Chapter 16 - The Collapse of Meridian GlobalBack in New York, the grand glass-and-steel headquarters of Meridian Global erupted into absolute chaos.
Julian Vance stood in his executive suite, staring at his trading terminals in sheer horror. Every single screen was flashing bright crimson. Accounts were locked. Assets were frozen. Automated federal freeze orders were scrolling across the monitors at lightning speed.
The heavy oak doors of his office were violently kicked open.
A dozen armed federal agents, accompanied by federal prosecutors and Interpol officers, flooded the room.
"Julian Vance!" the lead agent barked, stepping forward with a stack of federal arrest warrants thick enough to stop a bullet. "You are under arrest for international racketeering, securities fraud, and laundering billions through illegal offshore accounts!"
Julian turned around, his face completely drained of color, his hands trembling violently. "This is a mistake! I have legal counsel! I just bought Whitmore Enterprises—!"
"You didn't buy a company, Mr. Vance," a cold, clipped voice interrupted from the doorway.
Julian whipped his head around. Stepping past the agents was a high-powered federal prosecutor, holding a certified copy of the acquisition contract.
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"You bought a federal indictment," the prosecutor continued, slamming the document onto Julian’s desk. "And the primary witness who handed us the master decryption keys and financial trails... was Clara Whitmore."
Before Julian could utter a single word of defense, heavy steel handcuffs were slammed onto his wrists, and he was forcefully shoved down onto the carpet as federal agents hauled him away in disgrace.
