Building a Conglomerate in Another World

Chapter 230: Incriminating Evidence

Elias Vaughn moved through the Capitol with the ease of a ghost, blending into the sea of clerks, aides, and officials that flooded the halls. His target was clear: documents, ledgers, correspondences—anything that could prove that Bradford and his circle were orchestrating the war from behind the scenes.

For a man as meticulous as Bradford, there was always a paper trail. Vaughn knew that powerful men often thought themselves untouchable, and in their arrogance, they made mistakes. The challenge wasn’t finding the evidence—it was getting it before Bradford and his men realized they had a traitor in their midst.

He had one shot at this.

Inside Bradford’s Office

Vaughn had spent years navigating dangerous missions, but walking into the office of one of the most powerful men in Amerathia was a different kind of operation. He couldn’t afford mistakes.

The door to Bradford’s office was locked, as expected. Vaughn wasn’t a thief, but he had learned a few tricks in his time. A quick glance around confirmed that no one was watching. He reached into his coat pocket, producing a small set of lockpicks.

He worked quickly, feeling the tumblers shift beneath his touch.

Click.

The lock gave way.

Vaughn slipped inside, closing the door silently behind him. The office was immaculate, with bookshelves lining the walls and a mahogany desk dominating the space. It was the desk he was interested in.

He moved swiftly, knowing he had limited time. He opened the drawers one by one, flipping through documents. At first, it was the usual political paperwork—budget reports, military assessments, correspondence with other senators. But then, at the bottom of the drawer, he found something that made his pulse quicken.

A leather-bound ledger, stamped with an official government seal.

Vaughn flipped it open.

Inside was a detailed breakdown of planned military movements—except these weren’t orders from the President or the War Department. These were private arrangements between high-ranking officials, including Macias, Carter, and several others.

His eyes narrowed as he scanned the entries:

October 30: Convoy operation—ensure "Mexican" involvement, high casualties necessary.

November 2: USS Monroe—detonation planned, ensure no survivors.

November 5: Full mobilization, public address prepared. Hesh must not interfere.

It was all there. The attacks, the planning, the orchestration of false-flag operations designed to inflame public anger and force Amerathia into war.

Vaughn wasn’t just looking at proof.

Collins leaned over, his expression grim. "This is worse than we thought. They’ve planned everything down to the last detail. If the Monroe operation happens, we’re at war within hours."

Matthew set the papers down, his jaw tightening. "We have to act now."

Collins nodded. "What’s the move?"

Matthew exhaled sharply. He had expected corruption, manipulation—but this? This was an act of war against their own people.

"We go public," Matthew said firmly. "We release everything. The press, the Justice Department, military command—everyone sees this before Bradford has a chance to spin it."

Collins hesitated. "Sir, if we do this, it’ll be civil war in Congress. Bradford and his allies will fight back with everything they have."

Matthew met his gaze. "Then we fight harder."

Collins nodded. "I’ll alert the Attorney General. These men need to be arrested."

Matthew turned to Vaughn. "You did good work. But we’re not done yet. We need to make sure they don’t have a chance to cover this up."

Vaughn nodded. "There’s one more thing, sir."

Matthew raised an eyebrow.

Vaughn reached into his coat and pulled out a small recording device.

"I recorded their conversation," Vaughn said. "Macias confirmed the Monroe attack. It’s all on tape."

Collins let out a breath of relief. "That’s it. That’s everything."

Matthew took the device, gripping it tightly. They had him now. They had them all.

Bradford’s empire of lies was about to collapse.

Matthew Hesh inhaled deeply, pressing the play button on the small recording device. The room was silent except for the faint hum of the desk lamp and the distant murmur of White House staff moving through the halls.

The tape crackled for a moment before the voices came through—low, confident, filled with the arrogance of men who believed they were untouchable.

"The Monroe operation is risky. What if someone investigates?"

"By the time anyone investigates, we’ll already be at war. Hesh won’t be in office much longer."

Matthew clenched his fist. The corruption in his own government was deeper than he had ever imagined.