The penthouse was too quiet, the kind of silence that screamed louder than any shout. Elena Voss looked like a statue, perfect and untouchable, sitting across from Max in the dimly lit room. The only light came from a lone lamp, casting shadows that flickered across her face, mirroring the storm Max saw brewing in her eyes.
"Why are you doing this, Max?" Her voice was a mix of defiance and resignation, a cocktail too bitter for any usual night.
"I need the truth, Elena. About everything," Max said, leaning forward, elbows on his knees, his voice firm yet not unkind. He needed her to understand this wasn't just another case. "Victor's death, your role, Luther's games—they're pieces of a puzzle I'm going to solve."
Elena sighed, a sound so frail it nearly got lost in the rustle of the wind outside. "Victor was into some dangerous dealings, Max. More than just the typical corporate espionage or market manipulation. He found something... something big."
"And that led to his death?" Max prodded gently, watching her closely, trying to read the nuances in every flicker of her eyelids, every twitch of her lips.
"Yes." She paused, biting her lower lip. "He discovered a way to manipulate memories. Real memories, Max. He could implant them, alter them, erase them completely. He thought it was going to be his crowning achievement."
Max felt his stomach tighten. Memory manipulation was a line no one should cross, a Pandora's box that shouldn't be opened. "And Luther Stone?" he asked, trying to keep his voice even.
"Luther was one of his buyers," she confessed, her fingers nervously twining together in her lap. "But he wanted exclusivity. When Victor refused, threats started coming."
"And you?" Max's voice softened slightly. "What was your part in all this?"
Elena met his gaze, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I was trying to stop him, Max. I didn't want to be a part of it anymore. I tried to convince him to shut it down, but he wouldn't listen. He said it was too late."
Max sat back, the weight of her words pressing down on him like the thick, humid air before a storm. "So, you turned to me. Why?"
"Because I knew Victor was in danger, and I thought you could protect him." Her voice broke, and she finally allowed the tears to fall. "I didn't know he would end up dead."
The room was heavy with her confession, the air thick with the scent of rain-soaked streets wafting in from the slightly ajar window. Max felt the lines between right and wrong blurring. Elena was not just a damsel in distress; she was deeply entangled in a web of corporate greed and moral bankruptcy.
"I want to help you, Elena, but I need everything. Every dirty secret, every hidden file. Can you do that?" Max's voice was almost a whisper, a blend of plea and command.
Elena nodded, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "Yes, I can. I'll give you access to his lab, his files, everything. You need to expose this, Max. Before more people get hurt."
Max stood up, feeling the beginning of resolution knitting together in his chest. "I'll hold you to that, Elena. We're going to shine a light into every dark corner of this mess."
Elena rose to stand with him, a determined look settling over her features. "Then let's start now," she said, her voice steadier than he'd heard it all night.
Together, they walked towards Victor Kane's hidden world, ready to drag the truth into the light, no matter how deep the shadows.