Chapter 6 - THE RAT IN THE CORNER
The fallout from the arrest at the charity gala hit the global media like a megaton nuclear bomb.
Stock in Vance Enterprises skyrocketed back to record highs as news spread that Richard had reclaimed control and purged the corrupt elements from the board.
Meanwhile, Victoria, Julian, and Arthur were thrown into a high-security detention facility, awaiting trial without bail due to extreme flight risk.
However, Richard knew that a wounded rat was at its most dangerous when backed into a corner.
Sitting in his executive office on the top floor of Vance Tower, Richard was reviewing the final asset recovery reports when Marcus entered the room, looking grave.
"Boss, we have a situation," Marcus said. "Arthur Sterling's private attorney just filed a motion with a corrupt state judge to grant Arthur temporary bail on medical grounds. He was released two hours ago."
Richard’s eyes narrowed. "Where is he now?"
"He disappeared the second he walked out of the courthouse," Marcus replied. "We tracked his phone to a warehouse near the docks. But that's not all. Our intelligence indicates that before he was arrested, Arthur transferred $20 million in hidden funds to a notorious eastern European mercenary group known as The Iron Vanguard."
Richard stood up immediately. "He's going to try to hit back."
"Not at you," Marcus warned, his voice grim. "At Maya."
Richard's blood ran cold.
At that very moment, five miles away, Maya was sitting inside a heavily guarded, private medical clinic where she was receiving therapy and medical treatment for her physical injuries.
Four of Richard's elite private security guards were stationed outside her room, patrolling the quiet hospital corridor.
Suddenly, the lights in the entire building went out.
CLICK. BZZZZT.
Emergency red lights flickered on, filling the hallway with an eerie crimson glow.
Before the security guards could draw their weapons, suppressed gunfire shattered the silence.
Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!
The four guards collapsed to the floor, hit by high-potency non-lethal stun darts.
A door was kicked open. Arthur Sterling stepped into the dim hallway, wearing a dark raincoat, holding a silenced pistol in his hand. Behind him were three heavily armed, masked mercenaries.
Arthur's face was twisted with insane rage. He had lost his career, his fortune, and his freedom. He was a ruined man, and in his twisted mind, Richard and Maya were responsible for everything.
He burst into Maya's hospital room.
Maya was sitting on her bed, clutching her blanket, looking terrified as the men entered.
"Hello, little girl," Arthur sneered, pointing the gun directly at her. "You and your father ruined my life. Did you really think you could win?"
Maya shrank back against the headboard, her heart hammering against her ribs. "My father will find you, Arthur. You won't get away with this."
"Your father isn't here to save you this time!" Arthur laughed hysterically, stepping closer. "I'm going to take you as a hostage. Your father will sign over every single penny of his fortune and drop all charges, or I'll make sure he never sees you again!"
He reached out his hand to grab Maya's arm—
THWACK!
A heavy metal tray crashed into the side of Arthur's head with blinding speed!
Arthur stumbled back, groaning in pain as blood trickled from his temple.
Standing beside the bed, holding the bent tray, was Maya's nurse—who suddenly threw off her medical mask to reveal her true identity. It was one of Marcus’s top female covert operatives!
Before the three mercenaries outside the door could react, the heavy reinforced glass window of the room shattered inward!
Ropes dropped from the roof. Two elite black-ops operatives swung through the broken window, weapons raised!
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Flashbang grenades detonated, filling the room with blinding light and deafening noise. The mercenaries were instantly disoriented and tackled to the floor by Marcus's men.
Arthur tried to raise his gun, but a heavy boot kicked it cleanly out of his hand, sending it spinning across the floor.
Richard stepped into the room from the doorway, flanked by Marcus and armed SWAT officers.
"Did you really think I wouldn't anticipate your every move, Arthur?" Richard said coldly, stepping over the disarmed mercenaries. "I used Maya as bait. And you walked right into the trap."
Arthur collapsed onto his knees, clutching his bleeding head, hyperventilating in sheer terror. "Richard... please! I was desperate! It was Victoria's idea! She forced me to do it!"
Richard walked over to Arthur, leaned down, and grabbed him by the lapel of his jacket, bringing their faces inches apart.
"You threatened my daughter," Richard whispered, his voice vibrating with pure lethality. "You will spend the rest of your natural life in a supermax prison cell. And if you so much as think about her name again, I will ensure your life inside that cell is an absolute living hell."
Richard threw Arthur to the floor. SWAT officers immediately pounced on him, pinning his arms behind his back and dragging him away.
Richard turned toward Maya, his demeanor instantly shifting from cold ruthless titan to loving father. He rushed over and wrapped her in a tight, protective hug.
May you like
"Are you okay, sweetheart?" Richard asked gently.
Maya smiled through her tears, hugging him back with all her strength. "I'm okay, Dad. I wasn't scared. I knew you were coming."
