Chapter 6
The harsh glare of heavy-duty flashlights cut through the dusty air of the sub-basement, accompanied by the heavy boots of four armed security officers rushing down the corridor. Marcus braced his broad back against the concrete wall, using every ounce of his considerable strength to keep Julian pinned and out of the fight, though the CEO was thrashing wildly in protest.
“Hold your positions! Drop the prisoner!” shouted the lead backup guard, raising his tactical baton as he locked eyes with Marcus.
Arthur stepped out from the open vault doorway, the fragile 1974 parchment deed safely tucked inside his inner jacket pocket. The small lapel pin on his chest continued to pulse with a steady, calming green light, casting an eerie glow over the damp floor.
“Stand down, officers,” Arthur commanded, his voice carrying an innate authority that stopped the advancing guards in their tracks.
“Mr. Vance?” the lead guard muttered, lowering his baton slightly in sheer confusion. He looked back and forth between the elderly founder, the struggling CEO, and their own colleague Marcus. “Sir, we received an emergency distress call from the CEO regarding an unauthorized breach.”
“The only breach happening here is the illegal corporate takeover of public trust,” Arthur replied evenly, his posture completely unyielding. “I am exercising my lifetime veto right as primary founder to secure property that rightfully belongs to the city.”
Julian managed to wrench one arm free, pointing a trembling, furious finger at his uncle. “He’s losing his mind! He’s trespassing and stealing company assets! Tackle him and take that document back right now, or you’re all fired before you can blink!”
The backup guards exchanged uneasy glances. They were ordinary working men from the surrounding neighborhoods—the very same neighborhoods slated for demolition tomorrow morning. They looked at Julian’s sneering, privileged face, and then at Arthur’s calm, resolute eyes. None of them moved an inch.
“Did you hear me?” Julian screamed, his voice cracking with panic. “I gave you a direct order!”
“Orders based on greed hold no authority in this building,” Marcus stated firmly, maintaining his grip on the CEO.
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Arthur stepped forward, walking slowly past the frozen guards toward the archive exit. “Come along, Marcus. We have an appointment with the city zoning commissioner, and dawn is fast approaching.”
As Arthur and Marcus walked past the hesitant security detail, the lead guard slowly stepped aside, deliberately breaking formation to clear their path. Julian let out a desperate cry of rage, lunging forward—only to trip over a stray cable as the heavy iron archive doors began to close behind them.
