Chapter 13 - The Final ConfrontationJulian stood alone in the dark, spacious main office, listening to the muffled sounds of his men being neutralized one by one through his earpiece. The static grew louder, replaced by the heavy, rhythmic sound of boots marching up the emergency stairwell.
The office doors slowly swung open.
Arthur walked in, his clothes slightly dust-stained, his expression an impassive mask of absolute authority. Behind him stood a squad of fully armed federal agents and corporate security chiefs.
Julian backed up against the floor-to-ceiling glass window, his face pale, sweat beading heavily along his jagged scars. He tried to reach into his jacket for a concealed pistol, but a laser sight suddenly painted a bright red dot directly across his forehead.
— Don't even think about it, Julian, — Arthur warned, raising his rifle slightly.
— You... you set me up! — Julian hissed, his voice cracking with desperate rage. — You knew I was coming! You baited me into attacking your building!
— I gave you enough rope to hang yourself, brother, — Arthur replied coldly, stepping closer. — Clara was a symptom, but you were the cancer. I spent two years letting you crawl out of the woodwork, waiting for you to make a move that would legally and permanently erase you from the face of the earth.
— The board—the police—they’ll never cover this up! I have rights! — Julian screamed, lunging forward in a suicidal dash toward Arthur.
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Arthur didn't flinch. He sidestepped with effortless precision, sweeping Julian’s legs out from under him just as he had done to Mark on the cliffside months ago. Julian crashed hard onto the polished mahogany floor.
Within seconds, heavy tactical handcuffs were clamped brutally onto Julian’s wrists.
