Chapter 10 - The Back Patio Breach
The violent pounding against the sliding glass patio door rattled the kitchen windowpanes, sending a fresh wave of panic through the quiet house. Sophia whimpered, tightening her grip around Claire’s waist, her small body trembling inside the bright pink hoodie.
Claire didn't flinch. She gently guided Sophia behind her, shielding her with her own body, and turned her gaze toward the kitchen archway.
Agent Vance immediately drew her weapon back up, pivoting toward the sound with tactical precision. “Stay behind me, Mrs. Palmer,” the agent ordered, her boots clicking sharply against the kitchen tile as she moved forward.
Through the frosted glass of the sliding patio door, a massive silhouette loomed in the backyard darkness. The backyard floodlights flickered on automatically, casting a harsh, glaring light over the figure standing on the patio deck. It wasn't another brother, and it wasn't a police officer.
It was Viktor Novak.
Viktor was a towering, heavily scarred man in his late forties, wearing a tailored charcoal suit that looked entirely out of place in a suburban backyard. He slammed his palm against the glass again, his face twisted into an ugly mask of desperation and fury.
“Palmer! Open the damn door! You think you can walk away with my capital and hide behind a suburban fence?” Viktor shouted, his voice muffled by the double-paned glass.
Agent Vance stepped up to the slider, holding her badge up against the glass so the man outside could clearly see it.
“Federal agent! Step away from the glass with your hands visible or you will be met with lethal force!” Agent Vance commanded loudly.
Viktor sneered at the badge. He didn't step back; instead, he reached inside his charcoal suit jacket, his hand disappearing into the dark fabric.
“Agent, don't let him—!” Claire gasped, stepping past Vance.
With a brutal, deafening crash, Viktor swung a heavy iron pipe—the exact match to the one Leo had dropped inside—right through the glass pane. Shards of safety glass exploded inward across the kitchen floor like a shower of glittering diamonds, clattering against the tiles and cutting through the quiet night air.
Viktor reached through the broken opening, grabbing the interior latch, and slid the door wide open before Agent Vance could physically tackle him.
“You’re too late, Fed! The accounts are already liquidated!” Viktor roared, stepping over the broken glass with heavy, deliberate strides.
Agent Vance lunged forward, pressing her firearm directly against Viktor’s chest, forcing him hard back against the kitchen counter.
“Drop to your knees! Do it now!” Agent Vance screamed, her adrenaline spiking.
Viktor chuckled, raising his empty hands slowly, his eyes darting past the agent to lock directly onto Claire standing by the hallway archway.
“You got Mark, and you got Leo,” Viktor mocked, blood pooling in his teeth as he smiled. “But you didn't check who signed the wire transfer for the warehouse lease this morning.”
Claire’s breath caught in her throat. She stared at Viktor, realizing the terrifying truth. The money wasn't just hidden; it was already converted into something entirely untouchable.
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“What did you do?” Claire whispered, stepping forward into the shattered glass.
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