Chapter 114
Chapter 114:
“Approve it,” Elias said. “All of it. Move forward with Phase Two immediately p>
The CFO blinked. “Sir, we haven’t reviewed the p>
“Did I stutter?” Elias asked, but there was no venom in his tone. He was smiling. Actually smiling. “The foundation is sound. Execute p>
The board members exchanged bewildered glances. Elias Thorne never approved anything without dissecting it to atoms first.
“Meeting adjourned,” Elias announced, standing abruptly. He buttoned his suit jacket with practiced ease. “I have other matters to attend to p>
He walked out, leaving twelve shell-shocked executives in his wake.
Across the city, at JFK International Airport, Aurora Vance sat in the private lounge reserved for high-net-worth travelers. The storm outside had grounded most flights, but she wasn’t worried.
Her grandfather, Arthur, sat beside her, wringing his hands. His best friend, Joe Miller, was stuck in Boston with a collapsed lung. The hospitals there were overbooked. He needed to get to New York for treatment.
Aurora pulled out her tablet. She wasn’t checking flight times. She was bypassing the standard civilian air traffic protocols, routing a request through a shell corporation she owned: Phoenix Logistics.
“But the cost…” Arthur murmured, looking around the opulent lounge with a mixture of awe and concern. “You do so much for us, Rory. I know you have the means now, but to pull strings like this… during a storm p>
“An old friend owes me a favor,” Aurora lied smoothly. She didn’t look up. “He owns the jet. It was sitting on the tarmac anyway p>
She hit Execute.
The screen flashed green. Flight Plan Approved. Gulfstream G650 rerouted to Bay 4.
gⱯ𝗅𝗇0ν𝖊𝗅𝘀.𝗰𝗈𝗺, 𝒲𝗁𝒾𝗇𝑒 𝓬𝓱𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈 𝗼𝗻
The lounge doors burst open. The airport manager, a man in a suit that was too tight, rushed in, sweating.
“Ms. Phoenix!” he gasped, adhering strictly to the protocol listed on the reservation. “My apologies for the delay. We received the clearance from… from high up. The G650 is fueled and ready for Mr. Miller. We have a medical team onboard as requested p>
Arthur’s jaw dropped. He looked at his granddaughter with wide, watery eyes. “You really can move mountains, can’t you? Just like your grandmother p>
Aurora put the tablet away and walked over to him. She knelt, taking his rough, calloused hands in hers.
“Joe is your best friend, Grandpa,” she said softly. “He stood by us when Mom and Dad died. I’d buy the whole airport if I had to p>
Arthur patted her cheek, his hand trembling. “You’re a good girl, Aurora. A good girl p>
They watched Joe Miller being wheeled out to the sleek jet. Once the plane taxied away, the adrenaline faded, leaving Aurora with a sudden stretch of empty time.
She sat back in the lounge chair, exhaling a long breath. She checked her phone. No messages from Sterling—good. He was blocked anyway.
To kill time, she opened the Apex Ascendant app.
A notification popped up immediately.
Player S has left a puzzle in the archive.