The Phantom Alpha
Marcus Whitfield died on a Tuesday.
It wasn't a particularly memorable Tuesday. The weather behaved itself, the markets closed without drama, and somewhere across the city at least three executives undoubtedly described a meeting as "productive" despite everyone secretly wishing it had been an email.
Marcus himself was found slumped behind the wheel of his car in a parking garage three blocks from his office.
The official cause of death was a heart attack.
The unofficial cause of death was considerably more expensive.
Victor Kane had long ago learned that truth, while admirable, rarely survives sustained investment. A discreet payment here, a favor there, a report signed by the right person,