Chapter 6 - The Broken Alliance
The executive offices of Kalin Freight and Infrastructure were located on the top floor of a modern glass tower in downtown Denver. It was nearly midnight, but the lights in Gabriel Stone’s corner office were still burning.
Gabriel paced the length of his hand-woven Persian rug, his phone pressed to his ear.
"Why aren't you answering, you idiot?" Gabriel hissed into the receiver. "Vance, pick up the damn phone."
The heavy double doors of his office swung open.
Gabriel froze.
Leonard Kalin walked in, followed by Martin Pike. Leonard was still wearing his stained white shirt, the blood-red lapel pin of Vance Miller pinned directly to his collar.
"He’s not going to answer, Gabriel," Leonard said, walking over to the leather bar and pouring himself two fingers of neat whiskey. He didn't offer any to his COO.
Gabriel quickly composed himself, smoothing his jacket. "Leonard. You’re back. Did you find the child’s mother? I was just calling our security teams to organize a search party."
"We found something better," Leonard said, taking a slow sip of the amber liquid. "We found the 1721 Stradivarius. And the forty million dollars in bearer bonds hidden inside the spruce ribbing."
Gabriel’s breath caught in his throat. His eyes darted to Martin, who was standing by the door, his hands clasped behind his back, blocking the only exit.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Leonard," Gabriel said, his voice losing its corporate polish. "If Vance was involved in smuggling, it was a rogue operation. I had nothing to do with it."
"Ten years, Gabriel," Leonard said, setting the crystal glass down on the mahogany desk with a quiet, solid click. "I gave you a seat at my table. I gave you a share of my father’s empire. And you decided to steal from me to buy a ticket to a non-extradition country."
"You call this an empire?" Gabriel spat, the veneer of respectability finally cracking. "It’s a graveyard, Leonard! We are one federal audit away from losing everything! Your father was a gangster, and you’re just a glorified logistics manager with a clean suit! I built the legitimate side of this company. I deserved more than leverage!"
"You deserved my trust," Leonard said. "And you traded it for paper."
Leonard leaned forward, his hands resting on the desk. "Where is Vance holding Viona Calvani?"
"If I tell you, do I get a head start?" Gabriel asked, his eyes desperate.
"You get to walk out of this building with your spine intact," Leonard said. "That is the only deal you are going to get tonight."
Gabriel swallowed hard, his arrogance completely evaporating under the weight of Leonard’s gaze. "He took her to the Nederland facility. He’s going to force her to sign the estate clearance tonight. If she doesn't... he’s going to put her under the ice of Barker Meadow Reservoir."
Leonard turned his back on him. "Martin. Take him to the basement. Keep him there until I return."
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"And Julian?" Martin asked, referring to the attorney.
"Tell Julian to start drafting the restructuring paperwork for Kalin Freight," Leonard commanded, walking toward the door. "By morning, Gabriel Stone will no longer exist on our corporate registry."
