Chapter 6 - The Final GambitVance chuckled, leaning back in his leather booth, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. “Business? You stepped into my sanctuary, girl. I could have my men snap your neck right now, roll you in a carpet, and dump you into Lake Michigan before midnight.”
“You could,” I agreed smoothly, without a single trace of fear in my voice. “Except for the fact that three minutes ago, my grandfather’s team uploaded a localized EMP virus directly into your warehouse’s private server network.”
Vance’s smile instantly vanished. He set his glass down on the table with a sharp clack. “What did you say?”
“Your master ledger,” I explained, leaning over his table. “The encrypted drive containing thirty years of extortion records, illegal shipping manifests, and political bribes. It’s currently being cloned and transferred directly to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Chicago field office.”
Vance stood up abruptly, his bodyguards instantly drawing their concealed firearms. Around the room, red emergency lights began flashing, and alarms began to blare as the casino’s digital displays went black.
Chaos erupted across the casino floor as wealthy syndicate members began screaming and rushing for the exits.
“Kill them!” Vance roared, pointing at Julian and me.
Before his bodyguards could raise their weapons, Julian moved with lightning speed. He grabbed the heavy marble coffee table in front of the booth and flipped it violently, slamming it into the two lead bodyguards, knocking them off their feet.
“Valerie, go!” Julian yelled, grabbing my hand as we sprinted toward the side exit.
Gunfire echoed behind us, bullets splintering the wooden paneling on the walls. We burst through the heavy exit doors into the dark alley, rain pouring down from the night sky.
Vance’s remaining guards burst through the doors behind us, their guns raised.
“Stop right there!” a voice shouted.
Suddenly, floodlights blinded the alley.
Three black armored vans tore into the alley from both ends, blocking Vance’s men completely. Dozens of federal agents in tactical gear poured out, their rifles trained on the syndicate guards.
“FBI! Drop your weapons! Hands on your heads!”
Vance stumbled out into the alley moments later, his face pale, his arms raised in the air as federal agents tackled his bodyguards to the ground and slapped handcuffs around his wrists.
As Vance was dragged past us toward an armored vehicle, he stopped, staring at me with pure, unadulterated hatred. “You ruined everything! You’re just a maid!”
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I stepped up to him, rain dripping off my crimson dress, looking down at him with quiet, absolute authority.
“I was never just a maid, Vance,” I whispered. “I was the storm coming for you.”
