Part 24
The digital assault on Vanguard Shipping was the most complex operation Marcus had ever orchestrated.
Croft had insulated himself well, hiding his controlling shares behind a labyrinth of blind trusts and proxy boards.
A simple hostile takeover wouldn't work; Croft would just take a golden parachute and walk away unpunished.
Marcus needed to trap him in his own web of corruption before cutting the strings.
For six straight hours, Marcus sat at his terminal, his fingers moving as a blur across the glowing keyboard.
He was hacking into Vanguard's proprietary logistics algorithms, analyzing the exact routing of their international freight.
"Mr. Johnson, I have isolated the core irregularity," Aegis announced, highlighting a massive data cluster in red.
"Croft is using his empty shipping containers to smuggle unregulated hazardous materials for private military contractors."
Marcus’s eyes widened slightly. This was far beyond toxic workplace culture; this was a federal crime of catastrophic proportions.
"He's bypassing customs using his company's premium clearance status," Marcus muttered, realizing the sheer arrogance of the scheme.
"If any of those containers are breached in a civilian port, the environmental damage would be incalculable," Aegis added.
"Not to mention the danger to the warehouse workers who have no idea what they are actually loading," Marcus said, his jaw tightening.
He had enough evidence to send Croft to federal prison for the rest of his natural life.
But Marcus wanted Croft to look him in the eye when his empire crumbled to the ground.
He compiled the encrypted manifests, the hidden camera feeds from the ports, and the illegal wire transfers.
"Maya," Marcus said, opening a comms channel to her office upstairs.
"Yes, sir?"
"Cancel my afternoon meetings. Prepare the corporate jet."
May you like
"Where are we going, Mr. Johnson?" she asked.
"To a Vanguard distribution center in Seattle," Marcus replied, grabbing his coat. "It's time to do an unannounced inspection."
