Chapter 5 – The Hidden Hand
Victor Hale's office occupied the top floor of a private banking tower in Zurich.
He listened to the report without interruption.
“Mercer has collapsed?”
“Completely,” his aide replied. “Voss Global seized operational control in less than two hours.”
Victor smiled faintly.
“Impressive.”
“Should we intervene?”
“Not yet.”
He turned toward the window overlooking the city.
“Elena Voss has done us a favor. Mercer was becoming reckless.”
The aide hesitated. “There is another development.”
“Yes?”
“Adrian Voss may be alive.”
For the first time, Victor's expression hardened.
“Confirm it.”
Hours later in New York, Elena met with Samuel and Adrian in a secure conference room.
Adrian spread documents across the table.
“Hale controls a network of private funds. Mercer believed he was building an empire. In reality, he was laundering influence.”
Samuel looked grim. “If this reaches federal prosecutors, half the financial district could be implicated.”
Elena studied the files.
“Then we don't leak it,” she said.
“We prove it.”
Her phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
You should have stopped after Mercer.
—V.H.
Another message arrived immediately.
Check the cameras outside your house.
Elena opened the security feed.
A black sedan sat across the street.
Engine running.
Watching.
Adrian leaned forward.
“He's letting us know he can see us.”
May you like
Elena set the phone down carefully.
“Good,” she said. “Now we know where to look back.”
