Magnolia was the first to break the silence.
"Ms. Brooks, I need to remind you that this is the Senate, and every word you've just spoken will be recorded and may become evidence in subsequent government investigations."
"I understand," Ella replied, meeting her gaze unflinchingly.
"And I equally hope that today's hearing will serve as the beginning of subsequent government investigations."
"Mr. McCain, I believe there's no need to continue with today's hearing,"Said the Chief Technology Officer of the Titan Project, rising from his seat next to Derek.
"When the opposition can't even produce a technology demonstration,that says everything. We're wasting time here discussing baseless conspiracy theories." Daniel was about to announce a temporary recess for internal discussions.
"Who says I'm not prepared?" Ella pulled out an ordinary-looking black USB drive from her pocket.
"The core data for the Sprout Initiative may be temporarily sealed,but its initial architecture model and evolution logs have been with me all along."
She walked to the demonstration equipment at the questioning stand and connected the USB drive.
Derek's pupils contracted sharply.
"Ms. Brooks, you are openly flouting Defense Department security
directives and leaking state secrets," The Chief Technology Officer accused loudly.
"It's not up to you to decide what constitutes state secrets," A deep,authoritative voice came from the entrance of the hearing room.
Everyone turned to see a man in a navy blue tactical uniform with a general's insignia on his shoulders, walking purposefully into the room,escorted by a group of armed military police.
His presence seemed to freeze the air in the entire room.
"Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, General Frank Underwood."
Daniel almost immediately stood up, his face showing the absolute respect of a military man toward his superior.
Frank ignored everyone and walked directly to Ella. Standing before her,he rendered a perfect military salute.
"Ms. Brooks, the Department of Defense extends its sincerest apologies for the unauthorized operations of its subordinate units."
"Dr. Adler is currently in stable condition. It wasn't a heart attack, just a temporary arrhythmia caused by overexertion."
"As for the so-called emergency security team that sealed your laboratory,after our preliminary investigation, we discovered they had forged security clearances. Currently, all relevant personnel are under the control of the militury tribunal."
Each of his statements hit Derek like hammer blows.
Derek swayed slightly, instinctively reaching for the back of the chair in front of him for support.
He had lost.
His seemingly flawless plan to pull the rug out from under her had, in the end,turned into a ridiculous farce where he'd dropped a stone on his own foot.
He couldn't comprehend why the government would publicly humiliate its own subordinate agency for an unknown foreign woman.
Frank turned his attention away from Derek toward the seven senators on the hearing panel.
"Gentlemen, I'm here today to provide you with a background investigation report on the 'Titan Project."
His aide handed a thick blue folder to each of the seven senators.
"According to our intelligence, the core algorithm of the 'Titan Project' is not original."
If Ella's earlier accusations had been a shocking scandal, then the evidence Frank now presented was a poisoned dagger plunged directly into Derek's heart.
"Preposterous!" Derek finally lost control, standing up abruptly and pointing at Frank.
"This is slander and commercial sabotage! You have no evidence whatsoever!"
"Evidence?" Frank snapped his fingers.
On the massive screen in the hearing room, a real-time code comparison analysis process was displayed, an important procedure in software development for identifying best practices and potential improvements.
On the left was the core architecture of the "Titan Project," and on the right was the underlying firewall of the Agile Logistics system that Austin had submitted to the government for filing three years ago.
The similarity between the two code segments, under the supercomputer's analysis, ultimately fixed on a shocking number.
The blood instantly drained from Derek's face, leaving him frozen in place like a weathered statue.
Austin slowly rose from his seat, adjusted his tie, and stepped into the center aisle of the gallery.
He didn't look at Derek but instead directed his gaze toward Magnolia on the hearing panel.
"Magnolia, the Thornton Foundation just donated ten million dollars to your district for building a new communitycenter."
Magnolia's expression immediately turned uncomfortable.
Austin shifted his gaze to Mark.
"Mr. Rubio,your campaign rally last week was sponsored entirely by the public relations company under the Thornton Group."
Finally. he looked at Daniel.
"Mr. MeCain, your chief of staff, sold a property last month to Mr.T'hornton's personal assistant at a price 50% above market value."
"I'm not standing here today as a businessman," Austin continued.
He unbuttoned the top button of his shirt, revealing a silver military dog tag hanging around his neck.
"I'm standing here as a reserve officer,issuing the most serious warning to all of you. There is a foreign-backed capital group with unclear origins attempting to corrupt and infikrate our country's highest power structures with money. Their goal is to steal a core technology capable of changing the future of warfare. Gentlemen, this is not a commercial tender."
"This is war."
"And my ex-wife Ella and her mother are the only legitimate and trustworthy guardians of this technology across two generations."
Ella stood at the witness stand,quietly watching Austin.
She watched as he, with a forcefulness she had never seen before,bordering on ruthlessness, drew a fina line in this Willowvale Heights card game for her, and for himself.