Chapter 8 - Geneva
Damian’s plane never reached Switzerland.
Two hours after takeoff, it changed course over the Atlantic.
Then the transponder disappeared.
Elena stood inside Voss Global’s crisis center watching the aircraft vanish from the map.
“Can they do that?”
Graham asked.
Aaron nodded.
“With the right equipment.”
Elena looked at Margaret.
“Where would he go instead?”
“I don’t know.”
“You knew about Geneva.”
“I knew Evelyn traced Meridian money there.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Margaret hesitated.
“Luxembourg.”
“Why?”
“Private clearing houses.”
Elena turned to Aaron.
“Alert authorities.”
He nodded.
Graham approached with another report.
“Board members are calling.”
“Let them.”
“They want an emergency meeting.”
“Of course they do.”
“They’re demanding explanations for the account freezes.”
Elena looked at him.
“Give them one.”
“What?”
“Tell them Voss Global is under internal attack.”
Graham raised an eyebrow.
“That could erase twenty billion dollars from the market tomorrow.”
“If I lie and this leaks, it could erase forty.”
He nodded slowly.
“I’ll prepare the statement.”
Elena’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
Aaron immediately shook his head.
“Don’t answer.”
She answered.
“Hello.”
Damian’s voice came through.
“You really don’t listen.”
Everyone froze.
Elena activated speaker mode.
“Where are you?”
“Safe.”
“You stole company property.”
“You took everything from me.”
“You did that yourself.”
Damian laughed bitterly.
“You still think this is about my job.”
“What is it about?”
“Your mother.”
Elena said nothing.
Damian continued.
“She was smarter than you.”
“Probably.”
“She knew Meridian couldn’t be destroyed.”
“Then why are you running?”
A pause.
Good.
She had hit something.
Damian lowered his voice.
“I’m running because they think I failed.”
“Who?”
“You already know.”
“No.”
“You know enough.”
Elena walked toward the glass wall.
“Come back.”
He laughed.
“So you can arrest me?”
“So you can survive.”
Another pause.
Elena pressed.
“Whoever used you has already labeled you disposable.”
Damian’s breathing changed.
“You saw the messages.”
“Yes.”
“You think I didn’t?”
“Then help me.”
“You ruined me.”
“You were ruined before I signed anything.”
Elena’s tone remained controlled.
“Damian, you were never their partner.”
“You were access.”
Silence.
Then he whispered.
“There’s a man.”
“Name.”
“I don’t know his real name.”
“What does he call himself?”
“The Steward.”
Margaret sat abruptly.
Elena noticed.
“You know that name?”
Margaret said nothing.
Damian heard her.
“Margaret’s there.”
“Yes.”
He laughed.
“Then ask her.”
Elena looked at her aunt.
“Who is the Steward?”
Margaret whispered.
“Someone Evelyn believed was dead.”
Damian spoke again.
“He wants the archive.”
“He won’t get it.”
“He already has part of it.”
Elena looked at Graham.
“How?”
Damian continued.
“When you activated succession, every dormant file came online.”
“I copied one directory.”
“Which one?”
“The Helix file.”
Margaret stood.
“No.”
Elena turned.
“What is Helix?”
Margaret moved toward the phone.
“Damian, listen to me.”
He laughed nervously.
“Now you want to talk?”
“Do not open that file.”
“Why?”
Margaret’s voice sharpened.
“Because Evelyn didn’t create Helix to hide money.”
Damian went silent.
Elena stared at her.
“What did she create it for?”
Margaret looked directly at Elena.
“To identify every person Meridian ever placed inside Voss Global.”
The call disconnected.
Graham immediately checked the server.
His expression turned grim.
May you like
Someone had just opened Helix.
And inside the building, fourteen employee access badges went dark at the exact same second.
