Chapter 5 - The Unknown Sender
The glowing red text on the computer monitor pulsed rhythmically, casting an eerie crimson hue across Derek’s pale, sweat-slicked face. The message was short, cryptic, and chillingly direct: “Leave the terminal now, or the financial records aren’t the only things leaking to the press tonight.”
Julian Vance stepped closer, narrowing his eyes as he read the words aloud. “What is the meaning of this? Who else has root access to this terminal?”
Derek shook his head frantically, backing away from the desk as if the computer were about to explode. “I swear I don’t know! Only senior management and the night duty supervisors have the backdoor encryption key. I didn’t set this up!”
Sulli dropped her head into her hands, letting out a stifled sob. The polished facade of the Grand Astoria’s elite staff had completely crumbled. “It’s him,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the hum of the crystal chandeliers. “It has to be him.”
“Who is ‘him’, Sulli?” Maya demanded, her voice cutting through the panic with absolute authority. She stepped into Derek’s abandoned space behind the marble counter, her fingers deftly tapping the master override command on the keyboard to trace the incoming message.
Before Sulli could answer, the heavy mahogany doors of the private elevator dinged softly. The polished brass doors slid open to reveal a tall, imposing figure stepping out into the lobby. It was Marcus Sterling, the general manager of the Grand Astoria, dressed in an immaculate dark tuxedo that matched Julian’s. But unlike Julian, Marcus looked entirely too calm for midnight. He held a silver silver-service tray carrying a single cup of black coffee, walking with the measured, predatory grace of a man who owned the building.
“Is there a problem here, Mr. Vance? Ms. Richardson?” Marcus asked smoothly, his voice a rich, resonant baritone that echoed off the marble walls. He offered a polite, practiced smile, though his eyes remained completely devoid of warmth. “We noticed a sudden spike in network activity from the front desk. I came down personally to ensure our most esteemed guests were being treated with proper hospitality.”
Julian crossed his arms, his jaw tightening. “Marcus, your night staff has been running an unauthorized cash-booking racket, and right now, someone on your internal network is threatening to leak confidential files to the press.”
Marcus did not flinch. He didn’t even blink. He smoothly placed the silver tray down on the reception desk, deliberately setting it right on top of Maya’s printed reservation papers.
“A racket?” Marcus chuckled softly, shaking his head with an air of patronizing disbelief. “Surely there’s a simple misunderstanding. Derek and Sulli are some of our most dedicated employees. Perhaps the stress of dealing with... unconventional guests... has caused a bit of confusion.”
Maya slowly lifted her head, her dark eyes locking onto Marcus with an intensity that made the general manager’s practiced smile falter for a fraction of a second.
“Unconventional guests, Marcus?” Maya asked, her voice dangerously quiet. She pointed to the red warning text still flashing on the computer screen. “Your general manager login was used to authorize the external threat message exactly twelve seconds before you stepped out of that elevator.”
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Marcus stopped smiling entirely. He leaned forward across the marble counter, dropping his polite facade to reveal a cold, calculating threat. But before he could speak, his own personal phone began to ring loudly in his breast pocket, displaying a caller ID that made him freeze.
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