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Sterling Heart

Chapter 5 Fault Lines

Word Count: 2530    |    Released on: 19/06/2025

p. There's a panel tomorrow. Urban A

"Nothing about yo

it feel like we're losing pieces o

nt. "Maybe that's leadership

r. "I miss when success d

e not just succeeding. We're red

hold back-spoke about sabotage, gendered attacks, the

blicly endorsed Clara's leadership. She moved to restructure inter

ered, but not finished. Desper

said, brittle smile. "But the pr

ilt on fear. I'm rebuilding wi

od. "This

d back. "No. Bu

st community mural was preserved. Kids painted again, fi

ching a girl paint a blue

comes from where we exp

t sounds like s

k. "We're not

nk we're winning." Outside, the wind finally calmed-not because

ring Fa

nitely. But... not a final one. Nope. It was more like a fault line under a city, y

orning when Clara

st one line: "You think

nd underneath it, a timestamp and coordinates-

nge, not really, but his voice? It turned sharp

keep treating every warning like a t

looked. Then, he nodded.

ned Wareho

rusted, graffiti like old battle scars. Inside, the air was thick. With dust. And t

dgets. Contracts m

ad set up years ago under the guise of "foreign logistics." But the paper tr

wall. "He's been launderi

single page. "We bring this t

st lingered. "Why leave i

ause someone wants us to find it now

ou think this isn't a

nk this storm is

ishes. A N

ion in the air was electric.

right, of course-accounts tied to shell companies all traced back to a private fund controlled by T

lled for his

ne... he

ce was cleaned out. His access cards deactivated.

Alexande

nced. "He's not gone.

e was

-was hit with a cease-and-desist order. A legal firm, one they'd never even h

sible?" she aske

d records were recently upda

He's laundering sabotage through proxies now. Shell compan

xander's next move will be agai

he Mural: A Co

her fists. Tight. "We can

ut we need more than just a legal

bration. Hundreds came. Families. Students. Artists. Even city officials. Musicians played, kids were painting, an

ry hand that painted it, every child who dreamed through it. It is

: the city would block any effort to destroy th

enough.

ive: Deepe

got an anonymous packa

note. So chilling. "You've only ju

iaries. Dated three years back. And it was awful. Workers in unsafe cond

as T

lence, fists clenched. He knew

infected. So much deeper

he footage. Her voice firm. "If this is systemic,

company. Destroy investor trust. Shut down half our

. Unflinching. "And what

ce, it was just echoing like a ghost

o pub

ut. The R

ew days? U

conference. They didn't spin. Didn't sugarcoat

rs from years past," Alexander said. "We are launching an independent inv

t was nucl

sts screamed. The med

ys, something truly

ers. They c

mes. Clara and Alexander found themselves at the center of a

asier

all-untouched, just glowing in the sunset-Clara as

r immediately. A pause

h the easy road had

ly. "Do you thin

e already did. We ch

, her pho

rgency board meeting. Investors

w Ch

the boardroom was

ly clear. "Sterling can no longer operate as a legacy

sion-Sterling Civic-a branch dedicated solely to ethical redevelopment, u

Just...

me to... lead a division?

e want you to reim

eyes just shining with this q

hen let's build somethi

settli

ladelphia skyline stretched out before her, but her mind was racing somewhere deeper-through timelines, through faces, through th

e vibrat

er me

ber. N

e board. This goes hi

-a secon

in a charcoal suit, his face turned slightly. But not enough to be a complete

volved in security. And private

d the photo

he called. "We n

ted R

re-neutral ground, super public, and always lo

ut if she's talking to people like that, this isn't

urning the Civic Div

age, buy time, divert attention

breath. "So they burn the

ng Sterl

st... quiet, almost like a secret, "was that the per

ad out. "Then we don't just lead Sterling

l grin. "That's t

a New

office. Bigger than her old one. Definitely more polished.

sent a memo

mediate Aud

tment Heads,

rty ethical audits. All partnerships will be reviewed for conflic

a, Director,

"You're making waves," she said, her tone just..

lied simp

s, brilliant data scientists, and, importantly, real community organizers. No career politicians in sight. No corporate yes-men.

st... gone. Calendar invites changed without notice. Her calls to certain city departmen

ou're being isolated," he sa

e push

: Readin

agne, you know the drill. Donors. Officials. So much sparkle. Clara wore midnight blue. Alexander, a really sharp black

ho once served under him, now whispering with investors in corne

ed Clara midway

bold," s

. "I had a g

could almost miss it. "You know, sometimes the system d

"And sometimes the steerin

said, "Careful, Clara. Not everyone

lara replied. A little

ject. A Deep

huge revitalization plan for South Kensington-was hit with a zoning suspe

vid. "We cross-checked those per

wing clerks was hired last month. Background sc

he said. Her voice was low. "This is coordinated. H

grimly. "Then w

sis Project-an initiative buried ten years ago, funded under an 'infrastructure resil

Familiar names. Old signatures. A

ned off

s not the

They Didn'

d once more at the mur

places. Time, you know? But the

e we building if we can

ou protect it by lighting it up

held out his phone. "

gh rope," she was saying, so calmly, so chillingly, "she'll e

"Then let's make sure it's a

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