Chapter 5 - THE GHOST IN THE MACHINEUpstairs, the high-tech command center of the Moretti mansion looked like NASA during a rocket launch. Giant monitors displayed thermal feeds of the perimeter, biometric readouts of the guards, and encrypted financial ledgers streaming in real-time.
Vincent stood before the main console, swirling a glass of neat bourbon, watching the security feeds for any sign of movement in Sector Four.
“Sir,” a technician stammered from the corner console, his fingers flying across his keyboard in a panic. “We’ve got a security breach in the lower archives. Someone just overrode the master firewall using a high-level administrative bypass.”
Vincent frowned, setting his glass down with a sharp clink. “Impossible. Only two people have root access—myself and Aleandro.”
“It’s not Aleandro’s terminal, sir. It’s coming from the old legacy server. The one tied to the overseas accounts.”
Before Vincent could bark an order, every single screen in the command center flickered violently. The crimson emergency lighting cut out, plunging the room into absolute darkness for three heartbeats. Then, a single, blinding white window popped up on every monitor, locking out all manual controls.
Written across every screen in bold, crimson typography were three words:
AUDIT COMPLETE. TRANSFERRING FILES.
“Shut it down!” Vincent roared, lunging at the master console. “Pull the physical server plugs! Do it now!”
Too late.
The backup generators hummed, and every television screen, tablet, and smartphone across the entire estate—from the executive dining hall down to the guard barracks—began broadcasting a live, unmuted audio recording at maximum volume.
“... Accidents happen on high-rises. Just like heart attacks happen in private studies... Sophia’s husband? Was that your streamlining too? He asked too many questions about the concrete ratios...”
The entire room froze. Every guard, every tech specialist, every capos standing in the corridor turned their heads slowly toward Vincent.
It was Vincent’s voice. Crystal clear. Confessing to murder, treason, and the framing of an innocent woman.
Vincent’s face drained of all color, turning the ash-white of a corpse. He turned slowly around, only to find the heavy steel door of the command center standing wide open.
May you like
Standing in the doorway was Aleandro Moretti.
And beside him, holding a high-capacity tactical shotgun with terrifying familiarity, was Sophia Carter.
