"Stage left guard, eyes up," he ordered into the comm. "Backline team, seal the east corridor. Now."
Lu Ting Cheng took a sip of his drink, watching the chaos begin to ripple. "You are pulling them in early," he said.
Zi Zhen's eyes never left the screens. "Better I pull them than they pull the trigger against me.."
The auctioneer called, "Three point one million, do I hear three point three?"
A new paddle rose… and at that exact moment, the backstage intruder stepped into the light, the oilcloth-wrapped shape cradled in his arm.
The closest guard turned around, but the man acted faster. He quickly pushed the guard, making him lose his balance.
On the feed, Zi Zhen's gaze sharpened. "Target in play," he said coldly. "All units..... intercept."
The command snapped through the comms like a blade.
