Chapter 13: Into the Spotlight
With Leo securely strapped to his back using the heavy wool blanket as an improvised harness, David climbed the vertical service ladder hand over hand, his muscles straining under the sudden weight. Clara followed closely behind him, her fingers gripping the cold rungs of the iron ladder as they ascended into the dim, dusty rafters of the massive auditorium. Below them, the roar of the crowd swelled into a deafening crescendo as the house lights dimmed and dramatic orchestral music boomed through the overhead speakers. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the next United States Senator, Julian Vance! a booming announcer’s voice echoed through the hall, setting off a wave of wild applause and flashing camera strobes. Through the metal grating of the catwalk beneath their boots, Clara could see the charismatic candidate stepping briskly onto the stage, waving to the adoring crowd with a practiced, dazzling smile. David reached the end of the catwalk, where a small, unlocked access door opened directly into the back of the media broadcast booth. The booth was filled with rows of empty control desks, massive computer monitors, and broadcasting equipment currently unattended as technicians stood outside watching the candidate's speech from the wings. David pushed the door open quietly, sliding inside with Clara right behind him. They were inside the media center. Right in front of them was the primary live-feed broadcast console, connected directly to national news networks broadcasting the rally in real time. David immediately unzipped the canvas backpack, pulling out the black ledger and flipping it open to the master accounting page containing the forged signatures and offshore routing numbers. He sat down at the master terminal, his fingers flying across the keyboard to connect the digital scanner built into the console. What are you doing? Clara asked, her heart pounding as she kept watch by the booth door. I'm uploading the digital backup of the ledger directly to the primary press feed server, David said, his voice tense and focused. The second I hit transmit, every major news outlet covering this event will receive the complete unedited file simultaneously. Before his finger could come down on the enter key, the heavy door of the broadcast booth suddenly rattled, and a sharp, cold voice echoed from the hallway outside. Open this door immediately! We know someone is in there!
