Chapter 53 - The Viper's Den
Victor Holloway’s temporary headquarters was located in the penthouse suite of a towering glass skyscraper downtown.
I bypassed the front desk entirely, flashing a forged executive clearance badge Arthur had prepared. I rode the private elevator to the top floor, my pulse steady, the heavy leather briefcase clutched in my hand.
The elevator doors chimed and slid open.
Victor was sitting behind a massive desk of imported marble, surrounded by panoramic views of the city. His two bodyguards stepped forward instantly as I walked into the room.
"Evelyn," Victor said, leaning back in his chair, a look of genuine surprise crossing his arrogant features. "I didn't expect you to surrender in person. Have you brought the signed guardianship papers?"
"No," I said, walking directly to his desk, completely ignoring the massive men flanking me. I slammed the heavy leather briefcase onto the marble. I popped the latches and dumped hundreds of pages of printed financial ledgers directly onto his lap.
Victor’s arrogant smile vanished the second his eyes scanned the top page.
"The arms manufacturing in Belarus," I stated, my voice echoing off the glass walls. "The tax evasion shell companies in Luxembourg. And the explicit, documented intent to commit identity fraud using a minor. I have it all, Victor."
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Victor stood up, his face contorted in absolute rage. "You stole this data. It’s inadmissible."
"I don't need it to be admissible in family court," I smiled, a dark, terrifying expression. "I just need it to be interesting to the FBI counter-terrorism unit. And as of ten minutes ago, Arthur Sterling has set a dead-man’s switch. If I do not walk out of this building in five minutes, those ledgers are automatically emailed to every federal prosecutor in the state."
