Chapter 5 - The Siege of Greenwich
Laura sprinted to the desk, her fingers flying across the keyboard with frantic, desperate speed.
STEP 1: COLUMBIA STEP 2: 14 STEP 3: CHIME OF THE SILVER BELL
She pressed ENTER.
For three terrifying seconds, the laptop screen went completely dark. A red progress bar flashed across the display: DECRYPTING PARTITION... 80%... 90%... 100%.
ACCESS GRANTED.
A massive directory of files opened on the screen—thousands of bank ledgers, offshore wire receipts, illegal arms manifests, and audio recordings linking Marcus Vance directly to dozens of federal crimes.
"We have it," Laura wept, laughing through her tears. "We have everything!"
"Marco," I commanded, turning to my tactical chief. "Upload the decrypted directory to our private satellite server. Send a copy directly to the Federal Prosecutor's secure portal in San Francisco and the Department of Justice."
"Uploading now, Boss," Marco said, tapping his tablet. "Transfer will complete in six minutes!"
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The heavy, thunderous sound of tactical explosives detonated at the estate's main front gates, shaking the entire house. The crystal chandelier in the foyer rattled violently as the backup generator lights flickered from white to emergency red.
"They're through the gate!" Marco yelled, pulling a pair of automatic weapons from the tactical locker behind the bookshelf. "Vance brought four armored vehicles and twenty mercenaries!"
"Take Laura and the girls to the underground panic room beneath the wine cellar," I ordered Marco, pulling my own heavy custom sidearm from my shoulder holster. "Lock the steel door behind you. Do not open it for anyone except me."
"Frederick, no!" Laura cried, grabbing my arm as Marco tried to pull her toward the side corridor. "Come with us!"
I looked into Laura's eyes, reaching out to gently wipe a tear from her cheek. "I built this fortress to keep the world from hurting my family, Laura. Now I'm going to finish this so you and Kylie never have to run again."
I turned to my daughter. "Sophia, take Kylie down to the room. Hold her hand."
Sophia nodded bravely, grabbing Kylie's palm. "I've got her, Dad."
As Marco led them down the hidden staircase, I walked out into the grand foyer, where ten of my elite estate security guards were already positioned behind the marble pillars, weapons raised toward the front double doors.
The massive heavy oak doors were blown off their hinges in a shower of splintered wood and smoke.
Vanguard mercenaries flooded through the entrance, firing suppressed automatic weapons into the hall.
"FIRE!" I commanded.
The grand foyer erupted into a roaring war zone. Muzzle flashes illuminated the dark marble, glass shattered, and plaster rained down from the ceiling as my security team returned fire with lethal, disciplined accuracy.
I moved from pillar to pillar, firing precise, devastating shots that dropped three mercenaries before they could reach the grand staircase.
Through the smoke and fire at the front entrance, a tall figure walked into the house, flanked by two heavy bodyguards holding tactical shields.
It was Marcus Vance.
He wore a dark wool coat, holding a heavy chrome pistol, his face twisted in psychotic fury as he looked up at me on the landing.
"It's over, Frederick!" Vance roared over the sound of gunfire. "Give me the drive and I'll let your daughter live!"
"You're too late, Marcus!" I yelled back, stepping out onto the grand balcony, looking down at him through the smoke. "The ledger was uploaded to the Department of Justice three minutes ago! The federal warrants for your arrest have already been signed!"
Vance's face flushed red with pure, absolute rage. He raised his chrome pistol, aiming directly at my chest.
"Then you can burn with me!" Vance screamed.
BANG!
A sniper shot shattered the high clerestory window above the foyer.
The high-caliber bullet struck Vance's right shoulder, spinning him around as he dropped his weapon with a howl of agony.
Through the shattered front entrance, four dark blue tactical vehicles bearing federal FBI markings skidded to a halt on the gravel driveway, their sirens wailing through the night as dozens of heavily armed federal agents flooded into the mansion.
"FEDERAL AGENTS! DROP YOUR WEAPONS! DROP YOUR WEAPONS NOW!"
Vance's remaining mercenaries threw their rifles to the marble floor, raising their hands in surrender as federal tactical teams secured the entire ground floor in less than thirty seconds.
The lead federal agent walked up to Vance, forcing him down onto his knees on the broken marble, slapping heavy steel handcuffs onto his wrists.
May you like
Vance looked up at me as he was dragged away, his eyes filled with bitter, defeated hatred.
I lowered my weapon, letting out a long, slow breath as the smoke began to clear from my home.
