Chapter 106 Unveiling the Hidden Traitor

"Boom!"The miniature EMP device Daisy deployed detonated in a silent flash,frying the circuits of the retreating helicopters.

Max watched with a satisfied smirk as they spiralled out of control,their occupants no doubt cursing his name.

"Like shooting fish in a barrel,"he quipped,turning on his heel and heading back towards his sleek,black limousine.

"Time to deal with the real pests."

The atmosphere at Voss Corp.

headquarters was thicker than pea soup.

The news of the near-successful corporate espionage attempt had spread like wildfire,leaving a residue of paranoia and suspicion.

Employees huddled in hushed groups,casting nervous glances at each other,whispering about moles and backstabbers.

Max,however,strolled through the tense office with his usual swagger,an air of nonchalant confidence radiating from him.

He might have looked relaxed,but beneath the playful exterior,his mind was a steel trap,analyzing every twitch,every whispered word.

His first stop was the core tech department,the very heart of Voss Corp.

's innovation and,judging by the recent events,the most likely hiding place of the traitor.

The department head,a nervous,balding man named Mr.

Henderson,greeted Max with a sweaty handshake and a stammering apology for the security breach.

Henderson's evasiveness prickled Max's senses.

Something was definitely off.

Normally,he would have unleashed his infamous"money talks"tactic,burying the problem under a mountain of cash until it confessed its secrets.

But this time,a different approach was in order.

He decided to play the benevolent boss,the caring CEO concerned for his employee's well-being.

"Henderson,my dear fellow,"Max began,his voice dripping with false sympathy.

"Don't beat yourself up about it.These things happen.What matters is that we catch the culprit and ensure this never happens again.Now,tell me,have you noticed anything…unusual lately?Any disgruntled employees?Anyone acting…suspiciously?"

Henderson,clearly thrown by Max's sudden shift in demeanor,stammered and stuttered,his eyes darting nervously around the room.

He offered vague platitudes about increased workload and general stress,carefully avoiding any specific details.

Max,however,was patient.

He let Henderson ramble,observing his every micro-expression,listening for any telltale slip of the tongue.

He was a master manipulator,and Henderson,bless his cotton socks,was proving to be a remarkably easy target.

Midway through Henderson's rambling explanation about the new coffee machine causing unprecedented levels of caffeine-induced anxiety,Max noticed a small detail.

A picture on Henderson's desk,slightly askew,revealing a handwritten note tucked behind it.

A single word was visible:"Tom."

"Tom?"Max echoed casually,as if the name held no significance.

"Who's Tom?"

Henderson visibly flinched.

"Oh,just…just one of the technicians.Good lad,Tom.Hard worker."He quickly straightened the picture,effectively hiding the note.

Too quickly.

Max filed the information away,a predatory gleam in his eyes.

Just then,Lily,his ever-efficient assistant,burst into the room,her face pale.

"Mr.Voss,"she announced,her voice trembling slightly, "we have a problem.Tom…Tom's gone.Missing.His apartment's empty,his phone's off.Vanished."

The air in the room crackled with tension.

Max's playful facade vanished,replaced by a steely mask of determination.

He exchanged a quick look with Lily,a silent conversation passing between them.

This was more than just a simple case of corporate espionage.

This was something far more sinister.

"Well,well,well,"Max murmured,a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"It seems our little mole has decided to burrow deeper underground."He turned towards the window,gazing out at the sprawling city below.

"But,"he added,his voice low and menacing,"even moles can't hide forever."He paused,a predatory smile slowly spreading across his face.

"Lily,"he said,his voice laced with anticipation,"inform Athena.It's time to go hunting."

Suddenly,a soft knock echoed from the doorway.

Grace and Daisy stood there,their faces unusually serious.

"Max,"Grace began,her voice quiet but firm,"we think we know where to start looking..."

The sleek,obsidian skyscraper,Voss Tower,pierced the clouds,a monument to Max's wealth and power.

Inside,the atmosphere crackled with tension.

The recent attack,orchestrated by the insidious Richard Grayson,had shaken the Voss empire,exposing a vulnerability no one had anticipated–a mole within their ranks.

Max,lounging in his opulent office,idly spun a gold coin between his fingers.

The seemingly casual gesture masked the furious storm brewing beneath his playful façade.

Lily,ever attentive,stood silently by his side,a sleek tablet displaying the company's internal network activity.

"Anything,Lily?"Max asked,his voice deceptively light.

"Nothing concrete,sir,"Lily replied,her tone crisp and professional.

"The security logs have been scrubbed clean,professionally done.Whoever this mole is,they're good."

Max chuckled,a low rumble in his chest.

"Good.This makes it more interesting."He snapped his fingers.

"Grace,Daisy,report."

The two sisters materialized as if on cue.

Grace,her fingers flying across her own holographic interface,reported first.

"I've traced the source of the data breach to a secure server on the 50th floor,but the access logs are encrypted.I'm working on cracking it,but it's a tough nut to crack."

Daisy,ever the pragmatist,chimed in,"My sources within Grayson Industries suggest he's planning another move soon.Something big.He's boasting about having an'inside man'giving him intel."

Max's eyes narrowed.

"An inside man,huh?Well,let's see how long he can keep his little pet hidden."He rose from his chair,an aura of power radiating from him.

"Athena,I need you to tighten security around key personnel.I want eyes and ears everywhere."

Athena,clad in a form-fitting black suit that accentuated her athletic build,nodded curtly.

"Consider it done,Max."Her eyes,usually icy,softened momentarily as she met his gaze.

As Athena departed,Max turned his attention back to the sisters.

"Grace,prioritize decrypting those logs.Daisy,I want you to feed Grayson some disinformation.Let's see how he reacts.A little taste of his own medicine."

The sisters grinned,eager to put their unique skills to the test.

As they left,Lily presented Max with a new report.

"Sir,we've isolated a peculiar energy signature from the security footage of the attack.It matches the device Daisy used…"

Max's playful demeanor vanished.

He snatched the tablet,his eyes scanning the data.

The energy signature was faint,almost undetectable,but undeniably there.

It was similar to Daisy's device,but…different.

More potent.

More…sinister.

A chilling realization dawned on him.

The mole wasn't just leaking information.

They were actively participating in the attacks.

And they possessed technology that mirrored,yet surpassed,his own.

The game had just taken a dangerous turn.

"Lily,"Max said,his voice low and serious,"I think we've underestimated our little traitor.This isn't just a mole.This is something…more."He paused,a dangerous glint in his eye.

"And I intend to find out exactly what."