Chapter 7 - THE BALTIMORE GAMBITThe war room at the Orcas Island estate was located beneath the main garage—a subterranean vault equipped with thirty high-definition monitors, encrypted satellite feeds, and direct links to global financial markets.
For two weeks following Victoria’s visit, the peaceful sanctuary of our island home transformed into a war room.
I sat at the primary conference table, holding a sleeping Maya in a dark blue chest sling, while Damian, Marcus, and two senior intelligence analysts reviewed map displays of the East Coast shipping corridors.
"Julian has moved forty armed operatives into a safe house near the Port of Tacoma," Marcus reported, tapping a tablet screen that projected a thermal map of a commercial warehouse complex onto the main display. "They arrived via three private charters from Baltimore over the last seventy-two hours. They’re stockpiling heavy weaponry."
"He’s planning a direct assault," Damian said, leaning over the table, his knuckles resting on the polished steel surface. "He thinks if he eliminates me on my home turf, the Council in Virginia will have no choice but to ratify his takeover."
"He’s using old tactics," I chimed in, pointing a laser pointer at the thermal map display.
Damian turned to look at me, his eyes filled with that fierce, proud light he always wore whenever I contributed to the operations.
"Explain, my love," Damian said softly.
"Julian is focusing all his physical force on Tacoma because he wants you to deploy your security team to protect the docks," I analyzed, scrolling through the financial ledgers Dante's intelligence team had intercepted from Baltimore. "Look at his shell companies. Over the last four days, Julian has liquidated thirty million dollars in municipal bonds from his Maryland holding group. He isn't paying those forty men in Tacoma to fight you, Damian. He’s paying them to be a distraction."
Marcus frowned, examining the financial figures. "A distraction from what?"
"From the bank," I revealed, bringing up a secondary ledger on the screen. "Julian doesn't want your shipping docks. He wants the master clearance codes to the Cross Family Foundation account in Zurich. The account that requires two biometric keys—Damian’s and his mother’s."
Damian went completely still. His dark eyes flicked from the screen to me, a terrifyingly sharp intelligence gleaming in his gaze.
"He’s targeting my mother," Damian said, his voice dropping into an icy register.
"Victoria left Seattle ten days ago," I continued, pacing slowly across the room as Maya stirred gently in her sling. "She went back to the family estate in Richmond. If Julian takes her hostage, he gets her biometric key. Then, he uses his forty men in Tacoma to keep you pinned down in Seattle while he drains the foundation account and bankrupts your entire legal defense trust."
Marcus gasped. "The bastard is trying to starve us out financially while keeping us occupied in a turf war."
Damian turned to Marcus, his face carved from dark marble.
"Call the private air wing," Damian commanded quietly. "Prepare the Gulfstream. We leave for Richmond in two hours."
"Boss," Marcus warned, "Richmond is Julian's backyard. The entire Virginia state legislature and local law enforcement are in his pocket."
"Then we aren't going to Richmond to ask for permission, Marcus," Damian said, pulling his leather shoulder holster from the rack and strapping it over his chest. He turned to me, stepping close, his hand cradling the back of my head as he kissed my lips deeply.
"Stay here with Maya," Damian whispered against my mouth. "The island defense grid is active. Marcus’s best men are remaining on the perimeter."
I looked into his dark, fiercely protective eyes and shook my head.
"I'm coming with you, Damian," I said firmly.
Damian frowned, his hands gripping my shoulders. "Elena, no. It’s too dangerous. Virginia is—"
"Virginia is where your mother lives," I interrupted, staring straight into his soul. "And if Julian takes that estate, he takes the family ledger that proves my father’s innocence in the 2018 port fraud case. You told me you wanted to give me a clean life, Damian. That ledger is the only thing that cleans my family name."
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Damian stared at me for three long, agonizing seconds. He looked down at Maya, who was fast asleep against my heart, then back up at my unbroken, resolute eyes.
"You really are my equal," Damian whispered, a proud, terrifying smile touching his lips. "Get your coat."
