Chapter 13 - Face to Face
Julian froze, his hand half-submerged in the interior pocket of his cashmere coat. For a fleeting second, naked terror flashed across his aristocratic features, before dissolving into a bitter, venomous smirk.
""Well, well,"" Julian sneered, keeping his hands visible as he slowly straightened his posture. ""The old lion still has teeth. I must congratulate you, Uncle. Breaking through a national police dragnet and flying across the country... impressive for a man who belongs in an assisted living facility.""
""Where is the board override authorization, Julian?"" Vincent demanded, his weapon unwavering. ""Give me the satellite uplink terminal.""
Julian chuckled softly, the sound lost beneath the distant moan of a foghorn. ""Do you honestly think you can undo this? The de La Tour conglomerate was built on blood and secrecy. For forty years you kept it stagnant, refusing to modernize, refusing to partner with the syndicates that actually control European trade!""
""You partnered with human traffickers and arms syndicates, Julian,"" Vincent said with absolute disgust. ""You betrayed everything our name stood for.""
""I secured our survival!"" Julian shouted over the rising wind. ""And Clara was too weak to see it. She ran away to play house with an ordinary mechanic! She was an embarrassment to our bloodline!""
""She is twice the person you will ever be,"" Vincent replied, stepping forward and stripping Julian of his concealed weapon, tossing it over the railing into the chasm of the dry dock below.
Vincent pressed the barrel of his rifle into Julian's spine. ""Walk. Down to the observation room. You are going to release her.""
Julian didn't resist; he walked forward with an arrogant, leisurely gait that set Vincent's instincts on edge. They approached the reinforced glass office. Inside, Clara saw Vincent through the window and gasped, her bound hands struggling against the heavy leather restraints.
""Clara!"" Vincent called out, stepping toward the heavy pneumatic door.
Julian smiled. ""You always were predictable, Uncle. You always charge straight toward the bait.""
Julian suddenly dropped to his knees.
From the shadows of the crane gantry fifty feet above, a blinding spotlight snapped on, pinning Vincent in its glare. A sniper perched on the high girder opened fire.
A bullet tore through Vincent's left shoulder, the kinetic impact spinning him backward across the slick catwalk decking. His rifle skittered away, falling through the metal grate into the black abyss below.
Julian scrambled to his feet, laughing triumphantly as he kicked Vincent brutally in the ribs. ""You walked right into the crosshairs, old man!""
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From the shadows near the transformer station, a high, piercing whistle shrieked through the wind.
Leo charged out of the darkness, carrying a heavy steel maintenance spanner, his eyes ablaze with reckless courage.
