The informal attire did nothing to diminish his commanding presence; if anything, it enhanced the predatory grace with which he moved.His dark-blonde hair, deliberately styled casually tousled, brushed his collar, and the emerging silver at his temples added to his devastating appeal.
A cruel smile played across his classically handsome features as he walked toward the water’s edge.The memory of Xia Foster writhing in pleasure, completely at his mercy, sent a surge of dark satisfaction through him.That she was Rex Oliver’s apparent weakness made it all sweeter.
Hidden beneath an innocuous-looking rock formation near the water’s edge lay the entrance to his underground sanctuary.To the uninitiated eye, it was just another piece of Louisiana landscaping.But when Drake pressed his thumb against a specific ridge in the stone, a section silently slid aside, revealing a steel door with a biometric scanner.
The first chamber was stark and clinical.Brushed steel walls were illuminated by harsh LED lights that eliminated all shadows.Another scanner, this one concealed within what appeared to be a decorative wall panel, responded to his palm print, revealing a descending corridor that led deeper underground.
The temperature dropped with each step downward, the air artificially crisp.The hallway opened into The Consortium’s nerve center—a state-of-the-art command center that would put most military installations to shame.The boardroom itself was a testament to power with a massive oval table of polished obsidian surrounded by ten high-backed leather chairs.Screens lined the walls, displaying real-time market data and surveillance feeds from across the globe.
Nine of the most influential men in America looked up as he entered.Their faces were a gallery of corrupt power—a federal judge, two senators, a media mogul, a tech billionaire, FBI and DOJ directors, a police chief, and a World Bank director.Every single one had sold their souls for wealth beyond measure.
He smirked briefly.They believed they held the power as the supposed founding fathers.Instead, their worth was measured in the money they paid to be one of the privileged few of The Consortium.
Fools.All of them were fools...except for Colin Masters.He was the only one who knew the iron hold DD had over the syndicate...along with three even more powerful men around the world.Dominic watched Colin covertly.He trusted him to keep his mouth shut.They needed him to ensure a smooth integration into the global banking industry without too many questions being asked.He was being paid extraordinarily well for his services...and silence.
“About time you arrived.We’d appreciate you being more considerate and on time like the rest of us.Our time is as valuable to us as yours is to you,” State Senator Harris White complained with contempt in his voice at Dominic’s entry.
It barely registered with Dominic.His glacial stare silenced him instantly, a reminder of what happened to those who challenged his authority.
Eighteen years of carefully orchestrated construction, of building The Consortium from the ground up, had led to this moment.A thrill of anticipation soared through him to finally break Rex Oliver, of dismantling everything the man had built.He’d watched Oliver and his friends rise to prominence, their success a constant reminder of his own past humiliations.
But now, with the beautiful brunette as leverage, he finally held all the cards.The QuantumSecure algorithm that had stymied them for so long would soon be his, and with it, the key to financial dominion on a scale never before imagined.The fact that he would destroy Rex Oliver in the process was just a delicious bonus.
“Gentlemen.”His voice carried the quiet authority of someone used to being obeyed.“I believe we’re about to make history.”
“Does that mean Oliver caved?He’s going to just hand over the master key to his banking security algorithm?”Colin Masters from the World Bank looked at him dubiously.Rex’s integrity was well known in the bank industry.
“Not quite yet, but we have the perfect incentive now.”
A soft beep from the security system announced another arrival.Dominic pressed his thumb against the console embedded in the table, granting access.The steel door slid open to reveal a burly figure that seemed to fill the entire doorway.
“Gentlemen, you all know Gunner.He’s been heading our surveillance operation.”Dominic’s introduction was met with skeptical looks from several members.
“What surveillance?We haven’t discussed anything new,” Lee Ginger, the Police Chief of Virginia County, frowned.Murmurs from around the table confirmed discontent at not having been involved.
“All for a good reason,” Dominic scoffed irritably.“Tell them what you’ve observed,” he commanded with a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
Gunner, his massive frame still hovering near the doorway, cleared his throat.Despite his intimidating physique, his report was to the point and precise.
“Been tracking Xia Foster since they returned from Madeira Island.She’s been keeping to herself and hasn’t left her apartment building.Tonight, however, she went out with her friend, Cheri Butler.They bar-hopped in the Quarter for three hours.Foster arrived home completely intoxicated.”
“And who is Xia Foster, and why the fuck do we care?”White snapped.
The predatory gleam in Dominic’s eyes intensified.“Ms.Xia Foster is the key, gentlemen.She’s Oliver’s weakness and our guarantee that he’ll finally cooperate.”
Senator White’s derisive snort cut through the room.“You’re dreaming, Drake.Oliver won’t fold over some woman.He’ll just lock her away in a fortress.”
Before Dominic could respond, the boardroom door burst open.Bill Fowler, the best hacker they had, practically vibrated with excitement.
“Get to it, Bill.What is it?”Dominic prodded him.
“We stumbled onto something, courtesy of Mr.Masters alerting me to a coded email he received.A new encrypted directive just went out to banking executives worldwide, citing a new system update of the QuantumSecure algorithm, but the best news is...it has a backdoor I can unlock.”
“This is it, Dominic.”Masters rocked back on his heels, proud that he had been the first one to pass on such important intel.“If what Bill says is correct and he can bypass it, this is the gateway!It’s exactly what we need.”
“Don’t you all find this just too convenient?”Dominic’s voice was flat.The hairs on the back of his neck were standing up.In twenty-five plus years of watching Oliver, he’d never seen him make a mistake this basic.
“He might not even be aware of it.His development team just pushed it live,” Fowler insisted.“It’s part of their usual global development update implementation.”
