Chapter 245

Chapter 245

The next day, Audrey dialed Declan's number.

"Mr. Ross, about the Black Raven acquisition you mentioned last time—I think we should sit down and discuss the details."

There was a pause on the other end, followed by Declan's voice, tinged with pleasant surprise.

"Ms. Clark has finally come around? You're willing to sell to me?"

"I've come around." Audrey's tone remained even. "I have a lot on my plate right now, and frankly, I don't have the bandwidth to manage Black Raven. I think putting it in your hands is the best choice."

"That's excellent news. I hope we can work together smoothly." Declan said.

"However, I have some conditions that need to be discussed in person," Audrey continued.

"No problem. How about this afternoon? We can meet in the Brown Group's conference room. I'll have it prepared."

"Fine."

Last night, she'd spent the entire night in the study, mapping out Black Raven's complete asset structure.

The encrypted file Bronte had left behind was more comprehensive than she'd imagined—not only technical documentation, but also a detailed roster of retired core members worldwide, along with a guide for setting up an independent communication system.

But for Audrey, all she needed to do was take the people with her and leave the technology for Declan. He'd probably think Black Raven's technology was irreplaceable, impossible to recreate.

Still, Audrey planned to haggle over the price when they met. That way, he wouldn't suspect anything.

At two o'clock that afternoon, Audrey arrived at the conference room right on time.

Declan was already waiting, a printed framework agreement spread out before him. Clearly, he'd come prepared.

"Ms. Clark," he said, his smile warm, "I knew you'd see reason."

Audrey sat across from him. "Mr. Ross, I can accept selling Black Raven, but I have two conditions."

Declan's smile froze slightly. "Go on."

"First, I set the price, and it's non-negotiable."

Declan's brow twitched. "Acceptable. As long as it's within reason, I can agree to that."

"Second, the transition period needs to be three months. Black Raven hasn't been operational in a while, but its internal structure is complex. It'll take time to sort out."

Declan fell silent for a moment. "Three months is quite a while, but I can wait."

Audrey paused. "There's one more thing you should know up front—I'm taking Black Raven's employees with me."

At this, Declan actually laughed. "Ms. Clark, don't worry about it. To be honest, I was only ever interested in the technology. What would I do with the staff? I'm not running a security company."

"Good." Audrey stood. "My legal team will organize the specific contract details and send them to you. Three months from today, we'll formally sign and complete the transfer."

"It's a deal."

After leaving the conference room, Audrey returned to her office, locked the door, and pulled out the encrypted file from her drawer, flipping to the last page.

On that page was a string of code that looked like randomly generated characters.

But she knew what it was. It was what Bronte had left behind—a key specifically designed to activate the highest-level communication channel.

She opened her laptop and entered the code.

A few seconds later, an extremely minimalist interface appeared on the screen.

So simple, in fact, that it contained only a single input box, prompting her to enter verification information.

She typed in Bronte's name.

The text on the screen began to shift, and lines of information automatically scrolled into view.

She quickly scanned through it, confirming the current status and location of every person.

Then she began drafting a message.

The wording was concise, the format formal—like an internal company relocation notice. She sent it out one by one.

After sending the final message, she closed the interface, leaned back in her chair, and let out a long breath.

That evening, when Audrey got home around eleven, Vincent was sitting on the couch waiting for her, a half-read book spread out in front of him. Clearly, his mind had been elsewhere.

"How did it go?" Vincent asked.

Audrey sat down beside him and recounted everything that had happened that day.

"So you're selling him all the core technology Bronte left behind?"

"Yes," Audrey said. "He went to such lengths to set this trap, even using Arabella as a pawn. If I don't let him get something out of it, he won't let it go."

"Rather than have him watching us constantly, I'd rather give him something he thinks is valuable—and buy our complete freedom in return."

Vincent was silent for a moment. "What do you need me to do?"

"Nothing yet." Audrey paused. "But soon I might need you to help me register a new company."

"A new company?"

"Yes. The entire existing Black Raven structure will be transferred under a completely new framework."

Vincent nodded. "Alright, I'll handle it."

The next morning, Audrey had her assistant contact several real estate agencies to begin searching for a new office location for Black Raven.

She knew full well that three months wasn't exactly generous, but it would be enough to complete most of the transition work.

However, Audrey had overestimated Declan's patience. Before the three months were up, Declan came calling to push things along.

"Ms. Clark, about the contract terms—shouldn't we be moving forward with that?"

"Mr. Ross." Her tone was composed. "As you know, this technology represents my mother's life's work. Even though I've decided to sell, as her daughter, I need to make sure every detail is handled properly. When it comes to family assets, there's no room for carelessness. I hope you can understand."

Declan couldn't very well argue with that. "I understand your concerns, but two months should be more than enough time to sort things out."

"You've already waited this long. What's a little more time?" Audrey held firm.

Declan was silent for a few seconds, then finally laughed. "Fine. Since Ms. Clark puts it that way, I suppose I can wait a bit longer."