Chapter 14 - The Midnight Call
The realization hit Vincent like a physical blow to the chest.
They could not trust the authorities, and they could not trust their own shadow networks.
Vincent drove them to an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the industrial district.
He set up a makeshift medical station on a dusty workbench to treat his father's wound.
Carmine was fading fast, coughing up blood as he gripped Leah's hand.
Maisie sat quietly on a crate, hugging her stuffed fox and sensing the heavy danger in the room.
Vincent paced the concrete floor, trying to formulate a strategy to dismantle a man who owned the city.
Leah stared at the glowing screen of the tablet, her fingers flying across the keyboard.
She announced that Julian's entire criminal empire was funded through a single offshore holding company.
If she could access a secure server terminal, she could freeze every single dollar to his name.
Vincent knew the only server terminal powerful enough was located inside the downtown financial tower.
It was a fortress guarded by the very corrupt police officers Julian had bought.
Vincent's burner phone suddenly rang in the quiet, echoing warehouse.
He answered it, already knowing who was on the other end of the line.
Julian's voice was calm, dripping with a terrifying kind of patience.
He told Vincent that he had frozen all of Vincent's banking assets and put a bounty on his head.
Julian offered to let Vincent and Carmine live out their days in exile.
All Vincent had to do was hand over Leah and the little girl.
Vincent looked across the room at Maisie, who was gently wiping a tear from her mother's cheek.
He told Julian to go straight to hell.
May you like
Julian chuckled darkly before ending the call with a chilling promise.
He said he was already waiting outside the warehouse doors.
