The city streets are often a blur of motion, a fast-paced reel of people rushing blindly toward their next destination.

"I was just reviewing some historical precedents for the upcoming merger, Marcus," Julian lied smoothly, forcing his voice to remain steady.

"Is that so?" Marcus chuckled, a dry, terrifying sound. "You always were too smart for your own good. Security is on their way up, Julian. Don't do anything foolish."

Julian didn't hesitate. He grabbed a heavy encrypted hard drive from his safe and frantically began downloading the Project Genesis files, the police reports, and Marcus’s offshore embezzlement ledgers.

The heavy glass doors of his office rattled as two massive security guards tried the handle. Julian had magnetically locked it, but they were already overriding the system.

The download hit 100%. Julian yanked the drive from the port. He grabbed his cashmere coat and bolted for the private executive balcony. He smashed the emergency fire alarm glass, triggering the building’s chaotic evacuation protocol. Sirens blared. Sprinklers erupted.

As security burst into his office, Julian swung over the balcony railing, dropping one story down onto the maintenance scaffolding. He scrambled through the metal framework, descending rapidly while the guards shouted above him.

He hit the alleyway running. He pulled out his phone to check his bank accounts.

Access Denied. Account Frozen.

Marcus was swift. In a matter of minutes, Julian Vance, the prodigy of Wall Street, had been erased. He had no money, no credit cards, and the police would soon be looking for him on trumped-up charges of corporate espionage. He was effectively homeless.

He ran through the freezing rain until he reached the underpass beneath the Brooklyn Bridge. In the shadows, huddled near a burning trash can, he found the man in the gray thrift-store suit.

Julian fell to his knees in the dirt. He looked up at Silas, holding out the encrypted hard drive.