Chapter 6 - Blood on the Asphalt
Marcus Miller had served as Julian’s father's personal security chief for twenty years before Catherine systematically purged the company of anyone loyal to the old man. If there was one man in Oakhaven who understood the ruthlessness of the Vance matriarch, it was him.
Marcus unbolted the heavy steel door and ushered them inside. The garage smelled of motor oil, oxidized steel, and stale coffee. He quickly pulled down the blackout shades before turning to Julian, taking in the ripped tuxedo, the bloodstains on the fabric, and the two shivering children huddled behind him.
""My God, Julian,"" Marcus murmured, his hand drifting toward the holstered .45 at his hip. ""The boy looks just like you when you were eight. Who did this?""
""Catherine,"" Julian replied bluntly, helping Maya sit on an old vinyl sofa. Marcus grabbed a clean fleece blanket and wrapped it around the little girl, handing Leo a bottle of water and a granola bar. ""And she's not working alone. Elena called me from the tunnel. She said Lucas is alive.""
Marcus went dead still. His weathered face seemed to age another ten years in the flickering fluorescent light. ""Lucas... so the rumors were true. Two months ago, the maritime logs out of Marseilles showed financial transfers tied to an account your father set up for Lucas before his 'accident.' I thought it was Catherine laundering money. I didn't think...""
""He was the favorite,"" Julian said bitterly. ""Catherine never wanted me running Vance Holdings. I didn't have the stomach for her brand of blood money. Lucas did.""
""If Lucas is handling the cleanup, Elena doesn't have hours,"" Marcus said, walking over to a heavy metal tool cabinet. He keyed in a five-digit code, and the cabinet swung open to reveal a hidden compartment stocked with tactical gear, untraceable handguns, and ceramic body armor. ""Pier 44 is controlled by the harbor syndicate Catherine bought out last spring. It's a dead zone. The police won't go near it.""
""Then we go alone,"" Julian said, stripping off his ruined formal coat and pulling a Kevlar vest over his dress shirt. He picked up a black semi-automatic handgun, checking the magazine with practiced efficiency—a relic of the military academy his mother had forced him to attend.
""You can't take the kids to Pier 44, Julian,"" Marcus warned, handing him extra magazines. ""It’s an execution ground.""
Julian knelt before Leo. The boy’s eyes were steady, though his small jaw clenched tightly.
""Leo, you need to stay here with Marcus. He will protect Maya.""
""No,"" Leo said firmly, stepping forward and gripping Julian's wrist. ""Mom told me, 'If you find your father, do not let him out of your sight.' She said they'll use us to make you drop your gun. If you go without me, you won't know which warehouse door has the cellar trap. I saw them plan it before they put Mom in the container.""
Julian looked at Marcus, who slowly shook his head in grim astonishment.
May you like
Before Julian could decide, the shrill screech of tires tore through the alley outside. High-intensity headlights illuminated the frosted glass of the garage door.
A voice through a bullhorn rattled the windowpanes: ""Marcus Miller. Release the children of the Vance estate, or we will level this building.""
