Chapter 11 - The Federal Raid
The heavy glass doors of the Vance Global lobby shattered inward with a deafening crash as a dozen federal agents in tactical gear swarmed the ground floor. Sirens wailed outside, echoing off the concrete canyons of the financial district, drawing crowds of onlookers and journalists pressing against the police barricades.
On the fiftieth floor, the boardroom doors flew open without warning. Special Agent Miller of the Federal Bureau of Investigation strode into the room, flanked by two armed agents. He walked straight past the panicked directors and stopped at the foot of the table, laying an arrest warrant directly in front of Richard Vance.
“Richard Vance, you are under arrest for federal wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiring with international criminal syndicates,” Agent Miller announced, his voice echoing in the stunned silence.
Richard remained frozen in his chair, staring at the steel cuffs dangling from the agent’s hand. He slowly raised his eyes to look at Elena, who sat motionless at the head of the table, her expression as cold and immovable as marble.
“You orchestrated this,” Richard hissed, his voice trembling with rage as two agents grabbed his arms and hauled him to his feet. “You set the trap from the very beginning.”
“I simply allowed you to dig your own grave,” Elena replied quietly, closing her folder with a definitive snap. “You and Julian thought you could treat Vance Global as your personal piggy bank while selling our heritage to the highest bidder. You underestimated who you were dealing with.”
As Richard was dragged from the boardroom, screaming threats about federal appeals and syndicate retaliation, the remaining board members sat in petrified silence, staring at the empty seat at the far end of the table.
Agent Miller turned his attention to Elena, pulling a small manila envelope from his tactical vest. “We searched Richard’s Greenwich estate an hour ago, Mrs. Vance. We found something that concerns your personal security.”
Elena took the envelope, sliding out a series of printed emails bearing secure server timestamps. She scanned the first page, her eyebrows lifting slightly in quiet recognition.
“A contract hit,” Agent Miller said grimly. “Paid for using Richard’s offshore accounts, targeting you personally before the board vote concluded. The operative assigned to the contract is already in Manhattan.”
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Marcus stood up from his chair, his face pale with alarm. “If Richard hired an assassin independently of Viktor’s syndicate, then Viktor’s men might not be the only ones hunting us tonight.”
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