"Do not touch the light switch," Julian commanded. ​He stood in the doorway of the Zenith corporate penthouse. Arthur Pendelton froze with his hand hovering over the wall panel. Silas stepped into the dark foyer behind them. ​The luxury suite occupied the entire top floor of the Zenith tower. It was the crown jewel of Julian's massive acquisition this afternoon. ​Julian felt a sharp burning sensation. His empty right socket throbbed violently. The dark room shifted into sharp focus. ​Brilliant golden text erupted across his field of vision. The floating letters illuminated the shadows of the expansive living room. ​[Asset Target: High Definition Audio Transmitter] [Location: Concealed within the primary smoke detector.] [Current Status: Actively broadcasting to a secure mayoral server.] ​Julian shifted his gaze toward the ceiling. More text bloomed near the steel ventilation grates. ​[Asset Target: Wide Angle Micro Camera] [Location: Embedded behind the grate of the primary cl

"Keep your offshore money in Geneva," Victor Blackwood stated.The billionaire sat behind a sprawling mahogany desk. The top floor suite of the Midnight Exchange overlooked the financial district. The grandfather clock against the wall chimed once. It was one in the morning. They had seven hours until the Mayor executed the asset freeze."I am not here to offer a bribe," Julian replied. He sat across from the desk. "I am here to purchase your leverage.""You have no concept of how Crestwood City operates," Victor said. He poured whiskey into a glass. "You won a casino bet this afternoon. You bought a dying pharmaceutical company this evening. That is impressive for a vagrant. But Thomas Sterling is the Mayor. He controls the zoning boards. He dictates the police budgets. Corporate law cannot touch a man who owns the physical foundation of the city."Julian rested his hands on the table. The phantom pain in his empty right socket throbbed. He ignored the discomfort and focused on the o

"Remove your hands from my coat," Councilman Graves demanded.He stumbled onto the cracked concrete floor of the abandoned shipping facility. The structure swallowed the ambient light from the streetlamps outside. It was three thirty in the morning. The air carried a thick scent of rust and stagnant water. Councilman Shaw and Councilman Miller tripped over the threshold right behind him.Silas pushed the heavy iron doors shut. The metal scraped against the floor and sealed the politicians inside the vast warehouse. The butcher wore his pristine white suit. He locked the deadbolt with a sharp click."You are committing a federal felony," Shaw yelled. He adjusted his silk tie with shaking fingers. "Kidnapping sitting members of the city council carries a mandatory prison sentence. The Mayor will have armed agents hunting you before sunrise.""The Mayor is currently trying to figure out why his secure bank accounts are empty," Arthur Pendelton replied. The corporate lawyer stepped out fr

The Zenith corporate tower was entirely silent.Julian stood in front of the master bathroom mirror. It was six in the morning. The dark penthouse suite offered no comfort. He turned on the brass faucet and splashed cold water onto his face. The water ran clear into the porcelain sink. The bleeding from his empty right socket had finally stopped.He looked at his reflection. He wore his crisp charcoal suit, though he had removed his tie. The black silk eyepatch covered the mutilated flesh. The remaining left eye stared back at him. It looked wrong. The warm amber color of his iris remained, but the humanity was missing. It was the cold, calculating eye of a machine.I just executed a hostile takeover of a municipal government. I bankrupted three powerful men. I should feel a massive surge of adrenaline. I should feel the heat of victory or the cold sweat of terror. I feel nothing. The golden text is rewriting my neural pathways. It is dampening my biological responses to optimize my l

"Breach the primary doors right now," Commander Reynolds ordered through the television speakers.The colossal flat screen mounted on the office wall displayed the live morning news broadcast. Mayor Thomas Sterling turned away from Julian to watch the monitor. The digital clock in the corner of the screen read seven fifty nine.Heavy tactical boots kicked the oak doors of the Zenith corporate penthouse. A steel battering ram slammed into the reinforced frame. The wood splintered into jagged pieces. A dozen federal agents flooded into the luxury suite with their rifles drawn. A vetted news crew followed close behind them to capture the spectacle for the morning viewers.The Mayor watched the agents tear the penthouse apart. He turned back to face Julian. His initial panic from finding intruders inside his secure executive office evaporated. The politician adjusted his navy suit jacket and reclaimed his arrogant posture."You came here to intimidate me," the Mayor laughed. The sound was