Chapter 206

Alexander sat in his darkened penthouse office, the blue glow of multiple computer screens painting shadows across his face. Empty coffee cups and takeout containers littered his desk – evidence of days spent planning what he believed would be justice for his uncle’s death and the seventeen lives lost in that factory explosion.

His fingers moved across the keyboard, typing another encrypted message to the Guardian. The same secure communication system they’d used for months, bouncing signals through servers in twelve different countries to hide their conversations from anyone who might try to listen in.

*Status update: Richard Lewis confronted me today. He showed false documents claiming my uncle was responsible for the factory deaths. I didn’t believe his lies. Ready to proceed with Phase Two as discussed.*

Alexander hit send and leaned back in his chair, exhaustion weighing on him like a physical burden. His reflection in the black computer screen showed a man who’d aged years in the past few weeks. Stubble covered his jaw, dark circles ringed his eyes, and his expensive clothes hung loose on a frame that had lost weight from stress and sleepless nights.

The response came back within minutes:

*Excellent. Lewis family interference was expected. They will do anything to protect their reputation, even defend a killer. Your uncle would be proud of your dedication to justice. Meeting tonight as planned. Pier 47, midnight.*