Chapter 8 - THE VANCE SYNDICATE
Chloe stared at Marcus, her mind racing through every calculated detail of her father’s cold case. For three years, she had believed Eleanor was the sole architect of her family's destruction. But hearing Robert Vance’s name linked directly to the physical sabotage opened a terrifying new doorway.
“Prove it,” Chloe demanded, her voice cutting like glass.
Marcus reached into his inner suit pocket and pulled out a heavy, encrypted USB drive, placing it gently on the reception counter between them.
“This contains the internal dispatch logs, encrypted radio transcripts, and GPS tracking coordinates from our private security fleet on the night of October 14th,” Marcus said quietly. “My uncle thought he deleted them from the main server before the federal raid. He didn't know I backed up the archives to an off-site quantum vault years ago as insurance against him.”
Chloe looked from the USB drive up to Marcus’s steady, unblinking eyes.
“Why are you giving this to me?” Chloe asked, her skepticism palpable. “You’re a Vance. Your entire career was built on protecting men like Arthur Sterling and monsters like your uncle.”
“Because loyalty without a moral compass is just slavery, Chloe,” Marcus said, his voice carrying a deep, gravelly conviction. “When Arthur Sterling woke up and cleaned house, he showed me that power isn't about hiding secrets—it’s about having the courage to tear down the rotten foundations. Robert is planning a hostile takeover of Sterling Global’s board using hidden proxy shares. If he succeeds, he’ll reinstate everything Eleanor fought for.”
Chloe picked up the USB drive, feeling its cold metallic casing.
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“If these logs are authentic,” Chloe said slowly, “they don't just prove my father’s murder. They give us enough federal racketeering evidence to lock Robert Vance away for the rest of his life.”
“Then let’s do it,” Marcus said. “Together.”
