Chapter 8 - The Falling Empire
For three agonizing seconds, no one moved in the damp stone room.
The air was heavy with the stench of oil, dust, and impending violence.
Kane looked at Arthur's silver revolver, then looked at me, his eyes burning with betrayal.
"Ten million?" Kane asked softly.
"Ten million," Arthur confirmed. "Clean and untraceable."
Kane slowly lowered his silenced pistol, holding it out by the barrel toward me. "Take it, Andrew."
I reached my hand out to take the gun.
BANG!
A deafening gunshot echoed off the stone walls!
It wasn't from Arthur's revolver, nor from Kane's silenced pistol.
The heavy oak door of the storage room was suddenly kicked violently inward, smashing off its iron hinges!
"POLICE! DON'T MOVE! DROP YOUR WEAPONS!"
A dozen heavily armed FBI SWAT officers wearing black tactical gear, helmets, and assault rifles flooded into the tiny stone room, their high-powered green laser sights instantly covering Arthur, Kane, and me!
"DROP THE GUN! DROP IT NOW!" an officer roared.
Arthur dropped his silver revolver onto the concrete, his face going completely white as he raised his hands into the air. Kane dropped his weapon instantly, sinking to his knees as two officers tackled him to the floor, pinning his arms behind his back with plastic zip-ties.
I dropped to my knees, keeping my hands visible, while Elizabeth stepped back against the brick wall, holding the ledger high above her head.
A tall woman in a dark suit stepped through the tactical team, pulling a gold federal badge from her belt.
"Arthur Vance, Marcus Kane," Agent Sarah Reyes declared, her voice echoing with absolute authority. "You are both under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder, obstruction of justice, and federal bio-tech fraud."
Arthur gaped in absolute shock, his aristocratic demeanor completely destroyed. "How... how did you know about this room? Who called you?!"
From behind the squad of tactical officers, a small figure stepped into the doorway.
Alex walked slowly into the room, wearing his little grey suit, holding a dark blue tablet in his hands.
Behind him walked a young female federal agent who held his hand gently.
May you like
Alex looked up at Arthur, his dark eyes clear, strong, and completely devoid of fear.
"I pushed the red button on Daddy's phone, Granddad," Alex said, his small voice ringing out clearly through the damp room. "Miss Elizabeth showed me how before we left the house."
