Chapter 9 - THE GLOBAL BROADCAST
-9
The industrial alleyway fell into a stunned, electric silence.
On the screen of Maria’s satellite laptop, the progress bar for the global data upload ticked steadily upward: 78%... 91%... 98%... 100% - BROADCAST COMPLETE.
"It's out," Evelyn whispered, her eyes wide as she stared at the glowing monitor. "Every major newsroom from London to Tokyo just received the complete unredacted dossier on St. Helena Hospital and Apex-Vance Holdings."
"Which means Julian's invisible empire just lost its invisibility cloak," Detective Miller added, a grim grin spreading across his face. "Federal judges can ignore local arrest warrants, but they can't ignore a live, verified international financial leak backed by cryptographic signatures from foreign banking regulators."
Suddenly, the encrypted radio on Miller’s belt burst into a chaotic flurry of static and frantic dispatch chatter.
"All units, all units! This is Federal Marshals Command! We have an emergency priority override from the Department of Justice! Stand down all local pursuit orders for Jonathan Miller!"
"Repeat, stand down! All assets are ordered to immediately converge on the Apex-Vance corporate headquarters downtown! We have an active federal arrest warrant for Julian Vance on charges of international conspiracy, corporate kidnapping, and human trafficking!"
I let out a long, ragged breath, the crushing weight that had been pressing down on my chest since the night my son was supposedly 'taken' finally beginning to lift.
"It's over for him," I murmured, looking down at the baby in my arms. He had finally stopped crying, his tiny eyelids drooping as exhaustion finally took over.
"Not quite yet, Mr. Miller," Maria cautioned, checking the slide of her silenced pistol. "Julian is a cornered rat. And a rat with billions of dollars and a private security army doesn't go quietly into custody. If he realizes his corporate empire is collapsing, he'll try to flee the country through the private airstrip at the municipal docks."
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"Then we cut him off," I said, my voice hardening into a cold, unyielding resolve. "He took my family, he faked my son's death, and he tried to frame me for murder. I'm going to watch him lose everything he built."
"Let's move," Detective Miller commanded, unlocking the rear doors of an unmarked municipal van parked discreetly behind the dumpsters. "The DOJ strike teams are moving toward the downtown tower. We're going to be there to meet Julian when he comes out of the penthouse."
