Chapter 20 - A New EmpireBefore the mercenaries could pull their triggers, a series of sharp, metallic cracks echoed from the shadows of the shipping containers above.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Sniper rounds kicked up concrete dust right at the mercenaries' feet.
From the gantries overhead, a dozen federal tactical officers—backed by the elite security force I had personally mobilized an hour ago—dropped their laser sights directly onto the guards' chests.
“Drop your weapons! Federal agents! Do it now!” Marco roared, stepping forward with his rifle locked and loaded.
The mercenaries froze, looking from their commander to the sniper laser dots dancing across their uniforms. One by one, they let their weapons hit the ground with dull thuds.
The silver-haired man stumbled backward, staring at me with pure, unadulterated hatred. “You’ve destroyed us... you’ve destroyed everything.”
“I didn't destroy you,” I said quietly, walking right up to him as Marco slapped heavy steel handcuffs around his wrists. “You built an empire on fear and shadows. And empires built on shadows always crumble when the light hits them.”
Twenty minutes later, the prisoners were loaded into federal transport vans, and the docks were quiet once again.
I stood by the edge of the pier, watching the waves crash against the rusted iron pilings. The morning sun was fully up now, bathing the ocean in a brilliant, unbreakable light.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was a secure video feed from the nursery nanny back at the mansion.
I tapped the screen.
Theo, Miles, and Nora were awake, laughing and kicking their tiny legs in the sunlight, entirely safe.
Standing right beside their cribs, holding her ugly button-eyed doll, Sophie looked straight into the camera lens and gave a tiny, solemn wave.
I smiled, slipping the phone back into my pocket.
My name is Adrien Moretti.
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I still control an empire. But for the first time in my life, it isn't built on fear.
It’s built on home.
