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Chapter 2 - The Audit of Viktor Kolov

The private office on the top floor of the Castellano estate was lined with dark mahogany bookshelves and secured by military-grade encryption. The only light came from the green glow of dual computer monitors reflecting off Dominic’s face as he sat behind his desk.

Marco stood near the door, arms crossed, watching Dominic's fingers fly across the mechanical keyboard with terrifying speed.

"You didn't just bring me out here to look at bank statements, Boss," Marco said.

"No," Dominic replied without breaking rhythm. "For fourteen months, Emma cleaned this house. She scrubbed floors, folded laundry, and never once asked for a favor, even while her mother was dying of cancer and her brother lost his legs. Do you know who denied their medical insurance claim, Marco?"

Marco frowned. "Kolov?"

"Kolov’s primary front company—Vanguard Medical Logistics," Dominic said, stopping his typing. He pressed a button, and a large wall-mounted screen lit up with a complex web of corporate structures, offshore accounts, and shell entities. "Kolov runs a usic-and-drug pipeline through the port of Red Hook, but his real leverage over local families is predatory debt. He buys up medical debt, ruins credit, and forces desperate people into illegal labor rings."

Marco’s jaw tightened. "The girl's family..."

"Were targeted six months ago," Dominic finished coldly. "Emma took the job here because she heard the Castellano name carried weight. She thought if she wore the uniform, petty thugs would leave her alone. She didn't know the crest made her a target."

Dominic picked up his encrypted satellite phone and dialed a ten-digit number that didn't exist on any commercial telecom network. It rang twice before a raspy, tired voice answered.

“Speak.”

"Arthur," Dominic said, his voice dropping an octave. "I need an immediate forensic financial audit on every subsidiary tied to Vanguard Logistics. Clean out their liquidity pools by morning."

A pause on the other end. “Dominic? That’s federal-level tracking. If I touch Kolov’s primary accounts, the SEC and half the Treasury department are going to trip over their own feet tracing the back-flow.”

"Then let them trip," Dominic replied. "Route the liquidated funds into public cancer research foundations and veterans' prosthetics clinics under anonymous donations. Every single cent."

“And Kolov?” Arthur asked, a faint chuckle coming through the speaker. “He’s going to notice his war chest evaporating before breakfast.”

"Good," Dominic said. "I want him to watch his empire bleed out while he still has the strength to feel it. Send the clearance codes to my terminal now."

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Dominic hung up the phone. He stood, buttoned his suit jacket, and looked at Marco. "Get the car ready. We're going to Brooklyn."

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