Chapter 6 - The Boardroom Siege
At 9:00 PM, the grand ballroom of the Harbor View Club was filled with forty high-ranking crime bosses, dirty politicians, and corporate financiers.
Julian Vance stood at the head of the long mahogany table, holding a glass of scotch, smiling as he addressed the room.
"Nicholas Vale is dead," Vance announced grandly, slamming his glass down. "His reign over the docks is over. Tonight, we vote on the restructuring of the harbor enterprise!"
"Is that so?" a deep, thunderous voice echoed from the main entrance doors.
The massive double doors swung open with a bang.
Nicholas Vale stepped into the ballroom, flanked by Adrian and twenty heavily armed men in dark suits. The room gasped in collective horror, several men dropping their drinks, while Vance stepped back, his face turning paper-white.
"Impossible..." Vance whispered, his hand diving toward his jacket.
Before Vance’s fingers could touch his holster, Adrian fired a single silenced shot that shattered Vance’s glass, showering his hand in sharp crystal shards. Vance shrieked, falling back against the wall.
"Did you really think a rusted chain in a Curtis Bay basement could hold me, Julian?" Nicholas asked, his heavy cane tapping rhythmically against the polished marble floor as he walked toward the head of the table.
The room went dead silent. No one dared to move. No one dared to breathe.
Nicholas stopped beside Dr. Arthur Sterling, who was cowering in his chair near the middle of the table.
"Dr. Sterling," Nicholas said smoothly, setting a thick leather dossier on the table in front of the panicked physician.
"Mr. Vale... please!" Sterling begged, trembling uncontrollably. "I had nothing to do with Vance’s coup! I swear!"
"Five years ago," Nicholas said, his voice ringing through the silent hall, "you falsified an emergency surgical report to frame a young nurse named Hannah Brooks to protect your pharmaceutical smuggling operation."
Nicholas leaned down, his face inches from Sterling’s.
"That nurse saved my life three days ago," Nicholas whispered coldly. "The dossier in front of you contains full sworn affidavits of your crimes, which are currently being delivered to the Federal Prosecutor and the State Medical Board."
Sterling sank back into his chair, utterly ruined, his career and freedom shattered in seconds.
May you like
Nicholas turned his gaze back to Vance, who was clutching his bleeding hand.
"Take him away," Nicholas commanded Adrian. "The basement in Curtis Bay is empty. Let Julian see how long he lasts without water."
