Chapter 7: The Infiltration
Chapter 7: The Infiltration
To execute her plan, Mariana needed to plant a physical interceptor on the Salcedo primary mainframe in Los Angeles. It was the only way to simultaneously broadcast the evidence across all their corporate networks and media channels without being shut down by their IT department.
The annual Salcedo Charity Gala was being held at their flagship skyscraper in downtown LA. It was a masquerade ball this year—a stroke of luck. Mariana cut her long, dark hair into a sharp bob and dyed it platinum blonde. She slipped into a sleek, understated black evening gown provided by Julian, hiding a specialized USB injector in a hollowed-out designer clutch.
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She left Nico safely with Julian, kissing his forehead before stepping out into the night. "Be a ghost," Julian warned her through an encrypted earpiece as she approached the glittering skyscraper.
Mariana walked through the grand entrance, presenting a forged VIP invitation. The room was packed with California’s elite, all dining on her family’s dime. Across the ballroom, she saw her parents. Rodrigo was laughing, sipping champagne. Her mother was wearing a diamond necklace Mariana recognized—it was Mariana’s own necklace, stolen from her estate after her "death." A white-hot rage flared in Mariana’s chest, but she pushed it down. She had a job to do.
