and predatory. “Did you really think we wouldn't scan your vehicle for hidden compartments at the gate? Your driver is currently being detained in the security office. And your father… well, Arthur always did love the maintenance tunnels. He thinks like a soldier, which makes him incredibly predictable.”
Lily felt a wave of cold panic threaten to break her composure, but she forced herself to stand tall, refusing to back away. “You won't get away with this, Sterling. The FBI has the files. If anything happens to us, Vanguard will be dismantled by sunset.”
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“The FBI has nothing but unverified digital copies,” Sterling laughed, walking over to the window and looking out at the cooling towers. “Once I have the master key from your father’s body, I will wipe our servers, rebrand our assets, and disappear before the federal bureaucracy can even sign a warrant. And as for you, Lily… you’re going to be the voice that convinces your father to lay down his weapon.”
Sterling reached for his radio. “Team Bravo, target locked in the maintenance sector. Terminate with extreme prejudice.”
