Chapter 15 - THE CRYPTOGRAPHIC TRAPElena’s medical training wasn't just about clinical care; during her early years working in hospital administration, she had audited institutional compliance codes. She stared at the cryptographic watermark on the bottom of the Geneva council’s document.
It wasn't a Swiss legal seal. It was an internal routing code from St. Jude’s hospital—the exact same database key Isabella had used to forge her emails months ago.
A brilliant, ice-cold realization washed over her.
"This isn't a Geneva Council document," Elena said, her voice ringing crystal clear across the silent, cavernous room.
Arthur Vance’s polite smile faltered for a fraction of a second. "Miss Ruiz, you are overwrought. This is an international legal mandate—"
"Don't lie to me," Elena interrupted, standing up slowly, holding Gabriel with one arm while pointing directly at the watermark with her free hand. "This routing code belongs to a defunct subsidiary server owned by Isabella’s family offshore trust. You aren't the Geneva High Council. You’re the remaining liquidators of Isabella’s syndicate, trying to pull off a fraudulent corporate heist using a fake tribunal as theater!"
Chaos erupted around the horseshoe table. Several men stood up, shouting objections, while Arthur Vance’s face turned an ugly, mottled shade of crimson.
"Seize them!" Arthur roared, slamming his hands onto the desk.
Before the guards lining the doorways could even draw their sidearms, the heavy oak doors of the chamber burst open with a deafening crash.
Marcus and a heavily armed international tactical unit swarmed into the room, their assault rifles instantly training on the fake council members.
"Drop your weapons! Federal and Interpol joint jurisdiction!" Marcus commanded, his voice slicing through the chaos.
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Alejandro didn't hesitate. In one fluid motion, he drew his pistol, vaulted over the mahogany table, and slammed Arthur Vance against the oak paneling, pressing the cold barrel directly beneath the man’s chin.
"You picked the wrong family to cross twice," Alejandro whispered, his voice a lethal promise of absolute destruction.
