Chapter 5 - The Wedding Interrupted
The Sterling family estate in Oakridge was glowing like a palace.
Strings of golden fairy lights hung from the ancient oak trees lining the winding driveway. The massive white silk tent on the manicured lawn was fully furnished with crystal chandeliers, velvet seating, and thousands of imported white hydrangeas. Soft jazz music drifted from expensive speakers as sixty high-society guests, local politicians, and wealthy donors mingled over crystal flutes of vintage champagne.
Jessica stood near the grand fountain in a breathtaking five-thousand-dollar designer cocktail dress, laughing with her bridesmaids.
"Where is Maya anyway?" one of her friends asked, taking a bite of a caviar appetizer. "I thought she came home today?"
Jessica rolled her eyes, taking a sip of champagne. "Oh, don't even get me started. She tried to fake some dramatic medical emergency right in the front hallway just to steal my spotlight. My parents had to drag her to some cheap clinic to drop her off. She's probably sitting there crying because nobody's giving her attention."
My mother, Barbara, walked over, smiling brightly as she adjusted a diamond necklace. "Everything is set for tomorrow, girls. The Senator's family just arrived at their hotel downtown. It's going to be the wedding of the century."
My father, William, stood near the outdoor bar, laughing loudly with a local bank executive, nursing a thirty-year-old scotch. "Yes, fine-tuning the budget was tricky, but we made sure not a single expense was spared for Jessica's big day."
Suddenly, the soft jazz music cut out with a loud, violent screech of static.
The bright golden lights illuminating the estate flickered once, twice, and then went completely dark, plunging the entire party into pitch-black shadow, save for the moon above.
Gasping and confused murmurs swept through the crowd of wealthy guests.
"What happened to the generator?" my father yelled angrily, stepping away from the bar. "Where is the catering manager?"
Before anyone could answer, heavy blinding spotlights cut through the darkness from the perimeter of the property. High-powered searchbeams pinned the partygoers in bright, white glare.
The roar of twin heavy rotors shook the air as two massive black Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters dropped out of the night sky, hovering fifty feet directly above the manicured lawn. The immense downwash tore down the white silk tent, shattering tables, blowing away floral arrangements worth thousands of dollars, and sending crystal champagne glasses smashing onto the stone pavers.
Guests screamed in terror, covering their heads as dust and debris rained down.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" my father screamed, trying to shield his face from the wind.
Four dark tactical armored vehicles crashed straight through the wrought-iron security gates at the front of the driveway, their steel bumpers tearing the gates off their hinges.
Screeching to a halt around the fountain, dozens of heavily armed federal agents wearing combat gear and tactical helmets poured out, automatic rifles raised.
"FEDERAL AGENTS! STAY WHERE YOU ARE! HANDS ON YOUR HEADS!"
"Dad! Dad!" Jessica shrieked, her expensive dress covered in mud thrown up by the helicopter blades. "What's happening?! Who are these people?!"
My mother was hysterically screaming as two female federal agents grabbed her arms, forcing her hands behind her back and snapping heavy steel handcuffs around her wrists.
"Get your hands off me!" Barbara shrieked. "Do you know who we are?! My husband is William Sterling! My daughter is marrying Senator Vance's son!"
My father rushed forward, his face red with rage. "Unhand my wife! You have no authority to barge onto private property like this! I will have every one of your jobs by morning!"
A tall officer in an intelligence uniform stepped out from the lead vehicle, holding a thick red folder. He walked up to my father and shoved him against the hood of the armored truck, pulling his arms behind his back.
CLICK.
The steel cuffs locked tightly around my father's wrists.
"William Sterling," the officer announced in a loud, clear voice that echoed across the ruined party. "You, your wife Barbara, and your daughter Jessica are under arrest by order of the United States Department of Defense."
"Under arrest for what?!" Jessica screamed, being pinned against a stone pillar by an agent. "This is my wedding weekend! You're ruining my wedding!"
The officer looked at Jessica with absolute disgust.
"You are being detained under Executive Federal Warrant for Attempted Involuntary Manslaughter, Gross Reckless Endangerment, and Treasonous Deprivation of Medical Care to a Active Duty Sovereign Intelligence Asset."
The entire crowd of high-society guests went completely silent.
May you like
My father blinked, his face draining of all color. "What... what asset?"
The officer leaned in close to my father's ear. "Your daughter Maya isn't a disgraced unemployed teacher, Mr. Sterling. She is a Commander in the United States Special Intelligence Directorate. And you just signed a document leaving her to bleed to death in a hallway so you could buy white flowers."
