Chapter 7
The blinding glare of the federal transport headlights washed over the concrete pillars, casting long, sharp shadows across the parking garage. Federal agents in tactical gear moved with practiced precision, securing the perimeter before Arthur could react. Agent Keller, a tall man with an unreadable expression and a trench coat flapping in the damp draft, stepped forward from the lead vehicle. He held out his badge, his eyes shifting from Arthur to Margaret, assessing the standoff in a single practiced glance.
Arthur froze, the leather briefcase slipping from his trembling fingers and hitting the oil-stained pavement with a dull thud. The sudden arrival of federal authority punctured whatever illusions of control he had been clinging to. He stepped back against his sedan, his hands coming up instinctively as two agents closed the distance, reading him his rights and securing his wrists with heavy plastic zip-ties. The transition from influential corporate executive to detained suspect happened with terrifying speed.
Margaret watched the arrest without expression, though a deep, exhausting exhale escaped her lips. She bent down, retrieved the abandoned briefcase, and handed it directly to Agent Keller. She explained that the case contained original procurement documents and backup drives detailing the logistics fraud. Keller accepted the evidence, nodding respectfully to her before directing his team to escort Arthur toward the transport van.
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Arthur twisted his head back toward his sister as they pushed him toward the doors, his voice cracking with a mixture of betrayal and fury. He screamed that she would regret this day, that the rot went deeper than she could ever imagine, and that she had signed her own professional death warrant by digging into things she did not understand. Margaret met his gaze steadily, refusing to engage with his parting threats. The van doors slammed shut with a heavy mechanical thud, sealing him inside.
Agent Keller lingered for a moment, wiping rain mist from his glasses. He thanked Major Hale for her cooperation and warned her that while the immediate crisis was contained, Arthur’s network of civilian associates would likely try to discredit her character during the upcoming congressional hearings. Margaret adjusted her jacket, replying that she had prepared for that exact scenario. She walked back to her sedan, her mind already shifting to the mountain of administrative reports she needed to file before dawn.
