RAVEN.
Chapter 21: National Criminals

Chapter 21: National Criminals

"Good morning, Chicago." The news anchor said professionally, "I’m Ethan Monroe and you’re watching Morninglight News. This morning, we’ll begin with a very shocking financial meltdown. Brant Enterprises, once a powerhouse in investments and business excellence has officially filed for bankruptcy. The reason? A devastating cyber attack that led to large-scale fraud and financial collapse."

The screen transitioned to footage of employees leaving the company’s headquarters, some in distress, carrying boxes of their belongings.

The screen reverted to the anchor.

"According to forensic analysts, the crisis began when hackers infiltrated Brant Enterprises’ internal systems, posing as top executives from Hales Corp and orchestrating fraudulent transactions totaling over 1.2 billion dollars. The cybercriminals used advanced impersonation techniques to bypass security, making unauthorized wire transfers to offshore accounts..."

"Will you please change the channel?" Adam asked, as he settled down on the couch and rested his foot on the footstool.

"No, I want to see them show your face on the screen," Raven said teasingly.

"Just change it already."

"Okay, okay." Raven chuckled a little, then changed the channel.

The same news was being broadcast there, too, "... now these are what the fraudsters look like."

Adam’s photo appeared on the screen. "This man is suspected to be the orchestrator of this attack, who impersonated Luke Hale, the CEO of Hale Corps and his identity is currently unknown..."

Raven changed the channel again. This time, it wasn’t of Adam’s, it was of hers.

Raven’s picture was on the TV screen. "This is the woman suspected to have abducted the little girl, Lucy Brant from her school yesterday..."

Raven flipped through the whole news channel and discovered the news was either of hers or of Adam’s.

They felt like celebrities... the irony.

"We’re now known criminals with a bounty on our head and the police on our tail."

"Yeah," Raven replied, almost in awe. "Lara’s influence is tremendous. But don’t worry, they won’t catch us. Lara has responded to the war we declared by making us national criminals..." She turned to look at Adam, "Why don’t we begin the real game?."

A broad beam appeared on Adam’s face, "I’d be thrilled to!"

***

Lara has never seen Felipe so mad before.

If Fury was a person, it would be him. His face was so terrifying and hurt and devastated.

"Find her!" He screamed at the policemen, "Find that goddamn bitch and her henchmen! I’m sure they were all in it together! Tear the world apart if you must, I don’t fucking care!"

"We’re working on it, Sir." The policemen replied.

"Well, get going!" Felipe screamed, "Get to work!"

"Yes sir." The policeman gave Felipe a slight nod and walked out through the door."

Felipe collapsed on the floor and began to shed tears hysterically.

His life has been completely ruined, by a bitch he’d fallen in love with.

How can he be so stupid?

She’s taken everything from him. Everything! She’d wiped clean his money on the bank and his company has gone completely bankrupt.

He was now left with absolutely nothing at all! His company... the millions in his bank account... all lost!

He hated himself.

He would never forgive himself, but most especially, he hated Raven to the moon and back. He wanted to grab that soft yet tender neck of hers and strangle her to death.

That goddamn bitch!

How the hell dare she manipulate him?!!

Lara crouched beside him and began to console him as she patted his back, placing his head on her chest. She had never seen him in a vulnerable state since their five years of marriage.

She was used to his habit of putting up a wall and shutting her out, completely acting like she never existed.

Seeing him break down like this made Lara see Felipe in a new light but it also broke her heart.

"It’s okay, Felipe." Lara soothed in a sweet voice, "Everything is not yet lost. Have you forgotten that my father was one of the richest men in Chicago before he passed away?" She stood up and stretched out her hand to him, "Come on, get up, let me show you something."

Felipe took her arm and gently rose to her feet. "When my father passed away, I inherited all of his money while my brother, Larry inherited his company and properties. So, after we catch Raven and Lucy is brought back safely, I can lend you some money so you can start up your company from scratch again."

Felipe’s eye flickered with a little excitement and hope, "Really?"

Lara smiled, "Yes. Some of the money I inherited is currently being managed by Smith and C, while some, I stored here."

"Where?"

"Come on, let me show you."

Hand in hand, Felipe and Lara entered their room. Lara went to her closet and pressed a button, which automatically reset the closet setting, and a safe was revealed.

"Whoa. You have a safe in your closet?" Felipe asked, a little bit surprised.

"Yes, and it’s insured. If anyone tries to break in, both the police and the insurance company will alerted immediately" Lara responded.

"Wow!"

"Can you guess its passcode?"

Felipe thought, "Our wedding day?"

"Correct." Lara went ahead and typed the passcode.

With a beep, the safe revealed a fingerprint unlock screen, accompanied by a robotic voice that instructed, "Confirm fingerprint."

Lara placed her hand on the system, scanned her fingerprint, and then unlocked the safe.

Her world tilted on its axis when she opened the safe to find... nothing!

"Huh?" She blurted out in astonishment even before she even knew it.

At first, she thought her imagination was playing tricks on her but it wasn’t. There was absolutely nothing in the safe!

Her stacked thousands of dollars, her stacked gold bars which she had stored here were nowhere to be found!

"There’s nothing there!" Felipe said, peering in.

"You think I don’t see that?" Lara spat vehemently, seething in rage.

How did the money she had stored here disappear? When no one even knew that she had a safe in the house?

There was only one explanation... Raven!

Raven, Raven, Raven you mother fucking bitch! I will end you!

Lara seethed.

But how did Raven get her fingerprint to unlock this safe?

Lara had a million questions and was practically going bonkers. But another thought struck her.

What if she has also somehow stolen the money that was in the trust of Smith and C?

Lara frantically fished for her phone. She scrolled through her contacts and dialed Harry Walker, her trust officer’s number.

Felipe watched her bite her nails in panic as he paced around the room as the dialing tone rang.

There was a beep, signifying the call had been answered.

"Hello, Mrs Brant..." The man’s voice came through the phone, "It’s Harry Walker speaking, how may I help you today?"

"Is my money safe?" Lara asked, an edge to her voice.

There was a momentary pause and the pause only made her more anxious

"Your money?" The man repeated, "What do you mean Mrs Brant? You transferred all your money to an international account yesterday."

Lara’s leg buckled beneath her, sending her crashing to the ground. If not for Felipe breaking her fall, she would have hit her head on the bed frame.

"What... what... do you mean?" Her voice was now croaky.

"You sent your cousin, Coco Hopkins, here, didn’t you?" The man explained, "You called me the day before yesterday, and informed me that she’ll be coming."

Lara wanted nothing more than for the earth to open and swallow her whole.

"I don’t know a Coco Hopkins for goddamn sake!" Lara cried hysterically at the top of her voice as tears streamed down her face like a waterfall, "GIVE ME MY MONEY!"

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