Keep reading the story to see what unfolds in the next chapter.

The pounding on the wooden front door grew frantic, accompanied by the muffled sound of shouting voices and flashing red-and-blue cruiser lights bleeding through the frosted glass sidelights.

"Cambridge Police! Open up immediately! We have reports of armed intruders at this residence!"

Agent Vance exchanged a sharp, critical glance with Lieutenant Miller. "That's not a standard patrol response," Vance muttered, his hand resting on his service weapon. "The chief of police personally confirmed that Elmwood Avenue was sealed under a federal national security directive until 6:00 AM."

"Could be local units out of the loop," Miller suggested, though his tactical instincts were screaming warnings. "Or it could be a secondary extraction team sent by Carter’s backup network before they realized the federal net had closed."

"Stay back," Vance instructed the Hultman family, motioning for David, Sarah, and Maya to retreat toward the rear kitchen hallway.

Maya looked back over her shoulder, her dark eyes locking onto mine with a mixture of fear and confusion. I mouthed the words “Stay safe, I’ve got you,” before turning my attention back to the door.

Lieutenant Miller stepped up to the splintered door frame, keeping his carbine angled downward toward the floor. "Hold your fire! Federal agents inside! Identify yourselves and state your badge numbers!"

The shouting outside stopped abruptly. A heavy, tense silence fell over the porch, broken only by the whistling wind and the rhythmic flashing of the police cruiser lights outside.

Then, a voice spoke through the wooden panels—a voice smooth, polished, and terrifyingly familiar.

“Agent Vance? Lieutenant Miller? I know you’re in there. My name is Arthur Sterling, senior legal counsel for Carter Holdings. We have a federal injunction signed by Judge Halloway out of the District Court of Massachusetts, ordering the immediate suspension of all unauthorized federal operations at this address.”

Agent Vance’s eyes flared with sudden disbelief. "Judge Halloway? That’s impossible. Halloway is a retired appellate judge living in Florida; he hasn't presided over an active warrant docket in five years!"

"It's a forged emergency injunction," I said, stepping forward out of the shadows. My legal training immediately cut through the deception. "Richard Carter set up a network of corrupt judicial conduits across three states precisely for this scenario. If they can stall us for twenty minutes, their secondary contractors will secure the premises, grab the family, and spirit them across the New Hampshire border before morning."

Lieutenant Miller didn't hesitate. He raised his radio. "All tactical units, perimeter check! Do not open that door! Repeat, do not open that door under any circumstances!"

Outside, the voice of Arthur Sterling turned ice-cold.

“You are making a catastrophic mistake, Agents. Richard Carter is a pillar of this state. You are interfering with a protected corporate relocation order. If you do not open this door within thirty seconds, we will classify this as an armed domestic hostage situation and bring the full weight of the state police tactical division down on your position.”

"Call his bluff," I said, stepping right beside Lieutenant Miller. "Arthur Sterling doesn't have state police authority. He’s a white-collar defense attorney who specializes in corporate cover-ups. He’s bluffing because he knows the real federal marshals are still four hours away in New York processing Richard’s arrest."

Agent Vance looked at me, a grim, respectful smile touching the corners of his mouth. "You really are a Carter, Counselor. You inherited your father's stubbornness—just pointing it in the right direction."

"My father is a criminal," I replied coldly. "And his lawyers are going down with him."