Chapter 7 - The Double Cross
Ethan threw his entire body sideways, clinging desperately to the greasy metal cables of the adjacent elevator track.
The heavy industrial car smashed past him with incredible velocity, crashing into the bottom of the shaft and sending a shockwave through the concrete walls.
His arms burned with pure agony, but he forced himself to climb higher into the dark, endless vertical tunnel.
After thirty grueling minutes, he managed to pry open the doors to the sixtieth floor, rolling silently onto the luxurious carpet.
This was the restricted executive level, heavily guarded and entirely off-limits to the gala guests celebrating below.
Ethan moved like a shadow, taking out two armed mercenaries in the hallway with brutal, silent precision.
He stole a keycard from a fallen guard and swiped it at the reinforced steel door leading to the central server room.
The room was freezing cold, illuminated entirely by the blinking blue lights of massive data towers.
Maya was tied to a chair in the center of the room, bleeding from her temple but conscious and furious.
Ethan rushed forward to untie her thick plastic restraints, whispering that everything was going to be alright.
A slow, mocking applause echoed from the dark corner of the server room, completely shattering the silence.
Marcus stepped out of the shadows, holding a sleek, suppressed pistol aimed directly at Maya's chest.
He smiled coldly, explaining that he always knew Ethan would try to play the hero and walk right into the trap.
Marcus admitted that he wasn't just working for Silas; he was secretly planning to steal the algorithm for himself and kill both billionaires.
He tossed a small digital drive onto the floor, demanding that Ethan upload the codes manually while holding the gun steady.
Ethan slowly reached into his pocket, pretending to retrieve his encryption key, his mind calculating every possible angle.
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Instead of a key, Ethan pulled out the heavy metal wrench he had kept hidden in his jacket.
He hurled it with brutal force directly at the main power conduit above Marcus's head.
