Chapter 12 - Collateral Damage
The building was a labyrinth of flashing red emergency lights and blaring sirens. Avery sprinted through the corridors, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. She had triggered the greatest leak in corporate history, but the escape was going to be a nightmare. Security teams were already flooding the floors, their heavy boots thundering on the marble as they fanned out in search of the intruder.
She ducked into an abandoned executive suite, pressing her back against the cold, mahogany paneling. Through the window, she could see the distant lights of Manhattan. In mere minutes, those lights would turn into a storm of chaos as the data she had leaked hit the servers of every news agency in the world.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed. It was Elena.
“Avery! Get out of there! They’ve locked down the entire block!” Elena’s voice was frantic. “The files are live! The FBI is already moving on their secondary offices, but Victoria has activated her private security contingency. They’re coming for you, and they don’t care about collateral damage.”
“I’m heading for the rooftop,” Avery said, her voice strained. “I’ll find a way down from the service ladder.”
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“Be careful,” Elena warned. “Liam is personally leading the security team on the ground floor. He’s lost his mind, Avery. He’s not playing to win anymore—he’s playing to kill.”
Avery scrambled up the emergency stairs, her lungs burning. She wasn’t just fighting for her life anymore; she was fighting for the justice of every person the Sterlings had ever crushed under their boots.
