2026-07-31 19:56:29Chapter 2: The Crimson Card
The elevator to the top floor of Sterling Plaza went up really fast. The quiet sound of the motor was not enough to calm the voices coming through Logan's earpiece.
"All units lock everything down. Check the stairs. No one leaves this building."
Logan just stood there calm and quiet in the corner of the elevator. His hands were behind his back. The two guards with him were really scared and sweaty. They were checking their guns with their hands. Logan's heart was beating normally.
The red symbol on Silas Sterling's door was not put there by someone who broke in. Logan put it there himself twelve minutes ago when he was walking around the building.
It was like a card that said "I was here". It was a way to make the person in charge scared before you take down the system.
The elevator stopped.
The doors opened to a fancy lobby. The floor was white and shiny. There was a really expensive light fixture hanging from the ceiling.. Right now it did not look fancy because there were a lot of armed guards running around yelling.
Chief Harrison was standing in the middle of all the noise. He was a guy and his expensive suit was getting wet from sweat. He was waving a tablet in the air.
"Chief," one of the guards with Logan yelled, running out of the elevator. "What is going on? Who got past the security locks?"
"We do not know, " Harrison said loudly, his voice cracking. "The computer says the lock was opened with Commander Silass key but the Commander is at a banquet across town. The cameras in the hallway stopped working for forty-five seconds.. When they started working again... That was there."
Harrison pointed to the doors to Silas Sterling's office.
There was a card stuck to the wood with a black knife. On the card was a symbol that looked like a snake wrapped around a knife.
The guards were whispering to each other looking really scared. In Oakhaven the Vanguard used to be like a myth that kept people safe.. Then they were called traitors. To people who knew how to fight, the Vanguard was like a ghost that always hit its target.
"Chief " Logan said, stepping forward and looking a little confused. "Should we check the security records in the basement? If the cameras were not working the other system might have recorded something."
Chief Harrison looked at Logan like he just noticed him. "Vance right? The new guy? Yes that is an idea. Take someone. Go to the basement now. If the news finds out that a ghost group is stalking the Sterling family it will be really bad for the company."
" Away Chief, " Logan said, saluting like a low-level guard.
Before he could move a loud voice stopped him.
A sharp arrogant voice cut through the room stopping all the noise.
The crowd moved apart as Julian Sterling walked into the lobby holding a glass of liquor. His eyes were red. He looked really angry.
He did not look at the card on the door. He walked to Logan looking at the scuff marks on his boots.
"You " Julian said, poking Logan's chest. Logan did not move. He was thinking of ways to hurt Julian. "I just got a call from my people. Someone took down my team in the loading docks. A guy named Hayes was supposed to be taught a lesson. My men were found unconscious. You were on duty there Vance."
Chief Harrison tried to say something. Julian stopped him.
"Shut up Harrison, " Julian said, splashing some of his drink on the floor. "A low-level guard like you would not know anything about fighting.. You did not report anything and that is the same as being a traitor."
Julian turned to his bodyguards, two men in dark suits. "Break his knees. Throw him out of the building. Let everyone know what happens when you sleep on the job."
The bodyguards started to move. Then all the phones in the lobby started vibrating at the same time.
Chief Harrison pulled out his phone. The bodyguards stopped. Even Julian looked at his phone.
Everyone gasped.
"What is this?" Harrison said, staring at his screen. "The Sterling Group's stocks are going down fast. Someone just sold a lot of our stocks. We lost three hundred million dollars in one minute."
Julian was really angry staring at his phone. The screen was flashing red. There was a message from the Oakhaven Financial Exchange. Someone called Aegis Oblivion had just bought a lot of the Sterling Group's debt, which meant they could not move their products.
Before Julian could do anything the big TV on the wall turned off. Then a cold computer voice spoke.
"Commander Silas Sterling. Five years ago you did something and hurt a lot of people. Tonight you have to pay for what you did."
The screen showed a countdown timer. There was a message that said "The Vanguard is watching".
Everyone in the lobby was really scared and noisy. The guards were yelling into their radios. Julian was screaming at his people on the phone.
Logan stepped back, blending into the crowd near the elevators. He reached into his pocket. Touched his earpiece turning it on.
"Ghost, " Logan said quietly into the mic.
Across the city in a medical facility Marcus Hayes was staring at a lot of screens. His eyes were wide with excitement.
"I'm here Commander, " Hayes said. "The financial attack was perfect. The Sterling family is losing a lot of money and their security system is blind to our plans."
"Good, " Logan said, getting into the elevator. "Phase one is done. Tell the team to get ready for the step. Tomorrow we will go after their supply lines."
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