Chapter 7 - The Gala Sabotage
By Friday evening, the Grand Ballroom of the Sterling Hotel in downtown Chicago was bathed in brilliant crystal light and orchestral music.
Over five hundred prominent guests, including US Senators, Wall Street titans, and city officials, gathered for the annual Sterling Foundation Gala.
Victoria walked down the grand staircase in a stunning emerald silk dress, her composure flawless despite the high-tension atmosphere.
Across the room, Gregory Sterling stood by the champagne fountain, flanked by two high-priced defense attorneys and several influential board members.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Victoria announced into the center stage microphone, her voice commanding total silence across the vast hall.
"Tonight, as we celebrate fifty years of American hospitality, we also usher in a new era of absolute transparency and accountability," she declared.
Suddenly, the massive chandelier lights flickered erratically before plunging the entire ballroom into absolute, terrifying darkness.
Panicked gasps echoed through the darkness as emergency red backup lights flickered on, casting eerie shadows against the high walls.
A heavy mechanical clanking sound reverberated from the basement level as the hotel's main power grid was deliberately severed from the outside.
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Marcus instantly moved to Victoria's side, drawing his sidearm beneath his suit jacket as he scanned the darkened balcony above.
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