Chapter 6 - The Federal Gambit
Special Agent Harris closed the heavy clinic door behind her, ensuring total privacy. Her sharp eyes took in the room—the monitors, the bloody towels, and the newborn baby resting peacefully on my chest. Her demeanor softened for a mere second before business took over.
""Julian Vance,"" Agent Harris said, stepping closer to the bed. ""I’ve been tracking your family's case for five years. When you and your sister faked your deaths, my office lost our key witnesses. We couldn't indict the board of directors at Apex BioTech without the original decryption keys.""
Julian stood up straight, shielding the bed instinctively before realizing where he was. He took a deep, steadying breath. ""The keys are in the firmware of the drive your people just recovered. But I have conditions, Agent Harris.""
""You don't have much leverage, Mr. Vance,"" Harris countered. ""Marcus and his partner are currently being interrogated in an undisclosed federal facility. They won't talk, but we know Apex hired them through a private security front in Geneva. You’re still technically wanted for faking legal documents and evading court subpoenas.""
""I don't care about myself,"" Julian replied, his voice firm and completely devoid of fear. ""My sister’s seven-year-old son, Leo, is being held in a safehouse somewhere in northern Oregon. Marcus’s handlers took him to force Julianna’s hand. You find that boy and get him back safely. You grant Julianna full immunity and medical witness protection. And you clear Ava of any association with my past.""
Agent Harris studied him for a long moment. Then, she pulled a secure satellite phone from her jacket pocket.
""Marcus’s encrypted phone yielded GPS coordinates thirty minutes ago,"" Harris revealed calmly. ""A federal tactical team raided an estate outside Portland forty-five minutes ago. Leo is already in safe custody. He’s unharmed and currently eating ice cream in an FBI field office.""
From the doorway, Julianna collapsed to her knees, sobbing in hysterical, overwhelming relief. My father placed a comforting hand on her trembling shoulder.
""The deal is already in motion, Julian,"" Agent Harris continued. ""We need your biometric signature to decrypt the final ledger on that drive. Once we have that, warrants will be executed across three states simultaneously. The CEO, the lead researchers, and every paid official on their payroll will be in custody before sunrise.""
Julian turned back to look down at me and Clara. The weight of eight years of living as a ghost seemed to lift from his shoulders all at once.
May you like
""Where do we do this?"" Julian asked.
""Right here,"" Agent Harris said, opening a heavy reinforced briefcase to reveal a ruggedized military laptop. ""Connect your thumbprint and passphrase. Let’s end this war tonight.""
