Chapter 10 - The Corporate Fixer
The man in the dark suit stepped into the gravel driveway, his polished leather shoes crunching softly as he approached them. He didn't look like a local law enforcement officer or a federal marshal; he carried the unmistakable aura of high-priced corporate security—detached, lethal, and entirely professional. He adjusted his cuffs, his cold gray eyes locked onto Maya and Clara.
"You've caused quite a disruption this morning, Agent Vance," the man said, his voice deep and smooth. "Mr. Vance senior’s contingency plan was supposed to remain confidential until the probate court finalized the transfer."
Clara staggered to her feet, clutching her bruised arm. "Vance senior? You're working for the firm's board of directors, not my brother."
"We work for stability, Ms. Vance," the fixer replied calmly, signaling two more men to step out of the black SUV, blocking the perimeter fence line completely. "The market cannot handle a public scandal involving the primary supplier of medical tech to the tri-state area. If your brother goes down for embezzlement, the entire stock crumbles, including your personal trust fund."
Maya stepped protectively in front of Clara, sliding her hand into her scrub pocket where the encrypted tablet rested. "The SEC already has the unredacted files, Director. Your suppression attempt failed the moment the sync completed in the sub-basement."
The fixer smiled, a thin, humorless movement of his lips. "You assume the SEC operates in a vacuum, Agent. By noon, those files will be reclassified under national security provisions due to our defense contracts. Your career will be quietly terminated, and you and Ms. Vance will sign a comprehensive non-disclosure agreement before you leave this property."
Clara’s blood boiled with a sudden, overwhelming fury that pushed aside her fear. She stepped past Maya, staring the fixer dead in the eye. "My father spent forty years building this company on honesty and hard work. He didn't build it so corporate cowards and greedy attorneys could steal it from his family and sweep it under the rug."
May you like
Before the fixer could respond, the sound of heavy sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder with every second as multiple vehicles approached up the winding Maple Ridge access road.
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