Chapter 24 – Cracks in the Empire
Sterling Voss sat in his penthouse, the city sprawling beneath him like a kingdom he had ruled for decades. His wine glass barely trembled in his fingers as he read the report. Offshore accounts frozen. Key shell companies under investigation. Multiple high-ranking executives in his network had already fled the country.
This wasn't an attack. It was a precision strike.
Voss's grip tightened around the glass. He had survived economic crashes, political scandals, and even the Court of Owls collapsing around him. He had always been untouchable. But now, someone had found a way in. Someone had cracked the financial armor he had spent a lifetime perfecting.
He turned to his chief of security, a scarred man named Rourke, who stood stiffly by the window. "Who?" Voss's voice was calm, but the underlying fury was unmistakable.
Rourke hesitated. He had been tracking the breach for days, but the patterns, the timing—it all pointed to something impossible. "Sir… It's Al-Farooq."
Voss exhaled through his nose, placing the glass down carefully. Of course.
Ibrahim Al-Farooq had already shattered the Court of Owls' grip on Gotham's legal system. Now, he was coming for the financial empire that had kept the city's corruption alive for generations. And worst of all—he was winning.
Voss turned to the enormous digital display on his wall, where his private banking network flickered in real time. Red alerts flashed across the screen. His funds weren't just frozen. Some were disappearing. Not stolen. Not hacked. Seized.
That meant government involvement. But not Gotham's—their system was still compromised. No, this was bigger. Federal agencies, international watchdogs, financial regulators. Ibrahim had gone global.
Voss clenched his jaw.
He needed to move—now.
Ibrahim sat in a secure location, watching the collapse unfold in real time. The world of finance was slow to react, but when it did, it was brutal. CEOs were scrambling, assets were vanishing, and the city's elite were realizing just how fragile their power truly was. He knew Voss would retaliate, but that was the beauty of the plan.
Voss's empire wasn't built on weapons or brute force. It was built on trust—trust that he was always in control. And once that illusion broke, his own people would devour him before the law ever got the chance.
Lex Legis flashed an update.
[Banking network collapsing. Key financial allies severing ties. Sterling Voss attempting asset transfer to a hidden reserve.]
Ibrahim smirked. He had anticipated this.
"Lex, intercept. Lock the reserves."
[Initiating transfer lockdown… Reserve assets frozen.]
A new alert.
[Hostile response detected. Voss has mobilized private security. Estimated time before counterattack: 20 minutes.]
Ibrahim's expression hardened. He knew Voss wouldn't go down quietly. But it didn't matter. Because the final stage was already in motion.
A new notification.
[Gotham Stock Exchange—emergency trading halt initiated. Full investigation launched.]
It was over.
Voss's wealth, influence, and power had been built on untouchability. Now, Gotham knew the truth. And when the rich and powerful saw their own fortunes at risk, they wouldn't stand by him. They would throw him to the wolves.
But Voss wasn't the type to surrender.
And as Ibrahim prepared for the inevitable retaliation, one thing was certain—Sterling Voss wasn't just fighting to keep his empire.
He was fighting to survive.
To Be Continued…