Chapter 6 - The Federal Trap
Before Richard could press the button, the heavy wooden service doors at the top of the stairs were kicked open with a shattering crash.
"FEDERAL AGENTS! DROP THE DEVICE! DROP IT NOW!"
A dozen heavily armed FBI tactical officers wearing tactical vests swept into the hallway behind Richard, their assault rifles raised, blue laser sights targeting Richard's chest and head.
Leading the squad was Federal Prosecutor Marcus Vance—Arthur Pendelton's former senior partner.
Richard froze, his thumb trembling over the remote control button. "What... what is this?!"
"It's a trap, Richard," Arthur Pendelton said from the bottom of the stairs, stepping up beside me with a cold, triumphant smile. "Did you really think I brought only a leather dossier tonight? Serena gave us the blueprints two days ago. We've had wiretaps on your vault's secondary communication lines since six o'clock this evening."
"You..." Richard stammered, staring at me in absolute horror. "You set me up..."
"No, Richard," I said softly. "You set yourself up the moment you wrote Collateral losses within acceptable parameters. You considered my unborn daughter a collateral loss. Did you really think I wouldn't burn your entire world to the ground to protect her?"
"Drop the detonator, Mr. Dre!" Prosecutor Vance ordered, stepping forward with his hand stretched out. "The entire house is surrounded. Your security team has already been disarmed at the front gate."
Richard looked at the red button, then at his son Matthias, then at the federal officers pointing rifles at his heart. Realizing he had no escape, his hands began to shake violently.
With a bitter, defeated groan, Richard dropped the remote control onto the stone steps. It clattered down the staircase, landing right at my feet.
Arthur instantly kicked the device away, while two federal officers lunged forward, grabbing Richard's arms, forcing him against the wall, and snapping iron handcuffs onto his wrists.
"Richard Dre, you are under arrest for attempted murder, corporate fraud, embezzlement of federal pension funds, and arson," Prosecutor Vance declared.
Fiona Vale began to sob hysterically as an officer escorted her away to a waiting police vehicle.
Meanwhile, two tactical officers equipped with heavy hydraulic breaching tools sprinted down the stone stairs toward the vault door. Within three minutes, the reinforced steel door was pried open with a loud metallic screech.
Thick white smoke poured out of the vault, but as the air cleared, David Dre stumbled out into the hallway, coughing violently but alive.
Matthias rushed forward, catching his younger brother before he hit the cold floor. "David! David, I've got you!"
May you like
David looked up at his older brother through tear-filled eyes, his voice raspy and broken. "He... he tried to kill me, Matthias..."
Matthias pulled his brother close, weeping openly as he looked across the basement at his handcuffed father being led away in chains. The illusion of the great Dre family legacy had shattered into dust.
