Chapter 4 - An Unlikely Ally
The beam from the security chief’s flashlight hit Claire’s eyes, blinding her momentarily. The twins stirred beneath the sling, whimpering softly.
""Step away from the vehicle, Claire,"" the man ordered. His name was Thomas Drake, a former military contractor Julian had kept on retainer for five years. ""Mr. Vance just wants the legal packet. Give me the briefcase, and nobody gets hurt.""
Claire looked directly into the dark barrel of the gun. She didn't cower. Instead, she took a steady breath, leaning on the composure that had carried her through months of isolation.
""Do you know how much Julian pays you, Thomas?"" Claire asked calmly.
""Enough to do my job.""
""Two hundred thousand a year,"" Claire stated without hesitation. ""And in exchange, you cover up his embezzlements, his mistresses, and his illegal wiretaps. But tomorrow morning, Arthur Vance’s legacy defaults to these children. When the board votes Julian out, every contract signed under his name becomes void. Including your immunity agreement with corporate legal.""
Thomas didn't lower the weapon, but his grip tightened slightly. ""Julian signs my checks.""
""Julian’s corporate accounts were frozen at midnight,"" Claire said, tilting her chin toward the dashboard clock of the sedan, which read 12:05 AM. ""His credit cards won't clear by dawn. But the Arthur Vance Foundation—the account I control as executor—holds twenty million dollars in liquid escrow.""
Silence hung thick in the cold concrete garage. The tension was palpable. Thomas stared at the woman before him. For years, Julian had dismissed Claire as a fragile society wife, someone to be placated with diamonds and sidelined. Yet here she stood, cornered and unarmed, calculating corporate leverage with a gun in her face.
Slowly, Thomas lowered the pistol and engaged the safety.
""The front gate is covered by two of Julian’s men,"" Thomas said gruffly, slipping the gun into his shoulder holster. ""They were hired outside my unit. If you drive through the main ramp, they will ram you.""
""Is there another way?"" Claire asked, keeping her guard up.
Thomas reached into his pocket and tossed her a heavy brass keycard. ""Sub-basement freight tunnel. Leads into the municipal sewer line and exits two blocks north behind the subway terminal. Take my truck. It’s armored.""
""Why the sudden change of heart, Thomas?""
Thomas looked at the sleeping twins. ""Old Arthur paid for my daughter's leukemia treatments ten years ago. Julian tried to cut her pension last month. Get in the truck, Claire.""
May you like
Ten minutes later, the armored truck rumbled into the stormy city streets. Claire opened her phone and dialed Marcus Vance. When the lawyer answered, his voice trembled.
""Marcus,"" Claire said coldly. ""Convene the emergency board meeting for eight o'clock sharp. We’re taking the building.""
