Chapter 12 - A Lion's Counter
"We can't hide," Victor said, his voice dropping into the cold, calculated tone he used when dismantling corporate rivals in boardrooms. "If we stay underground, Cross controls the narrative, burns the assets, and hunts us down one by one."
Clara stood up, adjusting the strap of her tactical vest over her bandaged shoulder. "We have no legal standing right now. If we walk into a federal building, Cross's compromised marshals will execute us in the holding cell."
"We don't go to the feds," Victor replied, turning toward Marcus. "How long to pull Julian’s DNA profile and extract the ledger from the trust archives?"
"I need a direct terminal connection to the Sterling Tower main server in Midtown," Marcus said, shaking his head. "It’s air-gapped. I can't hack it remotely from here. We have to be physically inside the 40th floor data room."
"Then that’s where we’re going," Victor said without hesitation.
"Victor, it's a fortress," Clara warned. "The NYPD has the building on lockdown, and Cross’s private security contractors are stationed on every floor."
"Sterling Tower was designed by my grandfather," Victor said, a dark smile touching his lips for the first time that night. "There are private service shafts and secondary overrides that aren't on any architectural blueprint filed with the city. Cross thinks he owns my company. Tonight, I show him who built it."
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Julian tugged on Victor's coat. "Daddy, can I bring my bear?"
Victor looked down at his son, kneeling so they were eye to eye. "Keep your bear close, Julian. We’re going to take our home back."
