Chapter 74: The Insider

Samuel refused to give Derek a name immediately. He claimed he had spent years trying to stay away from the people involved and would not risk exposing himself without protection.

Derek remained calm. "You contacted us."

"Because I heard Louis found the old procurement records. If he really has them, then they already know he's getting close."

"Who are they?"

Samuel looked exhausted. "Greyline is only one layer."

He explained that while working at Stone Holdings, he had been approached by Daniel Mercer with an offer for occasional consulting work. At first, the requests seemed harmless: industry forecasts, public market analysis, and opinions about likely acquisitions.

Later, Daniel began asking about internal discussions.

Samuel claimed he refused to provide confidential documents, but he admitted confirming rumors and meeting schedules in exchange for money.

"So you leaked information," Derek said.

Samuel lowered his eyes. "Yes."

Eventually, he realized Daniel already possessed information that could only have come from someone far above him.

"Who?"

"I don't know. But Daniel called that person 'the anchor.'"

Derek recorded the phrase mentally.

Samuel had become frightened when false information began appearing alongside real intelligence. He understood that someone was using leaks to manipulate Louis and Ethan into escalating their conflict.

"Why didn't you warn Louis?"

Samuel laughed bitterly. "Tell the CEO I accepted money to discuss his schedule and hope he believes the rest? I ran."

Cowardly, but believable.

Then Samuel gave Derek the first truly new piece of information.

Before leaving Stone Holdings, he had copied several internal access logs. One senior account repeatedly opened strategy files unrelated to its department.

"Whose account?" Derek asked.

Samuel finally answered.

"Victor Shaw's executive credentials."

Derek's expression didn't change.

"Do you still have the logs?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

"Somewhere safe."

Samuel wanted legal protection and enough money to relocate if necessary. Derek promised nothing beyond a second meeting.

When Louis received the report, he was silent for a long time.

Victor had access legitimately as a senior adviser, but repeated access to unrelated strategy files supported the theory that he had gathered information deliberately.

Freya listened from across the dining table.

"The anchor," she said. "Do you think that's Victor?"

"Maybe."

"Or someone above him."

Louis nodded.

That possibility was worse.

Freya remembered her father's recording. Victor had pressured him, but even then he had spoken about consequences affecting "several people." Perhaps Victor had never been acting alone.

Louis's phone rang. It was Ethan.

After a short conversation, Louis ended the call and looked at Freya.

"Hale found something in his own records. One of the anonymous reports mentioned information Victor couldn't have known at the time."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning someone else inside Stone Holdings was feeding the network too."

Freya felt the mystery widen again.

They had spent weeks following Victor Shaw, believing he might be the traitor at the center of Louis's downfall.

Now Samuel Reed had given them another possibility.

Victor might not have been the center at all.

He might only have been one spoke in a much larger wheel.

Louis looked toward the window after the call ended. He had spent months preparing to rebuild Northstar and eventually confront the rivals who profited from his collapse. Now the target was becoming less obvious. Revenge against the wrong person would only repeat the manipulation that destroyed Stone Holdings in the first place. This time, he intended to know exactly who stood behind the final move before making his own.

For now, they chose patience over confrontation. Every new clue was documented, copied, and checked against the growing timeline. The network had survived for years because its connections were difficult to see. Louis and Freya had no intention of warning anyone that those connections were finally becoming visible.