He thought he had trapped her... until the doors locked behind him.

The East Wing of the Vanguard Society Hall was a fortress within a fortress. Heavy mahogany doors gave way to a soundproofed corridor, ending in the VIP vault—a room used for the most illegal and sensitive transactions the elite had to offer.

Dominic ushered Evelyn inside. The room was windowless, paneled in dark oak, with a single, massive steel table in the center.

"Have a seat, Evelyn," Dominic offered, leaning against the doorframe.

"I'll stand," she replied, her voice eerily calm. She didn't look like a woman about to be blackmailed. She looked at her watch. 9:14 p.m.

"You always were too brave for your own good," Dominic sighed, pulling a thick manila folder from his jacket. "This is a confession, Evelyn. Signed by my men, but bearing your forged signature. It implicates you in the cyber-attack on the Federal Reserve last month. The FBI is waiting for my call."

"Is that so?" Evelyn asked, tilting her head.

"You can avoid prison," Dominic continued, stepping closer. "Sign over the remaining patents of Cross Technologies to me, right now. Walk away with nothing, and you get to keep your freedom."

Evelyn smiled. It wasn't a smile of defeat. It was a cold, terrifying smirk that made the hairs on the back of Dominic’s neck stand up.

Clang.

A deafening, metallic thud echoed through the floorboards.

Dominic frowned, turning toward the corridor. Clang. Clang. Clang.

Suddenly, the heavy mahogany door to the VIP vault slammed shut on its own. The electronic lock beeped a violent red.

"What did you do?" Dominic demanded, rushing to the door and pulling the handle. It was jammed shut.

"I didn't do anything to this door, Dominic," Evelyn said softly. "But my team just triggered the blast shields on every single exit in the Vanguard Society Hall. The windows are reinforced polycarbonate. The cell towers within a two-mile radius have been jammed. The local network is severed."

Dominic pulled out his phone. No service. He slammed his fist against the oak door. "Open this door, Evelyn! Security!"

"Security has been relieved of their duties," she replied, walking over to the steel table and pressing a hidden button beneath it. A massive flat-screen monitor descended from the ceiling. "You brought me in here to trap me in a cage, Dominic. But you forgot one crucial detail."