Chapter 3 - The Gathering Storm
At 8:00 AM the following morning, Marcus Vance sat in his high-rise penthouse office atop the Vance Logistics Building. He was a broad-shouldered man in his late fifties, with cold grey eyes, slicked-back white hair, and a reputation for ruthlessness that made even his fellow executives shudder.
Drake stood across from his desk, his arm in a sling, looking pale and nervous.
"You're telling me an old man in a trench coat had a bodyguard who broke your arm and took your manifest?" Vance growled, his voice thick with gravel. "Do you have any idea how close we are to securing the rest of David Hayes' files?"
"Boss, it wasn't just any old man," Drake stammered, sweating despite the air conditioning. "He said his name was Victor Romano."
Vance froze. The cigar in his hand stopped inches from his mouth.
"Romano?" Vance whispered, a knot of dread tightening in his gut. "Victor Romano? The chairman of Romano Global?"
"Yes, sir. He had high-end security. Professional operators. He knew your name, boss. He said he was taking over the debt."
Vance slammed his fist onto the mahogany desk, sending his crystal glass tumbling. "You idiot! You repossessed property from a family protected by the most powerful billionaire in the state! Did you even check who was paying their rent?"
"She wasn't paying rent! She was evicted!" Drake protested. "You told us to clear the place!"
Before Vance could unleash further rage, his intercom chimed frantically. His executive secretary's voice blared over the speaker, trembling with panic.
"Mr. Vance! You need to turn on the news right now! And... and the Chief Financial Officer is on line three—he says our credit facilities have been revoked!"
Vance grabbed his remote and snapped on the television monitor.
A news banner flashed across the screen in bold red letters: BREAKING: ROMANO GLOBAL LAUNCHES HOSTILE TAKEOVER BID FOR VANCE LOGISTICS AMID MASSIVE FRAUD ALLEGATIONS.
On the screen stood Elena Vance, speaking outside the State Supreme Court.
"This morning, my client, Romano Global, filed a thirty-million-dollar lawsuit against Apex Recovery Solutions and Vance Logistics for systemic fraud, extortion, and illegal seizure of property targeting vulnerable citizens," Elena declared smoothly into a cluster of news microphones. "Furthermore, we have submitted evidence to the State Attorney General implicating Vance Logistics in a ten-year racketeering scheme."
Vance’s phone began ringing uncontrollably. Lines one, two, three, four—all lit up like a Christmas tree.
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"Damn you, Romano," Vance snarled, throwing the remote against the wall, shattering it into pieces. "You want a war? I'll give you a war."
He turned to Drake, his eyes blazing with psychotic desperation. "Find out where Romano is keeping Sarah Hayes and her kids. If Romano wants to play savior, let's see how he plays when his little charity case vanishes."
