Chapter 5 - The Spider’s Parlor
The night before the quarterly shareholder meeting, the city was paralyzed by a massive winter blizzard. High winds whipped snow across the glass towers of downtown, locking streets in ice and burying parked cars in white drifts.
Inside the grand penthouse of the St. Regis Hotel, Julian Montgomery sat at the head of a massive mahogany conference table. Surrounding him were five key board members of Montgomery Enterprises—men in expensive suits who held the swing votes needed to strip Richard Montgomery of his executive power.
"The snowstorm works in our favor," Julian said smoothly, pouring scotch into crystal glasses for his guests. "My father is isolated at his country estate in Greenwich. Roads are impassable. He won't even be able to patch into the virtual link reliably."
Dr. Harrison, a corrupt psychiatrist whose signature appeared on the forged dementia evaluation, adjusted his glasses nervously. "Are you absolutely sure the old man won't attempt to drive in? If he shows up at the headquarters studio in person—"
"He won't," Julian interrupted, his voice dropping into a cold, dismissive tone. "I had his personal vehicle fleet placed under maintenance holds this afternoon. His phone lines in Greenwich are down due to 'storm damage.' He is trapped, uninformed, and helpless."
Julian raised his glass. "To the new era of Montgomery Global."
The board members hesitated for a beat, then raised their glasses, clicking them together in the warm, firelit room.
None of them noticed the small, dark figure crouching outside on the penthouse balcony, wrapped in a heavy thermal blanket, listening through a parabolic microphone pointed directly at the double-paned glass windows.
Tommy pulled the earpiece from his head, pressing his back against the icy brick wall of the balcony. The freezing wind bit at his cheeks, but his eyes were bright with clear, focused energy.
He pulled a small radio transmitter from his pocket and pressed the button three times.
Two floors below, inside a suite rented under a shell corporation name, Richard Montgomery received the signal. He sat at a folding table surrounded by three top corporate litigators, two independent forensic accountants, and James, his loyal chauffeur.
"They're all in the penthouse, Mr. Montgomery," Tommy’s voice came through the encrypted comms earpiece. "Julian, Dr. Harrison, and the five board members. They're finalizing the guardianship papers right now."
Richard looked at his chief legal counsel, a fierce woman named Eleanor Vance who had worked with him for thirty years. "Eleanor, is the federal injunction ready?"
"It’s signed by a federal judge, Richard," Eleanor confirmed, tapping a thick stack of legal briefs. "The moment we broadcast the server contents, Julian and his co-conspirators will be served with emergency corporate fraud charges, wire fraud indictments, and attempted extortion."
"Good," Richard said, standing up. His posture was straight, his eyes burning with the fire of a man thirty years younger. "James, prepare the equipment. We are broadcasting the quarterly call directly from this hotel suite."
"Mr. Montgomery," Tommy’s voice came through the comms again, lower this time. "There’s a problem."
Richard’s brow furrowed. "What is it, Tommy?"
"Julian’s chief of security just walked onto the balcony," Tommy whispered rapidly, the sound of heavy boots crunching on icy concrete audible over the line. "He’s checking the exterior locks. I have to move."
Before Richard could answer, the comms line went dead with a sharp burst of static.
Richard’s face went pale. "Tommy! Tommy, respond!"
Silence met his voice over the radio.
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Richard looked at the clock on the wall. The global shareholder call was scheduled to begin in exactly nine hours.
"Find him," Richard commanded James, his voice shaking with sudden, overwhelming terror—not for his company, not for his fortune, but for the street boy who had risked everything to save him. "If anything happens to that child, I don't care about the board meeting. I will tear this city apart."
