Chapter 3 - The Price of Silence
The glass-and-steel headquarters of Kane Logistics dominated the industrial corridor of North Las Vegas.
At eight in the morning, the terminal was alive with the roar of diesel engines and automated sorting bays.
Victoria walked through the executive lobby with an icy, unreadable expression.
Her black Louboutin heels clicked sharply against the polished concrete.
Her senior staff stepped aside, offering nervous greetings that she answered with brief nods.
On her left hand, the three-carat DeLuca diamond sparkled in the morning light.
She took the private elevator to the fourth floor and stepped straight into the operations center.
Daniel Price was standing over the main logistics display board.
He held a porcelain coffee mug, his tailored shirtsleeves rolled to his forearms.
He was forty-four years old, handsome, with silvering temples and the calm demeanor of an air traffic controller.
He had attended Victoria's college graduation.
He had sat beside her father during Arthur's stroke rehabilitation meetings.
He was the closest thing to family Victoria had left in the corporation.
"Victoria," Daniel said, turning with a warm, paternal smile.
"I saw the morning business alerts."
"Congratulations on the standstill agreement."
"The entire floor has been celebrating."
Victoria walked up to his workstation, her eyes scanning the multiple monitors displaying real-time truck telemetry.
"It is a business arrangement, Daniel."
"Nothing more."
"Still, it stabilizes our credit lines with the Nevada lenders," Daniel replied, taking a slow sip of coffee.
"We can finally resume procurement for Bellagio Heights."
Victoria placed her palms on the glass edge of his desk.
"That is why I came down here personally."
Daniel tilted his head, his smile remaining steady.
"Is there a problem with the material schedule?"
"We received an emergency high-security transit order last night."
Victoria lowered her voice to a confidential murmur.
"The Nevada Gaming Commission released twenty-four prototype digital slot terminals from their test lab in Reno."
"Total insured value is forty-two million dollars."
Daniel's eyes widened slightly.
"Forty-two million?"
"They are bound for the Bellagio Heights high-limit lounge."
"The DeLucas believe their security convoy is handling the transit."
Victoria leaned closer, watching Daniel's pupils.
"I altered the manifest twenty minutes ago."
"Our private convoy will move the equipment through the Tonopah desert corridor at midnight."
Daniel set his mug down on the blotter.
His fingers twitched slightly against the ceramic handle.
"The Tonopah corridor?"
"It is an unpatrolled route, Victoria."
"The DeLuca scouts monitor that valley."
"Exactly," Victoria replied smoothly.
"They will be expecting us on Interstate 15."
"By the time Roman's people realize the shipment took the back roads, the terminals will be secured in our vault."
Daniel nodded slowly, processing the information.
"Do you want me to assign the drivers?"
"I already flagged the dispatch logs under my personal security clearance."
Victoria straightened her jacket.
"I need you to monitor the secondary satellite telemetry from your terminal tonight."
"Trust no one on the floor."
"Not even your shift supervisors."
Daniel placed a reassuring hand over his heart.
"You know you can rely on me, Victoria."
"I have protected this family for twelve years."
"I know you have, Daniel."
Victoria turned and walked out of the operations bay without looking back.
The moment the elevator doors closed, she pulled her phone from her pocket and opened an encrypted audio channel.
"Did you capture the keystrokes?"
Roman's voice came through the earpiece with absolute clarity.
"Marcus tapped his terminal the moment you stepped into his office."
"Did he bite?"
"He accessed your restricted Tonopah manifest within ninety seconds of your departure."
Victoria stared at the elevator floor indicator as the numbers dropped.
"Where did he transmit the data?"
"To an encrypted server hosted in Panama."
"Registered to who?"
"Silver Crest Advisory."
Victoria closed her eyes, swallowing the bitter taste of betrayal.
Daniel had spent twelve years eating dinner at her father's table while selling their lifeblood to a ghost.
"What is your side of the board showing?" Victoria asked.
"Uncle Anthony arrived at the Summerlin country club twenty minutes ago," Roman said.
"I am joining him for breakfast."
"Be careful, Roman."
"Anthony is not a corporate bureaucrat."
"Neither am I."
The line went dead.
Roman DeLuca sat on the sunlit terrace of the TPC Summerlin clubhouse.
Across the table sat Anthony DeLuca.
Anthony was sixty-two years old, with thick silver hair combed straight back and the broad shoulders of a former dockworker.
He wore a cashmere sweater draped over his shoulders and smoked an expensive Cuban cigar despite club regulations.
Two armed bodyguards stood near the perimeter hedge, keeping other club members at a respectful distance.
Anthony poured espresso into Roman's cup with steady hands.
"You look exhausted, nephew."
"Contract negotiations are tedious," Roman replied, ignoring the coffee.
Anthony laughed, a deep, rumbling sound.
"Your father would have spit on those papers."
"My father died with twenty million dollars in defaulted notes," Roman countered coldly.
Anthony's smile tightened.
"Salvatore had pride."
"Pride doesn't pay the interest on Bellagio Heights."
Anthony took a slow puff of his cigar, his eyes narrowing through the blue smoke.
"You think this girl is going to save you?"
"Victoria Kane is sharp."
"She is Arthur Kane's daughter."
"Which means she carries snake venom in her veins."
Anthony leaned across the table, his gold signet ring tapping against the porcelain saucer.
"I heard a rumor this morning."
Roman picked up his spoon and turned it over between his fingers.
"You hear many rumors, Anthony."
"A Kane convoy is moving through the Tonopah corridor tonight."
"Carrying forty million dollars in unreleased gaming technology."
Roman looked directly into his uncle's predatory eyes.
"Where did you hear that?"
Anthony chuckled softly.
"A good procurement officer has ears on every highway in Nevada."
"Did your ears tell you the shipment belongs to Bellagio Heights?"
"The equipment belongs to whoever controls the desert, Roman."
"If that convoy breaks down in Tonopah, Kane Logistics will forfeit their performance bond."
"The gaming commission will strip their transport license."
Anthony leaned back, spreading his hands wide.
"We take the entire corridor without firing a shot."
"And what happens to the marriage?" Roman asked.
"The ninety days end early."
"You walk away with Bellagio Heights, and the Kane family disappears into receivership."
Roman set the spoon down with a soft click.
"An elegant plan, Uncle."
"I've been planning it for a long time, nephew."
Anthony stood up, patting Roman's shoulder with heavy, suffocating familiarity.
"Let the old men handle the dirt, Roman."
"You just stay pretty for the television cameras."
Anthony walked away, followed by his shadows.
Roman did not move for sixty seconds.
He pulled his phone from his pocket and tapped a single command.
"Marcus."
"Yes, boss."
"Anthony took the bait."
"He's mobilizing his private logistics crew for Tonopah."
"Tell Victoria to initiate stage two."
Roman looked down at his watch.
May you like
The trap was set.
Now they had to see who walked into the teeth of the machine.
