Chapter 6 - THE MAN AT HEADQUARTERS
Nathan called Marcus.
His uncle did not answer.
The corporate network began erasing service logs, emails, vendor records, and security files.
Outside counsel disconnected the dealership from the main server.
Local records survived.
Everything stored only at headquarters remained at risk.
Nathan contacted board chair Evelyn Chase.
“Marcus is wiping the system.”
“Are you certain?”
“The command uses his executive certificate.”
“He says the company is under cyberattack.”
“He is the attack.”
Evelyn had served beside Nathan’s grandfather for twenty years.
She respected Daniel.
She also believed Marcus had stabilized the company after his brother’s death.
Nathan heard doubt in her voice.
“You are making an accusation that could destroy Sterling Crown.”
“The company is already being destroyed.”
“I am trying to stop it.”
Nathan activated the emergency voting rights attached to his controlling shares.
Marcus’s executive access required board confirmation every year.
Nathan revoked his personal authorization.
Evelyn called an emergency meeting.
Marcus appeared from his office through video.
He looked calm.
“Nathan is emotional.”
“He was assaulted today.”
“He has been manipulated by disgruntled employees.”
Nathan almost laughed.
Every powerful person used the same language when facts arrived from someone they wanted to dismiss.
Emotional.
Young.
Confused.
Manipulated.
Nathan placed photographs of Bay Zero on the conference screen.
He played part of Maya’s statement.
Then he displayed the service-account command connected to his father’s crash.
Marcus’s expression did not change.
“Victor ran an unauthorized criminal operation.”
“Then why are you deleting corporate files?”
“I ordered a security containment.”
“Why does containment erase vendor payments?”
Marcus leaned toward the camera.
“You became an adult this morning.”
“That does not make you capable of leading a billion-dollar company by dinner.”
“No.”
Nathan held up his father’s notebook.
“But it makes me capable of asking why you ignored this.”
Marcus’s eyes stopped on the notebook.
He had not known Nathan possessed it.
Daniel had hidden the book inside a safe-deposit box.
The bank released it when Nathan turned eighteen.
Marcus lowered his voice.
“Your father was paranoid near the end.”
“Was he paranoid about the counterfeit brakes?”
“He had become obsessed.”
“Did he know about the offshore supplier?”
Silence.
Nathan continued.
“Did he know you were approving payments?”
Marcus’s calmness cracked.
“You have no idea what Daniel did to this family.”
“What did he do?”
“He planned to remove me.”
“From the company?”
“From everything.”
Marcus described years of resentment.
Daniel was older.
Daniel became chairman.
Daniel received their father’s public trust.
Marcus remained the talented younger brother who fixed problems and received no credit.
The words sounded familiar.
Victor blamed customers.
Grant blamed training.
Marcus blamed Daniel.
Every person had found someone else responsible for the choices they made.
Evelyn interrupted.
“Marcus, did you order the data deletion?”
He looked toward the board screen.
“I acted to protect the company.”
The chair asked again.
“Yes or no?”
“Yes.”
The board voted.
Marcus was suspended pending investigation.
Nathan received temporary executive authority.
Police entered headquarters minutes later.
Marcus had already left through the underground garage.
His office safe stood open.
His passport was gone.
So was the Sterling family seal required to approve international ownership transfers.
A private jet owned by one of the shell suppliers was preparing to leave the airport.
Its passenger list included Derek Sloan.
Victor Lang’s attorney.
And Marcus Sterling.
Nathan called federal investigators.
The jet was stopped on the runway.
Derek was arrested.
Victor’s attorney claimed he was traveling for unrelated business.
Marcus was not on the plane.
He had placed his name on the manifest as a distraction.
Security footage showed him leaving headquarters in a delivery van.
The company’s acting chief executive had disappeared with the family seal.
Then Nathan received a text from an unknown number.
May you like
I HAVE THE ARES MODULE.
COME ALONE IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO KILLED YOUR FATHER.
