The ledger was not a book of paper. In the modern underworld, it was an encrypted digital ghost backed up on an offline physical drive—a titanium micro-chip encased in resin, small enough to swallow.

He walked straight over to Vance, pulled a combat knife from his tactical rig, and sliced through the zip-ties binding the traitor’s wrists in a single fluid motion.

Vance scrambled to his feet, rubbing his raw wrists, glaring at Eva with pure hatred.

"Stupid little mutant," Vance spat, raising his pistol toward the girl. "Should have had you put down seven years ago."

Marcus threw himself forward, attempting to tackle Vance, but the masked operator backhanded him with brutal force, sending Marcus crashing into the wall, spitting blood.

"Don't touch her!" Marcus choked out, struggling to push himself up.

Vance stepped toward Eva, his gun barrel rising to her forehead. "Say goodbye, little bird."

Eva didn't flinch. She didn't scream. She simply looked past Vance, straight toward the heavy oak door.

A sharp, metallic click echoed through the room.

The heavy reinforced door didn't just open—it blew inward, blasted off its hinges by a high-explosive breaching charge placed with surgical precision.

Smoke filled the doorway.

Through the haze, Julian stepped into the room.

He didn't say a word. He didn't issue a warning.

His Sig Sauer roared twice.

The masked operator’s head snapped back as a bullet tore through his visor, dropping him instantly.

Vance spun around in panic, trying to pivot his gun toward Julian, but he was too late.

Julian’s third bullet caught Vance square in the right shoulder, spinning him around and slamming him hard against the balcony glass. The gun slipped from Vance's fingers, clattering onto the floor.

Julian walked forward, his face a mask of cold, absolute death. He pressed the barrel of his smoking gun directly against Vance’s forehead.

"You played a dangerous game, Vance," Julian said softly, his voice trembling with suppressed rage. "You thought you could destroy my family, take my empire, and walk away."

Vance smiled weakly, blood bubbling from his lips. "You... you think you won, Julian? Check the terminal downstairs. The core vault is open. The files are already being uploaded to every news outlet and federal agency in the country. Your empire is gone. We all lose."

Julian’s eyes narrowed. He looked back at Marcus, then down at Eva, who walked calmly past her father and stood beside the battered teenager, gently touching Marcus’s bruised cheek.

Julian looked back at Vance.