Chapter 15 - THE FALL FROM GRACEBy 8:00 AM, the political landscape in Washington had completely imploded.

Inside a secured conference room on the third floor of the federal courthouse, the television was tuned to CNN. Live helicopter footage showed Capitol Police escorting Senator Thomas Sterling out of his Senate office building as reporters swarmed the steps, shouting questions about treason, bribery, and the Kandar supply leak.

Elaine and Curtis Wright weren't watching television. They were sitting across a metal interrogation table down in the precinct holding cells, finally realizing that their multi-million-dollar conspiracy had completely unraveled.

Colonel Carney walked into the conference room, tossing a fresh set of federal clearance files onto the table.

“The Attorney General’s office has formally accepted our counter-espionage filings,” Carney said, a satisfied smirk crossing his lips. “Sterling’s committee has voted unanimously to strip him of his chairmanship. His arrest warrant was signed fifteen minutes ago.”

Marcus Vance leaned back in his chair, exhaling a long, shaky breath of pure relief. “I still can’t believe it actually worked. We took down a sitting U.S. Senator and an entire corporate syndicate in less than twenty-four hours.”

“We didn't take them down, Marcus,” I said, looking out the window at the clearing skies above the city. “They destroyed themselves the moment they decided to wage war against the truth.”

My phone buzzed on the table.

I picked it up. An incoming call from an unlisted precinct number.

I slid to accept and put it on speaker.

“Avalon?”

It was Elaine’s voice. Gone was the refined, arrogant matriarchal tone. It was weak, cracking, and filled with a desperate, pathetic plea.

May you like

His chest tightened, a sharp, cold panic piercing through the expensive...

The silence of the boutique hotel room was a heavy, suffocating blanket....

The silence stretched for three agonizing seconds before I found my voic...

“I’m here, Mother,” I said calmly.

“Please... your brother is looking at twenty years in federal prison,” she sobbed softly into the receiver. “Can’t you... can’t you call the Inspector General? Drop the corporate charges? We’re your family, Avalon. Family doesn't destroy family.”