The retaliation came quietly.
Judicial delays.Permit freezes.Regulatory "reviews."
Nothing illegal.
Everything coordinated.
Donna laid it out on the table. "They're squeezing us through the system."
Ace nodded. "Good. That means they're afraid to act openly."
Fight #1,366Opponent: Bureaucratic warfareStatus: Underway
Ace Changes the Battlefield
Ace didn't fight the politicians directly.
He went around them.
Public-interest lawsuits.Ethics filings.Quietly leaked compliance reports.
Louis stared at the board. "You're not attacking the people."
Ace replied, "I'm attacking the mechanisms."
Fight #1,381Opponent: Structural corruptionStatus: Targeted
Mike and Katrina Step Up
Mike handled the civil actions.
Katrina handled the filings—precise, ruthless.
"You taught us well," Katrina said.
Ace corrected her. "You learned fast."
Fight #1,397Opponent: InexperienceStatus: Eliminated
The Political Counterstrike
A grand jury inquiry was announced.
Not against the firm.
Against Ace.
Harvey slammed the table. "They're coming for you now."
Ace was calm.
"That means they've run out of angles."
Fight #1,412Opponent: Personal targetingStatus: Welcomed
Ace Testifies
The hearing room was packed.
Ace sat alone.
No bluster.No theatrics.
Just truth.
When asked if he was attempting to control the city—
Ace answered plainly.
"I'm attempting to make it lawful."
The room froze.
Fight #1,428Opponent: Public scrutinyStatus: Dominated
Power Breaks First
Within days:
Ethics complaints vanished
Reviews were dropped
A councilman resigned quietly
The Lenox Consortium stopped calling.
Ace didn't smile.
He never did.
Fight #1,444Opponent: Political eliteStatus: Displaced
Quiet Victory
That night, Evelyn joined Ace on the balcony.
"You just humbled New York," she said.
Ace looked out at the city.
"No," he replied. "I reminded it."
She slipped her hand into his.
"And now?"
Ace's voice was steady.
"Now they remember my name."
Fight #1,459Opponent: ErasureStatus: Impossible
End of Chapter 25
Ace Charles didn't overthrow the political elite.
He outlasted them.
And in New York—
Power never forgets who taught it restraint.
✅ ARC COMPLETE: ACE VS POLITICAL ELITE
Lenox Consortium neutralized
Political retaliation exposed and reversed
Ace survives personal inquiry
Mike & Katrina prove leadership
Ace becomes untouchable without immunity