Chapter: The Pawn Who Became QueenThe sound of gunfire in Rotterdam still echoed in Vic's ears as he stepped into UBS Private Banking. Alexandra followed beside him, Beretta pistol at the ready.“We should have saved him,” Alexandra whispered, guilt evident in her voice.“We will,” Vic replied coldly. “By finishing this.”The elevator took them to the 14th floor in eerie silence. A long white corridor stretched before them, its glass walls reflecting the golden afternoon sunlight.Room 1402.Vic pulled out the platinum key Gerard had given him, his fingers tracing the familiar carved rose. The same key Elizabeth van Houten held in that old photograph.“Ready?” he glanced at Alexandra.“No. But we've come too far to back out.”The door opened with a soft click. The room was bright and spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows displaying a panoramic view of Geneva. In the center of the room, an antique mahogany table.It was empty.“Too late?” Alexandra whispered, securing the corners of the room with her pistol.“No,” Vi
Last Updated: 2025-01-19
Chapter: Crystal PawnsThe Credit Suisse Private Banking building on Paradeplatz Square stood proud with its neo-baroque architecture. Vic, who had just gotten out of a black Bentley Flying Spur, gazed at the white marble facade with a mixture of emotions that were hard to explain.“It's strange being back here,” Alexandra whispered beside him, smoothing her navy Bottega Veneta dress. “The last time I entered this bank, I was still one of its directors.”“And now we're going to hack into its systems,” Marcus added from his earpiece, still watching from the surveillance van parked near Zunfthaus zur Meisen. “How time changes everything.”Vic checked the Vacheron Constantin watch on his wrist. 08:45. “Stefan?”“System breach in progress,” Stefan's voice came from Rotterdam. “But Credit Suisse doesn't mess around with their security upgrades. It's going to take some time.”“How long?”“Fifteen minutes, minimum. And that's if there's no-” Stefan paused for a moment. “Wait. Something's weird.”“Define 'strange',
Last Updated: 2025-01-15
Chapter: Silver PawnsThe Bombardier Global 7500 private jet landed smoothly at Geneva International Airport just as dawn touched the summit of Mont Blanc. Alexandra, who hadn't taken her eyes off Maria Maharani's Lenovo ThinkPad laptop since takeoff from Amsterdam, finally looked up.“There's something strange about this laptop,” she said as she removed her Bowers & Wilkins headphones. “Some of the files are encrypted with algorithms I've never seen before.”“Mama always liked puzzles,” Marcus nodded from the chair opposite, his fingers tapping lightly on Connolly's leather armlrest. “But what's even stranger is why papa let us get the key to Willem Visser's safe so easily.”Vic, who had been silently watching the clouds from the window, twisted the Cartier Trinity ring on his finger - a birthday present from Stefan that he never took off. “Because it's not about the physical key.”“You mean?” Alexandra frowned.“Gerard said papa wanted us to steal the key,” Vic pulled a platinum key out of his Chanel bla
Last Updated: 2025-01-15
Chapter: Gray PawnsDe Nederlandsche Bank's office in Amsterdam always looked grand, but that afternoon the neo-classical building looked different to Vic. Perhaps it was because now he saw her not as an employee, but as someone planning to breach its security system.“All set,” Charlotte whispered from a hidden earpiece linked to Europol's latest technology. Her personal assistant was now sitting in the bank's main lobby, pretending to wait for Gerard van der Meer for dinner.Vic watched his reflection in the glass of the private elevator that took him to the 32nd floor. The navy Stella McCartney blazer he wore perfectly concealed the equipment Marcus had given him. “System status?”“Clean,” Alexandra's voice came from the surveillance van parked two blocks from the bank. “CCTV has been looped for the next ten minutes. But remember - the backup system will activate automatically after that.”“Ten minutes,” Vic sighed. “More than enough to reach Gerard's safe.”“Don't be so sure,” Stefan warned from his
Last Updated: 2025-01-15
Chapter: White PawnsErasmus Medical Center has the best VIP rooms in the Netherlands, but for Vic, the luxurious room with Phillipe Starck interiors felt like a prison. It had been three days since Stefan had regained consciousness after surgery, and during that time she had not left his side except to take a shower in the private bathroom attached to the room.“You need to rest,” Alexandra placed a Maison Kayser paper cup filled with café au lait on Stefan's bedside table. “We have a big battle ahead.”Vic took a cup of coffee, feeling the warmth seep into his cold hands. “How did the last scan from the IT team go?”“They managed to break 60% of the encryption on the data I transferred.” Alexandra took out her iPad Pro, showing a series of complex graphs. “As you might have guessed, Red Lotus is not just another money laundering organization. They have a special division that focuses on manipulating the crypto market.”“Crypto laundering,” Vic nodded. “Perfect platform to hide dirty funds. Untraceable,
Last Updated: 2025-01-15
Chapter: Black PawnsTime moves differently in the operating room of Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam.Vic stood in front of the thick glass window that separated him from the operating room, watching the team of doctors work to save Stefan's life. Beside him, Alexandra - who he now knew to be his half-sister - stood silently, still wearing the Cartier bracelet that was the key to everything.“The data transfer is complete,” Alexandra said quietly, her eyes not leaving the monitor that displayed Stefan's heartbeat. “All the evidence about Red Lotus, the identities of all its members, the illegal transactions over the past two decades... it's all in your system now.”“Why?” Vic didn't take his eyes off Stefan. “Why give it to me?”“Because you're the only one who can destroy them without destroying the European banking system.” Alexandra smiled slightly. “Isn't that your specialty? A 'calculated killer' who can execute a target with no collateral damage.”Before Vic could answer, the waiting room door open
Last Updated: 2025-01-15