Chapter 36 - The Final Clearing
By sunrise, the front lawn of the Hudson Valley stone cottage looked like a federal staging ground. State troopers, true DOJ field agents led by uncompromised internal affairs units, and emergency medical vehicles filled the gravel drive.
The shadow board’s rogue tactical team was cuffed and loaded into transport vans. Clara Vance sat in the back of an ambulance, receiving treatment for shock and exhaustion, while federal prosecutors seized the encrypted communications relays from the rogue operatives' vehicles.
I stood on the splintered front porch, leaning against a surviving timber pillar, watching the chaos unfold with a strange, profound sense of calm.
The heavy front door was gone, replaced temporarily by industrial plywood panels, but inside the house, the air was warm, safe, and entirely unbroken.
Annie walked out onto the porch, carrying two mugs of hot coffee. She handed one to me, her fingers brushing mine. Her face was pale, but her posture was as steady and unyielding as the stone foundation of the cottage.
“The boys are still asleep in the cabin vehicle,” Annie said softly, taking a sip from her mug. “My brother-in-law secured the perimeter. The internal affairs division has already issued arrest warrants for the three corporate directors who authorized the rogue asset deployment.”
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“It’s really over this time, isn't it?” I asked, staring out at the mist lifting from the pine trees as the golden morning sun broke over the horizon.
“It’s over,” Annie confirmed, leaning her shoulder against mine.
