Chapter 4 - The Fall of the House of Thorne
By ten o'clock the following morning, the news broke across every financial network in D.C.
Thorne Logistics was placed under immediate federal investigation. Trading on their stock was halted, and dark federal vans pulled up to the Thorne corporate headquarters in downtown Bethesda.
Inside the grand parlor of the Thorne family mansion, panic had set in.
Marcus sat at the mahogany dining table, his face bruised from yesterday's encounter, staring frantically at his laptop screen. His bank cards were declined. His offshore transfers were locked.
"What is happening?!" Marcus screamed, slamming his fist onto the table. "Where is the money?!"
Chloe stood near the window, her face pale, holding her phone with trembling hands. "Zariah blocked my cards, Marcus! All of them! My black card, my trust allowance... even my car lease payment bounced this morning! She can't do this to me!"
"Your sister is a lunatic who exposed us!" Marcus roared, rising to his feet and grabbing Chloe by the arms, shaking her violently. "Did you know she was a Commander?! Did you know she had that kind of pull?!"
"No! She never told me!" Chloe sobbed, tears ruining her makeup. "She always wore plain clothes! She lived in a small apartment! She never bragged about anything!"
"Because she was hiding it, you idiot!" Marcus snarled. "And now her military hounds are gutting my company!"
The heavy double doors of the mansion were suddenly blown open with a resounding bang.
"Federal agents! Don't move!"
A squad of FBI agents clad in tactical vests flooded the room, sidearms drawn. Leading them was a sharp-visaged prosecutor alongside Colonel David Vance.
Marcus staggered back, raising his hands. "What is the meaning of this? Do you know who my father is?!"
"Marcus Thorne," the lead agent declared, producing an arrest warrant. "You are under arrest for federal wire fraud, treasonous military supply diversion, and money laundering. Take him into custody."
As the agents slammed Marcus against the marble floor and slapped steel cuffs on his wrists, Chloe fell to her knees, weeping hysterically.
"Wait! What about me?!" Chloe cried out. "I didn't do anything! It was all Marcus!"
Colonel Vance stepped forward, looking down at her with pure disgust. "Chloe, you signed federal clearance forms under false pretenses. You are named as an unindicted co-conspirator. Your assets are seized pending investigation."
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"No... no! Zariah won't let you do this to me!" Chloe shrieked. "She's my sister! Call her! Let me speak to my sister!"
Colonel Vance leaned down slightly. "The Commander gave strict orders, Miss. You wanted her in the kitchen. Now you can see what it's like to cook up your own defense in federal court."
