Chapter 13 - The Zurich BreachThe encrypted satellite phone on Adrian’s mahogany desk began to vibrate violently, cutting through the quiet afternoon peace of the study.
Adrian dropped his pen, snatched the receiver, and hit speakerphone.
“Talk to me, Dominic,” Adrian commanded, his voice dropping instantly into lethal commander mode.
“Boss, Sal was talking before we locked down his comms,” Dominic’s voice crackled through the speaker, breathless and tense. “There’s an external backup server in Zurich containing every transaction, every offshore bribe, and every document from the last thirty years. And it’s set on an automated dead-man’s switch. If a designated encryption key isn't entered by midnight tonight, the entire file dumps directly to the FBI and the Department of Justice.”
Elena, who had been sitting across the room helping Mia color a book, froze. The crayon slipped from her fingers, rolling silently across the rug.
“A dead-man’s switch,” Adrian repeated, his jaw clenching so hard muscles ticked in his cheek. “Who holds the key?”
“Marcus Vance had it,” Dominic replied grimly. “And since Marcus is dead, the key is stored on a physical cryptographic drive hidden inside his old private penthouse in downtown Manhattan. A penthouse that is currently sealed and being audited by federal marshals.”
Adrian stood up slowly, his eyes flashing with cold, calculated rage.
“Pack my tactical bag, Dominic,” Adrian said softly. “I’m going to Manhattan.”
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“Adrian, no!” Elena cried out, rushing across the room to grab his arm. “It’s a federal zone! If you walk into that penthouse while the marshals are there, you’ll be walking right into a trap!”
“If I don't go, Elena, everything we’ve built—every brick of this new life—will be seized, and we’ll spend the rest of our lives behind bars,” Adrian said, his voice firm yet gentle as he placed his hand over hers. “I have to end this once and for all.”
