Chapter 28 - The Ballroom Standoff
As the gala celebration continued with music and dancing, a subtle disturbance occurred near the grand service entrance.
A lone man in a dark tuxedo walked past the security checkpoint, flashing an unverified diplomatic security badge to the door staff.
Marcus noticed the man's rigid posture and scanning eyes, instantly recognizing the unmistakable traits of a trained tactical operative.
He slipped his hand toward his concealed holster, quietly signaling Agent Vance across the crowded ballroom floor.
The stranger reached inside his tuxedo jacket, pulling out a small encrypted data drive rather than a weapon of violence.
He walked straight toward Thomas Reed, stopping ten feet away as federal agents converged on his position instantly.
"Prosecutor Reed, you missed one file in the Geneva sweep," the man said smoothly, tossing the drive onto the table.
"What is this?" Thomas asked, looking down at the small piece of plastic resting beside his water glass.
"Proof that the syndicate was just a branch of something much older," the stranger whispered before turning and walking away.
May you like
Before agents could tackle him in the crowd, the mysterious man vanished through the revolving exit doors into the rainy night.
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