curved monitors illumin

er fingers flew across the mechanical keyboard,

enter screen as she attempted to breach

the scre

akers. A massive, gold "V" emblem materialized in

ing. Her fingers hovered ove

of black coffee. He stopped behind her chai

iffened. "Vaug

" Devonte explained, his eyes scanning the secondary monitor. "Intelligence suggests the target vehicle in the crash was carrying a highly classified data chip intended for a Vaughan Group competitor

r her weight. She reached into her pocket, pulled out a

clicking against her teeth. "Someone powerful wan

ing to find a backdoor. The screen

jaw tightening. "It's physically air-gapped. I nee

He reached over and tapped a fe

creen, accompanied by a photograph of Fidel Vaugha

from severe, chronic trigeminal neuralgia and insomnia. He has been searching globally for

at Fidel's fac

cold, calculated pla

ctor," Eleanor

nd walked across the penthous

ss faucet. Ice-cold water r

ing water, and splashed it directly onto he

pumped it into her palms. She rubbed her hands togeth

ion, and the dark lipstick melted away, swir

n white towel and

the mirror, the got

Her skin was flawless and pale, her cheekbones sha

proached a biometric wall panel. She

revealing a high-tec

ilored black tactical trench coat from the rack and slipped

hin, sterile medical gloves. She snapped them onto h

opened a temperature-

d it by the handle. It was heavy, packed with custo

e was

o the private un

modified, matte-black Aston Martin. The eng

slid into the low bucket seat. She re

Vaughan's convoy just left the Vaughan Tower. T

raight ahead throu

t," she c

n Martin shot out of the garage like a bull