Chapter 7 - Sirens in the DistanceThe wail of police sirens cut through the crisp Lake Forest air, rapidly multiplying as squad cars, unmarked federal SUVs, and state troopers converged on the iron gates of the Vale estate. Red and blue lights flashed wildly against the white stone walls of the mansion, turning the grand foyer into a chaotic disco of impending doom.
I stood near the service entrance clutching my canvas tote bag, my ribs aching fiercely with every breath. Beside me, Noah held onto the edge of my sweater with both hands, refusing to let go, his dark eyes wide and watchful.
Armed federal agents in heavy tactical gear swarmed the front doors, shouting commands and securing the perimeter. But they weren't arresting Dominic.
As it turned out, Dominic Vale had played a dangerous, high-stakes game of chess against the very federal agencies that had been quietly protecting Apex Gen-Tech in exchange for experimental biological weapons. With the encrypted drive uploaded to the global wire services, the federal government had no choice but to purge the corrupt elements within its own ranks—starting with Detective Marcus Vance and the hidden research division.
Dominic walked down the grand staircase, his hands cuffed loosely behind his back not out of subjugation, but as a formal gesture for the senior federal investigator standing by the door. His left arm was bandaged tightly beneath his dark wool coat, and the blood on his shirt had dried to a dark, rust-colored stain.
He stopped a few feet away from me and Noah.
"The federal prosecutor has agreed to drop all domestic racketeering charges in exchange for the complete dismantling of Apex Gen-Tech," Dominic told the lead investigator loudly enough for the surrounding agents to hear. Then, he looked down at me. "As for Miss Reed, she is a private domestic employee who had no knowledge of corporate operations."
The federal agent glanced at my cheap canvas tote, my terrified expression, and the small boy clinging to my sweater. He gave a sharp nod. "She's free to go."
Dominic crouched down until he was eye-level with Noah. For the first time since I had met him, the mafia boss didn't look like a feared criminal kingpin—he looked like a father who had fought through hell to keep his son alive.
"You're going to go with Clara, buddy," Dominic said, his voice unusually gentle. "You're going to a hospital in Zurich where doctors who actually care about you are going to take that bad medicine out of your blood. And I'll meet you there as soon as I finish cleaning up the rest of the trash in this city."
Noah didn't cry. He looked at his father, reached out a small hand, and touched the fresh scar on Dominic’s cheek.
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"Don't let the lights lie, Dad," Noah whispered.
Dominic swallowed hard, pressing a brief, rough kiss to the top of his son's dark hair. "I won't, kiddo. I won't."
