Chapter 12 - The Gala
The Patriot Legacy Gala looked legitimate.
Flags.
Uniforms.
Photographs of fallen soldiers.
Gold lettering.
A string quartet.
To anyone watching, it was a room honoring sacrifice.
Underneath, dead men were being sold.
Lisa entered from a command vehicle parked two blocks away.
Not physically.
Digitally.
She accessed the venue network through a lawful emergency authorization.
Guest devices appeared.
Encrypted transaction terminals.
A private Wi-Fi segment.
Then a hidden server.
LEGACY EXCHANGE.
Lisa stared.
“There.”
She mirrored traffic for investigators.
Accounts began moving.
Identity packages were displayed by code.
D-184.
T-771.
M-044.
One package.
CROSS-D.
Michael.
Current bid.
Four million dollars.
Lisa felt sick.
“They’re selling his identity.”
Marcus nodded.
“Keep recording.”
Then another package appeared.
BENNETT-L.
Lisa frowned.
“That’s me.”
The file opened.
Lisa Bennett.
Corporate credentials.
Defense relationships.
Security clearances.
Biometric profile.
Corporate ownership.
They had built an identity package around her too.
Not because she was dead.
Because Nathan planned for her to become unavailable.
Marcus’s face hardened.
“Enough probable cause.”
Teams entered.
Inside the ballroom, audio returned.
Claire shouted.
“Federal agents.”
Guests panicked.
Nathan’s voice.
“Seal the east exit.”
Evelyn screamed something.
Glass shattered.
Then Lisa saw movement on security cameras.
Claire running.
Evelyn heading toward a service corridor.
Nathan disappearing through a staff elevator.
Military Police detained guests.
Marcus’s team went after Nathan.
Lisa tracked the elevator.
Basement.
Parking level.
Then the server suddenly began deleting itself.
Lisa’s hands flew across the keyboard.
“No.”
She isolated the backup node.
The deletion spread.
She blocked one route.
Then another.
Someone else fought her from inside.
Skilled.
Very skilled.
Nathan.
For the first time, Lisa was facing the architect directly.
He sent one message through the terminal.
MICHAEL SHOULD HAVE STAYED DEAD.
Lisa typed back.
SO SHOULD YOU.
Then she locked him out.
Two seconds later, a basement camera showed Nathan stop beside a door.
He looked directly at the camera.
May you like
Smiled.
Then disappeared into darkness.
