Chapter 4 - The Counter-Strike
At 3:00 AM, the grand lobby of the Grand Meridian was eerily quiet.
Derek sat behind the desk, nervously tapping his fingers on the marble. He had been told by his uncle Richard to stay put and monitor the security feeds. He knew something big was happening, but he didn't care about the details—only the massive payout he had been promised.
Suddenly, the front doors slid open, and three men in sleek, black tactical gear walked in. They didn't look like police, nor did they look like Richard's usual thugs. They moved with absolute, silent precision.
Before Derek could reach for the alarm button under the desk, a heavy hand grabbed his collar, pulling him over the counter and slamming him onto the floor. A zip-tie was secured around his wrists before he could even scream.
"Who are you guys?!" Derek gasped, his face pressed against the cold floor.
"Security," a voice said from above.
Arthur walked out of the elevator, dressed once again in his gray hoodie. Beside him was a tall, imposing man with graying hair and scars tracing his jawline—Viktor, the head of Arthur’s private security firm.
"Is the feed secured?" Arthur asked.
"All security cameras are on a fifteen-minute loop, sir," Viktor reported, handing Arthur a tablet. "The sniper on the opposite building has been neutralized. He’s currently tied up in a maintenance closet on the 32nd floor of that building. We’ve also cut the hardlines to the CO-99 rooms. No one on those floors can make or receive calls without our permission."
"Excellent," Arthur said. He walked over to Derek, who was trembling violently on the floor.
Arthur knelt down beside him. "Derek, do you know what the penalty is for aiding and abetting international human trafficking and money laundering?"
"I... I don't know what you're talking about!" Derek cried. "I just check people in!"
Arthur held up his tablet, showing Derek the encrypted database they had just extracted from the parallel server. "This database contains your digital signature, Derek. Every time a CO-99 guest checked in, you used your personal biometric bypass to authorize their key cards. You've personally signed off on the arrival of three internationally wanted fugitives this month alone."
Derek’s eyes went wide. "No... no, my uncle said it was just high-end clients who wanted privacy! He said it was legal!"
"Your uncle lied to you," Arthur said calmly. "But you have one chance to save yourself. You're going to call him. And you're going to tell him exactly what I want you to say."
Meanwhile, up on the 28th floor, a highly specialized digital forensic team was working in the server room, downloading terabytes of encrypted data from Vanguard’s parallel network. This was the weapon Arthur needed. It wasn't just about saving his hotel; it was about destroying Richard's entire shadow network across the country.
Arthur's phone buzzed. It was an alert.
"Sir," Viktor whispered, looking at his own device. "We have a problem. Richard’s personal security detail just entered the parking garage. He’s not waiting for 10:00 AM. He's coming up now."
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Arthur looked at Zoe, who was now being watched over by one of Viktor’s trusted female operatives in a secure room on a different floor.
"Let him come," Arthur said, a cold, hard smile playing on his lips. "It’s time to end this."
