Chapter 18: Unraveling the Net
Chapter 18: Unraveling the Net
Back at the Sterling residence, the digital investigation reached a critical breakthrough. Lily and Marcus had isolated the specific cryptographic signature used to alter the Foundation's financial records.
"It belongs to Harrison," Marcus revealed in a tense meeting in Arthur's study. "Our Senior Legal Counsel."
Maria was stunned. "Harrison? He’s been with us for six years! Arthur helped his family when his daughter was sick!"
"Vance didn't offer him money," Lily said, pulling up a series of encrypted bank transfers they had managed to trace through offshore tracking nodes. "He threatened him. Harrison’s family was put under financial pressure by Vance’s subsidiary lending firms. He was coerced."
Instead of calling the police immediately, Arthur chose a tactical approach. That night, Harrison was summoned to Arthur's private study under the guise of an urgent legal briefing.
When the lawyer entered and saw Arthur, Maria, and Marcus sitting in silence, his face turned ash gray.
"Sit down, Frank," Arthur said softly.
Harrison took a trembling seat, unable to meet Arthur's eyes. "Arthur... I... I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything yet," Maria said, her tone filled with a mix of sadness and firm authority. "We know about Vance's pressure on your family. We know about the forced access keys."
Harrison broke down, burying his face in his hands. "He threatened to ruin my daughter’s medical clinic overseas! He had people standing outside her house! I felt I had no choice, Arthur... He wanted the internal files to frame the Foundation!"
"There is always a choice, Frank," Arthur said sternly. "But right now, you have one chance at redemption. You are going to help us lay a trap."
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Harrison looked up, tears in his eyes. "How?"
"Vance expects you to deliver the final piece of fake evidence tomorrow morning at the emergency board meeting," Marcus explained, leaning over the table. "You’re going to give him exactly what he asked for—but with a hidden digital tracer embed that will broadcast his unauthorized network access directly to the federal authorities."
