Chapter 12: The Fall of an Empire**
Kane’s phone vibrated violently against his chest pocket. Then, the phones of all six mercenaries began chiming in rapid succession with emergency notifications.
Kane pulled out his encrypted device. The screen flashed with breaking news alerts:
*FEDERAL PROSECUTORS UNSEAL 42 INDICTMENTS AGAINST KANE ENTERPRISES.*
*STATE POLICE RAID KANE HEADQUARTERS IN THREE CITIES.*
Kane’s face drained of color. The arrogant sneer vanished, replaced by an expression of pure, unadulterated shock.
“You… what did you do?” Kane rasped, his voice trembling with sudden fury.
“I didn’t email the media,” Julian said coldly, taking a slow step forward. “At 3:00 AM, Father Thomas hand-delivered duplicate drives to the State Attorney General’s personal residence and the United States Marshal Service. They’ve been building a RICO case against you for four years, Kane. They just needed the original transaction keys. And Clara kept them safe for six years.”
Suddenly, the roof skylights shattered inward in an explosion of tempered glass.
“FEDERAL AGENTS! DROP YOUR WEAPONS!”
Dozens of armed tactical officers in black tactical gear rappelled down from the rafters, while heavy armored SWAT vehicles smashed through the warehouse roll-up doors, cutting off every exit. Sirens wailed across the harbor in a deafening symphony of flashing red and blue lights.
Kane’s mercenaries immediately threw their weapons onto the concrete and raised their hands. Kane stood frozen, his cane slipping from his fingers, clattering uselessly against the oil-stained floor.
Federal agents tackled Kane to the ground, securing him in heavy steel cuffs. As they dragged him past Julian, Kane glared with hollow, defeated eyes.
May you like
Julian didn’t say a word. He simply turned his back on the monster that had stolen six years of his life and walked out into the morning air.
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