Chapter 9 - The Confrontation
The air,
in the vault,
seemed to,
thicken,
as Julian,
advanced,
the gun,
steady,
in his,
grip.
Ethan stood,
his eyes,
fixed on,
his brother,
his mind,
racing,
for an,
escape.
You are,
a fool,
Julian,
Ethan said,
his voice,
calm,
and measured.
You think,
a gun,
will fix,
everything?
Julian sneered,
the barrel,
of the,
weapon,
level with,
Ethan's,
chest.
It will,
fix the,
problem,
of you.
Once you,
are gone,
the will,
is irrelevant.
The assets,
will be,
mine.
Victoria,
and I,
will control,
the Sterling,
empire.
Ethan took,
a slow,
step,
backwards.
And what,
about the,
company?
What about,
the people,
who work,
there?
Julian shrugged,
his expression,
indifferent.
They are,
assets,
Ethan.
They are,
tools,
to be,
used.
I do not,
care,
about them.
He took,
another step,
forward,
closing the,
distance.
Hand over,
the drive.
Now.
Ethan shook,
his head.
No.
Julian's eyes,
flared,
with anger.
You leave,
me no,
choice.
He pulled,
the trigger,
but Ethan,
dove,
behind a,
large,
metal cabinet.
The bullet,
pinged,
off the,
steel,
a sharp,
ringing sound,
that echoed,
through the,
vault.
Ethan scrambled,
to his,
feet,
running toward,
the back,
of the,
chamber.
He knew,
there was,
an emergency,
exit,
somewhere.
He had,
seen the,
plans,
for the,
tunnel.
He found,
a small,
door,
hidden behind,
a stack,
of boxes,
and he,
kicked it,
open.
He dashed,
through,
the darkness,
the sounds,
of Julian,
cursing,
behind him.
He ran,
down a,
narrow,
staircase,
his lungs,
burning,
and his,
heart,
pounding.
He emerged,
into a,
small,
cavern,
that opened,
onto the,
beach.
The storm,
had passed,
leaving the,
night,
cold,
and silent.
He ran,
toward the,
water,
where he,
had left,
his boat.
He untied,
it,
his hands,
shaking,
and jumped,
in.
He started,
the motor,
the sound,
roaring,
in the,
still night.
He looked,
back,
at the,
island,
the dark,
silhouettes,
of the,
bunker,
fading,
into the,
distance.
He was,
alive.
He had,
the evidence.
He had,
the truth.
He had,
a chance.
Julian stood,
on the,
shore,
watching him,
go,
his face,
a mask,
of pure,
rage.
Ethan drove,
the boat,
toward the,
mainland,
the waves,
choppy,
and cold.
He felt,
a strange,
sense of,
clarity.
This was,
no longer,
about money.
This was,
no longer,
about inheritance.
This was,
about justice.
And he,
would deliver,
it.
He would,
take the,
evidence,
to the,
authorities.
He would,
expose the,
lies.
He would,
bring down,
the Sterling,
empire,
if he,
had to.
May you like
He was,
ready.
