Chapter 7 - The Trap in the Alley
The rainy morning broke gray and heavy over the industrial district.
Elena walked down the narrow alleyway behind the dry cleaner's, carrying a small leather bag. She had sent Maya ahead with Marcus, who had agreed to take the child to a safe house outside the city limits until the storm passed.
As Elena reached the end of the alley, a black luxury sedan pulled silently across the mouth of the street, blocking her path.
The rear door opened. Two men in black suits and tactical earpieces stepped out, their arms crossed, their expressions devoid of emotion.
"Dr. Rostova," one of the men said, his voice flat. "Mr. Vance would like a word."
Elena didn't turn around. She didn't run. She stood her ground on the wet pavement, her hands tucked deep inside her coat pockets.
"Tell Julian if he wants to talk, he can come down to the pavement himself," Elena said clearly.
The rear window of the sedan rolled down with a soft mechanical hum. Julian Vance leaned his face toward the opening, his dark eyes meeting hers through the rain.
"You've been very difficult to find, Elena," Julian said softly. "Seven years in the gutter. Living off scraps. And yet, you reveal yourself over a piece of stale bread."
"Your wife put her hands on my child," Elena replied, stepping two feet closer to the vehicle, ignoring the two guards who shifted their weight defensively. "You know what I carry, Julian. You know what's in the metal box."
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Julian’s jaw tightened slightly. "The ledger is obsolete, Elena. The codes were changed years ago. You have nothing."
"The ledger isn't obsolete," Elena smiled, a cold, terrifying expression that made Julian's eyes narrow. "Because three hours ago, I uploaded the encrypted raw files to the Federal Prosecutor's private server. The decryption key activates at noon—unless I personally enter the safety code."
