Chapter 9 - The Final Move
Dominic walked into the clean room, wearing a full sterile suit. Evelyn was awake, her eyes tracking him through the clear plastic mask. She had heard the tension in the cabin outside.
"Dominic," she whispered through the intercom system. "What’s happening?"
Dominic sat beside her bed, looking through the glass visor of his suit. "Volkov found us. He’s wired the facility. He wants me to trade Natalia for your safety."
Evelyn’s eyes widened in terror. "No... you can't. We can't let him take her back."
"I’m not going to let him take anyone," Dominic said, his voice filled with a calm, absolute certainty that comforted her for the first time in months. "Evelyn, for seven months, you hid your sickness from me because you thought I would destroy the world trying to control it. You were right. My control was a sickness of its own. But tonight, I am letting go of the syndicate. I am letting go of the empire. I am only your husband."
He stood up and looked at Dr. Reed through the glass. "Doctor, evacuate Evelyn and Natalia through the underground storm cellar immediately. Move them to the secondary armored transport vehicle hidden in the valley. Don't worry about the equipment. Just move them."
Dominic then walked out to the main cabin, picked up his satellite phone, and called the one person he had spent his entire life avoiding: Assistant Director Miller of the FBI's New York Field Office.
"Miller," Dominic said when the agent picked up. "This is Dominic Vale. I am giving you Victor Volkov on a silver platter. He is currently operating from a secure basement at 1442 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. He is attempting to detonate an explosive device at a private property in the Catskills. If your teams move now, you catch him with the detonator in his hand."
"And what do you want in exchange, Vale?" Miller asked, stunned by the sudden call.
"I want total immunity for Dr. Samuel Reed and Natalia Volkova," Dominic said clearly. "And tomorrow morning, I am turning over the complete financial ledgers of the Vale syndicate to your office. I am retiring, Miller. The empire is yours. Just keep my wife safe."
On the other end of the line, the federal agent was silent for three long seconds. "Deal. The tactical teams are moving now."
Dominic walked out onto the front porch of the cabin, alone in the dark mountain air. He held the phone, watching the countdown timer on his screen. Twenty minutes passed. The woods were entirely silent.
Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed from the back of the property, but it wasn't a firestorm. It was a controlled pop. Reyes had used an advanced liquid-nitrogen charge to freeze the detonator's receiver mechanism, cutting the signal a split second before the FBI breached Volkov’s basement in Brooklyn.
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His phone buzzed. It was Marcus. "Volkov is in federal custody, boss. He didn't get to press the button. And the girls are safe in the transport."
Dominic closed his eyes, letting out a long breath. The crown had finally fallen from his head, and for the first time in his life, he felt entirely light.
