Chapter 10
Agent Vance’s gaze slowly shifted from Thomas to Chloe, her expression an unreadable mask of cold professional detachment. The tactical shotgun in her hands didn't waver by a millimeter.
"Your father made choices, Miss Vance," Agent Vance said flatly, her voice devoid of any human empathy. "He thought his moral code outweighed the stability of the entire region. People who try to stop the expansion of this county tend to suffer unfortunate accidents."
Mark stepped forward, placing himself protectively in front of Chloe once more, raising the heavy brass candlestick as if it could somehow deflect a tactical round. "You're federal oversight. You're supposed to uphold the law, not protect a local municipal conspiracy!"
"The law is a framework for maintaining order, Mr. Parker," Agent Vance replied coldly. "And right now, order requires that this house, these files, and everyone standing in this hallway cease to be a variable."
Officer Miller slowly lowered her service weapon, sliding it back into its holster with a soft click. The heavy metal of the holster scraped against her belt, signaling a silent surrender to the higher-ranking authority in the room.
"It's over, Thomas," Miller muttered, not looking at the aging man in the trench coat. "Hand over the tape from your coat pocket. Let the system handle it the way it was designed to."
Thomas let out a dry, hacking laugh, reaching slowly into the deep interior pocket of his heavy wool coat. His fingers brushed against something hard and metallic, but instead of pulling out an audio cassette, his hand emerged clutching a small, tarnished silver police badge—the exact badge belonging to Chloe's deceased father.
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"The system was never designed to handle the truth, Miller," Thomas whispered, holding the badge up so the porch light caught its scarred surface. "It was only ever designed to protect the people holding the gun."
Before Agent Vance could raise her shotgun to stop him, Thomas slammed the tarnished badge hard against the exposed wires of the wall safe’s digital housing, creating a violent shower of electric sparks that plunged the hallway back into pitch-black chaos.
