Chapter 7 - Infiltrating the Syndicate
The gala was sickeningly opulent. Politicians who claimed to be men of the people drank champagne with cartel bosses.
Marcus and Elena, dressed in the pristine white uniforms of the elite catering staff, seamlessly navigated the crowded ballroom. Marcus kept his head down, serving hors d'oeuvres, his eyes memorizing the patrol routes of the armed guards in tailored suits.
At the top of the grand staircase stood Silas Vance. He looked exactly the same as he did seven years ago—immaculate, arrogant, and deadly. He was shaking hands with a four-star general.
"Target is stationary," Elena whispered into her concealed earpiece. "I'm moving to the power junction. You have three minutes to get to the sub-basement."
Marcus abandoned his serving tray and slipped through a restricted access door, neutralizing a guard with a swift, silent strike to the carotid artery. He dragged the body into a closet, swiped the guard's keycard, and descended into the cold, sterile hallway of the sub-basement.
At the end of the hall stood the vault. It was a massive, circular steel door that looked like it belonged on a nuclear submarine.
"I'm at the junction," Elena's voice crackled. "Initiating EMP surge in three... two... one."
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The lights in the hallway flickered violently. The digital display on the vault flashed red, then went completely dark. A heavy mechanical clack echoed as the secondary analog tumblers engaged.
"The window is open," Marcus said, pulling a stethoscope and a tension wrench from his jacket.
