Chapter 6 - The Raid
The FBI does not take kindly to corporate cyber-terrorism.
The next morning, at 9:00 AM, a fleet of black SUVs pulled up to the glass-fronted headquarters of the Sterling Holding Group. I sat in an unmarked car across the street with my father and David Rossi, watching the spectacle unfold.
Dozens of agents wearing windbreakers poured out of the vehicles and breached the lobby. Through the glass, we could see employees being forced away from their desks. Agents began carrying out boxes of hard drives, laptops, and physical files.
Ten minutes later, Julian was escorted out of the building in handcuffs, looking utterly terrified. He was followed closely by his cousin, Todd, and finally, Victoria herself.
Victoria wasn't screaming today. She looked shell-shocked. Her perfect hair was slightly out of place, her designer coat draped awkwardly over the handcuffs binding her wrists. As the agents led her to the transport vehicle, she locked eyes with me through the window of my car.
I didn't smile. I didn't gloat. I just gave her a slow, deliberate nod. Checkmate.
"They're finished," Dad murmured, watching the cars drive away. "The feds will find the payment records to the hacker. They'll find the forged documents against me. It's over."
"Not yet," I said. "Victoria will try to pin it all on Julian or Todd. She’s a narcissist. She’ll throw her own blood under the bus to save herself. We need an inside witness."
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David Rossi looked at me. "Who?"
"Chloe," I said. "She was there on my porch. She filmed the threat. And out of all of them, she's the only one who cares more about her social life than the family business. She won't survive a week in a federal holding cell. I'm going to make her a deal."
