Chapter 8
A soft, rhythmic humming sound suddenly vibrated from a vintage reel-to-reel tape machine sitting on a side table near the corner of the room.
Vincent froze, his hand hovering inches above the open dossier as the analog spools began to spin slowly on their own.
Without warning, a familiar, weathered voice echoed through the vintage speaker system mounted on the concrete wall.
"If you are listening to this tape, Vincent, then I am long dead, and Cole has finally found the bunker," his father's voice resonated through the empty room.
Vincent choked back a sudden sob, stepping closer to the machine as his father continued his final message from the past.
"Cole built his entire career on treason, hiding behind a badge while selling American state secrets to foreign black-market brokers."
"The brass key you hold isn't just an access pass; it's the master cryptographic key to every offshore account he owns."
"Upload the data on that mainframe terminal to the Department of Justice watchdog server before he seals your tomb."
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The tape clicked off with a sharp mechanical snap, leaving Vincent standing alone in the deafening silence of the underground vault.
He turned around immediately, sprinting toward the central mainframe terminal to execute the data transfer before time ran out.
