Chapter 1: The Doors Were Never Meant to Open
Chapter 1: The Doors Were Never Meant to Open
The echo of the steel doors slamming shut silenced the ballroom.
Panic spread instantly.
Guests rushed toward every exit, only to find the electronic locks refusing to budge. Security guards reached for their radios, but every communication channel had already been disabled.
The man in the tuxedo stared at the woman, the confidence slowly draining from his face.
"What did you do?"
She calmly wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.
"I didn't trap innocent people."
Her eyes never left his.
"I trapped criminals."
His expression hardened.
"You've lost your mind."
"No," she replied. "I finally stopped pretending I didn't know who you really were."
Large monitors hidden behind decorative mirrors suddenly flickered to life.
Every guest watched as security footage appeared on the screens.
Secret meetings.
Bribes.
Illegal transactions.
Violent assaults.
Even recordings of tonight's attack against her.
Gasps filled the room.
The man's closest business partners quietly stepped away from him.
His lawyer lowered his head.
His own security chief refused to make eye contact.
Then the woman spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear.
"My father didn't seal these exits to protect me."
She smiled.
"He sealed them because every federal investigator is already inside this building."
Almost on cue, dozens of elegantly dressed guests reached inside their jackets.
Badges flashed.
Hidden earpieces appeared.
They weren't guests.
They were undercover federal agents.
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The celebration had never been a party.
It had been the largest sting operation in the city's history.
