Chapter 4

Parked in the shadows outside the grand hotel's VIP entrance, a sleek black sedan idled quietly against the curb.
Inside the vehicle, a fifty-five-year-old federal official adjusted the collar of his heavy, dark navy trench coat.
His weathered, experienced face remained carved from stone as the encrypted receiver on his dashboard beeped softly to life.
He leaned forward, his sharp eyes narrowing as he waited for the designated passcode to be spoken through the secure line.
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The streetlamps of the upscale Manhattan district cast long, dramatic shadows across the polished hood of his covert vehicle.
Everything was in position; the net was fully cast, and the federal task force awaited the final confirmation signal.