Chapter 11 - The Trap is Sprung
Before Thomas Vance could hand the flash drives to Kincaid,
the piercing wail of automated security sirens shattered the night air.
Floodlights mounted along the roof of warehouse seven blazed to life,
turning the dark pier into a blinding stadium of white light.
“What the hell is going on?
” Vance shouted,
shielding his eyes with his arm.
“Ambush!
” Kincaid roared,
drawing his weapon.
“It’s Moretti’s men!
” Before Kincaid could raise his gun,
a wall of armored Meridian Freight SUVs roared out from the shadows,
blocking both ends of the pier and trapping the federal vehicles against the water.
Doors flew open simultaneously.
Twenty elite security operatives poured out,
their tactical weapons trained directly on Vance and his mercenaries.
“Don’t move!
” Viktor shouted over the loudspeaker,
his voice echoing across the water.
“Drop your weapons or be put down where you stand!
” Kincaid raised his rifle,
but before he could fire,
three laser sights locked onto his chest.
He dropped his weapon instantly,
raising his hands above his head.
I stepped out from the darkness of the warehouse,
my long wool coat trailing behind me in the damp wind.
I walked slowly toward Thomas Vance,
my footsteps echoing against the concrete.
Vance’s face turned the color of ash as he recognized me.
“Dante…” Vance stammered,
trying to regain his official composure.
“You can’t do this.
” “I am an officer of the United States Department of Justice.
” “This is a federal operation!
” “A federal operation?
” I asked,
stopping two feet away from him and looking down at the briefcase handcuffed to his wrist.
“Using smuggled contraband,
offshore bribes,
and fraudulent seizure warrants to facilitate a hostile corporate takeover?
” “That’s not justice,
Thomas.
” “That’s racketeering.
” “You’re out of your mind,
” Vance hissed,
backing up until his spine hit the side of his sedan.
“When the FBI finds out about this—
.
” “The FBI already knows,
” a calm,
steady voice interrupted from behind me.
A sleek black federal SUV with D.
C.
plates pulled up behind my convoy,
its doors opening to reveal Special Agent Sarah Miller of the Department of Justice Internal Affairs Division.
She flashed her federal badge,
stepping into the light.
“Agent Sarah Miller,
DOJ Internal Affairs,
” she announced clearly.
“Thomas Vance,
you are under arrest for conspiracy,
extortion,
accepting illegal bribes,
and abusing federal authority.
” Vance stared at her in absolute shock,
his knees buckling slightly beneath him.
“How… how did you get here?
” “Mr.
Moretti’s chief accountant transmitted the complete financial ledger and communication logs to my secure server three hours ago,
” Agent Miller replied coolly,
nodding toward me.
“We’ve been building a case against you and Enzo for six months.
” “You just handed us the missing puzzle pieces on a silver platter.
” Viktor stepped forward,
snapping heavy steel cuffs around Vance’s wrists with a satisfying click.
“Take him away,
” I commanded quietly,
turning my back on the disgraced prosecutor.
May you like
“The empire is clean once more.
”
