Chapter 30 - The Voice of the Dead
Elena pressed the play button.
The master speakers of the grand chateau hummed, and then Thomas Carter’s weary, gravelly voice echoed across the room, broadcast live to news networks on six continents:
*"Evelyn didn't just want control of the airline, Elena. She was terrified that I had discovered her secret partner in Apex Holdings. Arthur Sterling was never the brains of the operation. The real partner who funded her shadow fleet... is the chairman of the European Civil Aviation Authority, Lord Reginald Croft."*
Croft lunged forward, his face twisted in panic. "Turn that off! That is a fabricated AI recording! Shut it down!"
Before he could reach the console, Marcus stepped between them, catching Croft by the throat and slamming the corrupt regulator against the mahogany podium with enough force to crack the wood. "Sit down, Lord Croft. Your flight is canceled."
The tape played on, detailing bank account routing numbers, dates of meetings in Zurich, and the precise batch numbers of the toxic digitalis administered to Thomas Carter’s food.
Sarah stepped forward, holding the bound ledgers high above her head for the cameras to capture. "These are the original physical records, signed by Evelyn Carter and Lord Croft, notarized fourteen years ago, authenticated by Bankhaus Hoffman!"
Journalists frantically typed on their laptops. The live comment sections of the news streams exploded with millions of messages of outrage. Across European markets, the shares of Apex Holdings went into a catastrophic freefall, triggering automatic trading halts.
Evelyn Carter backed away from the podium, her immaculate mask of aristocratic serenity completely shattered. Her chest heaved, her eyes darting toward the exits.
"It was for the family," Evelyn suddenly hissed, glaring at Elena with raw, unbridled malice. "Your father was weak! He cared about passenger comfort and pilot pensions! He was letting our empire stagnate while Middle Eastern and Asian carriers swallowed the global skies! I built an empire that was untouchable!"
"You built an empire on counterfeit titanium bolts that almost killed three hundred people on Flight 882!" Elena yelled back, tears of anger finally spilling over her cheeks. "You built an empire on the murder of the only man who truly loved you!"
Evelyn let out a bitter, manic laugh. "Love? Love doesn't buy landing slots at Heathrow, Elena! Power does! And you... you were always too soft, just like him!"
"I am nothing like him when it comes to dealing with traitors," Elena replied coldly.
Suddenly, the heavy glass doors at the rear of the ballroom shattered. A tactical strike team from the Swiss Federal Police and Interpol swarmed into the room, assault rifles raised, followed by federal prosecutors carrying red-sealed arrest warrants.
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"Federal police! Nobody move!" the lead commander roared. "Evelyn Carter, Reginald Croft, you are under arrest for international racketeering, aviation sabotage, and premeditated murder!"
***
