Chapter 18 – The Lawyer Who Looked Afraid
Sharon was in her Zurich hotel room, scanning the USB drive for more evidence, when there was a soft knock at the door.
Her pulse jumped.
She glanced at the peephole. A man in a tailored gray suit stood on the other side, his posture rigid, but his eyes betrayed fear.
She didn't recognize him.
He cleared his throat.
"Ms. Laurent," he said cautiously, voice low, "we need to talk. It's... important."
Sharon hesitated. She had learned that trust in this world was a liability. Every handshake, every greeting, could be a setup.
But something in the man's eyes - desperation, urgency - compelled her to open the door.
The man stepped inside quickly, glancing over his shoulder before closing the door behind him.
"I'm Michael Grayson," he whispered. "I was Georgia Laurent's attorney. For years. I've handled... certain matters you don't understand yet. But you need to know... they're dangerous. Deadly."
Sharon's stomach twisted.
"Who's dangerous?" she asked, trying to keep her voice calm.
"The people behind Laurent Global," Michael said, glancing around nervously. "The board, the offshore network... anyone who uncovers the financial structures, the money trails, the 'charity' transfers... they disappear. Or worse."
Michael pulled a folder from his briefcase. He opened it carefully, spreading out documents across Sharon's hotel desk.
"Look at this," he said, pointing to a page labeled Project Albatross – Arms Diversion.
Sharon scanned it quickly. Weapons shipments "masked" as humanitarian aid. Political bribes. Offshore accounts linked to charities. Everything she had begun to uncover.
"I've tried to stop it," Michael said, voice shaking. "I warned the board... I raised concerns... and I saw what happened to Victor Hale. The CFO. That was no accident."
Sharon's pulse quickened.
"He knows you've arrived in Zurich," Michael continued. "They watch every move. Every hotel, every meeting, every transaction. And they've probably already noticed the USB drive is missing from the vault."
The air in the room grew heavy.
Michael's hands shook as he handed her a small card.
Safehouse - coordinates. Immediate evacuation if you value your life.
Sharon read it carefully.
"Why are you helping me?" she asked.
Michael's lips pressed thin. "Because Georgia trusted me. And now... you are her proxy. If you die, the truth dies with you."
Before Sharon could ask more questions, there was a sudden noise from the hallway: the faint click of a lock.
Michael froze.
"They're here," he whispered.
Sharon's eyes widened.
A shadow appeared at the hotel room door - too fast, too precise, too silent.
Michael's voice shook: "You need to go. Now."
Sharon grabbed the USB drive and her laptop. Michael pulled a small handgun from his briefcase.
"Go!" he shouted.
Sharon bolted, rain-slicked streets of Zurich swallowing her into shadows.
She glanced back once.
Michael Grayson didn't follow.
She realized with horror: the attorney who tried to warn her had vanished.
Just like Victor Hale.
Just like everyone who knew too much.
Sharon ran. Heart pounding, lungs burning. Every step, every turn, reminded her of one terrifying truth:
No one survives in this world without deception, instinct, and ruthlessness.
And she wasn't just impersonating Georgia Laurent anymore.
She was trying to stay alive.
