Chapter 3: The Web of Deceit
By the next morning, the story had broken. "Vane’s Vice" was the headline across every major news network. But the victory was precarious. As Thorne and Elena sat in a secure safehouse, the gravity of what they had unleashed began to settle in.
Vane wasn't just a billionaire; he was the primary financier for the Senator of their state. They weren't just fighting one man; they were fighting a machine.
"He’s going to turn on them, Dad," Elena said, pacing the room. "He’ll trade the Senator to save his own skin. We need to make sure the evidence is bulletproof before he starts cutting plea deals."
Thorne nodded, looking at his daughter with newfound pride. "You were right to trust your gut. Most people would have crumbled, but you held out."
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The phone rang. It was the Attorney General. Vane was already trying to use his influence to suppress the evidence, claiming it was obtained illegally. They had one chance: they needed the physical documents, the original contracts, which were hidden in a secure vault at Vane’s private airfield, scheduled to be moved to an offshore server in less than six hours.
"We go to the airfield," Thorne declared, grabbing his coat. "We don't wait for the warrant. We take the evidence before the machine can erase it."
