The flight to Washington D.C. was tense but strategically vital. Anthony had chosen to fly the Black Spectre on a low-altitude route, ensuring its distinctive look was captured by regional news stations the entire way. His arrival was meticulously choreographed, turning an emergency meeting into a political spectacle.The Black Spectre landed at a private airfield outside D.C., where a phalanx of Jodah security vehicles, led by a solemn Ronan, waited. Anthony emerged, not in the humble attire of a student, but in a bespoke, dark suit—the uniform of a head of state.Inside the waiting limo, Anthony held a final briefing with his team.“Liora, you and Vionna will manage the press outside the hearing room,” Anthony instructed. “Vionna, uses the leaked documents sparingly, saving the most damning evidence of Derrick’s embezzlement until Vance tries to question the integrity of the audit itself. Liora, ensure every one of Vance’s legal arguments is immediately refuted with documented compl

The political fallout from the Senate hearing was exactly what Anthony had planned: immediate and devastating to Senator Vance. The leaked audit documents shifted the entire media narrative from "rich boy's feud" to "Jodah Empire exposes corrupt politicians." Vance was instantly put on the defensive, forced to answer for her association with pension thieves.Back in the VEXO penthouse, the mood was one of cautious victory. Liora and Vionna were already fielding calls and crafting follow-up press releases. Fenrick was tracking the movements of Vance's key donors.Anthony was on a secure video call with Mr. Thorne of the Jodah Council."Lord Jodah," Thorne began, his tone now respectful, if still weary. "The media reaction has been... advantageous. Senator Vance is currently isolated. We have complied with all your instructions regarding market stabilization. Your initial actions, though unconventional, have been effective.""Effective is the minimum requirement, Mr. Thorne," Anthony re

The atmosphere in the VEXO penthouse the following evening was charged. Fenrick had flown back from D.C., bringing with him unsettling news.Anthony sat at his desk, staring at the latest headline on his terminal: VANCE’S ALLIES SILENT: JODAH EXPOSES POLITICAL CORRUPTION. Vionna's strategy of aggressive transparency was working; the political heat was off Anthony, but the internal threat remained.“The political war is stalled,” Anthony announced to his team. “Vance is crippled. But Fenrick, what did you discover about the Jodah Council’s activities while I was gone?”Fenrick leaned forward, his face grave. “I confirmed it. Mr. Thorne, the Council Chairman, wasn’t just resistant to your public revelation. He was actively communicating with Senator Vance’s chief of staff twenty-four hours before the hearing. It wasn’t a leak; it was an active betrayal.”“So, my own Council was trying to orchestrate my failure,” Anthony concluded, his voice dangerously calm. “They tried to feed me to Va

The speed and ruthlessness of Anthony’s purge sent shockwaves through the covert infrastructure of the Jodah Empire. The transition, however, was smooth, thanks to Fenrick’s meticulous internal security review and Liora’s immediate implementation of ethical firewalls.Fenrick was back in D.C., working out of the highly secured Jodah digital command center, trying to pinpoint the source of the communication between Vance and the disgraced Council. He was on a secure video call with Anthony, who was back at the VEXO penthouse.“The connection is heavily encrypted, Anthony,” Fenrick explained, scrolling through complex logs on his screen. “Thorne and Vance’s Chief of Staff used a custom, highly specific encryption key. It took Ronan’s entire digital team eighteen hours, but we found the origin point of the key.”“And what is it, Fenrick?” Anthony pressed, leaning close to the screen.“It leads directly back to a holding company in Zürich called Aegis Global. But Aegis Global is a shell,

Fenrick had returned to the VEXO penthouse, having successfully installed Ronan's team in D.C. to monitor Vance and secure the digital trails of the Architect. The task now was to appoint a Head of Field Operations—someone to monitor the Empire's physical assets globally.He was waiting for Anthony in the main lounge when Liora walked in, carrying a large binder of legal filings.“Anthony told you, didn’t he?” Liora asked, her voice calm, yet carrying a profound certainty.Fenrick looked at her, surprised. “Told me what? That I need to assign a new field commander? Yes. I’ve been analyzing Ronan’s field reports. The current threats are in resource allocation: a critical mining operation in South America and a major shipping hub in Southeast Asia. We need someone who can command respect but also navigate politically sensitive zones.”“And you know who that person is,” Liora finished, her eyes fixed on him. “The person Anthony trusts implicitly, who is willing to put themselves in the l