Chapter 6 - The Digital Trail
The dim light of the bridal suite vanity provided a stark contrast to the bright sunshine streaming through the tall hotel windows. Daniel stood up, towering over Sarah as she held her phone out, displaying a real-time trace route of the stolen cryptocurrency transactions.
Daniel leaned in closer, his analytical mind immediately locking onto the digital data streams scrolling down the screen.
“Your brother knows this specific server cluster?”
Sarah nodded rapidly, her blonde curls bouncing with the movement.
“He tracked a similar ransomware attack last year. The routing protocol uses a private relay based out of a warehouse district in downtown Seattle. He says the transactions have to be manually verified by a master node holder at that physical location before they can be laundered overseas.”
Daniel checked his watch. The time read ten-fifteen in the morning. If the transfer had just cleared twenty minutes ago, the physical verification window would remain open for at least another hour before the automated laundering cycle locked in permanently.
Daniel grabbed his suit jacket from the back of the sofa, slipping it on with sharp, decisive movements.
“We need to get to that warehouse immediately. Sarah, can your brother send the exact GPS coordinates to my phone right now?”
Sarah tapped her screen twice, confirming the data packet transfer.
“Done. He’s already alerted a contact in the local cyber-crime unit, but they won't have a warrant ready for at least two hours. If we wait for official channels, Julian and Clara will be boarding a private flight out of the municipal airfield.”
Lily looked up at her father, her small face filled with grim determination rather than fear.
“Can I come, Daddy? I want to help catch the bad guys.”
Daniel hesitated, shaking his head firmly.
“No, sweetie. It's too dangerous. I'm going to drop you off with Aunt Chloe on the way to the car.”
Lily crossed her arms over her white flower girl dress, adopting a stubborn expression that looked remarkably like her father's.
“I am not staying behind, Daddy. I'm the one who found the phone in the first place! Without me, you wouldn't even know they were stealing from you!”
Daniel stared at his daughter, realizing with a jolt that she was growing up far too fast. She wasn't just a little girl anymore; she was a survivor of this betrayal just as much as he was.
Daniel sighed, running a hand over his face.
“All right. But you stay in the car with Sarah the entire time. No arguing.”
Lily nodded eagerly, her temporary fear completely forgotten in the thrill of the unfolding mission.
Sarah smiled softly, guiding them both toward the service elevator at the end of the hall to avoid the bewildered wedding guests still milling around the main lobby. As the metal doors slid shut, sealing them inside the descending shaft, Daniel’s phone buzzed violently in his palm with a new, urgent text message from an unknown number.
May you like
Daniel glanced down at the screen, his blood running cold as he read the single line of text displayed across the glowing glass.
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