Chapter 17
Chapter 17: The Final Stand
In the sub-basement, the heavy vault door was already cracked open.
Victoria stood inside, frantically stuffing leather-bound ledgers and legal documents into a waterproof duffel bag. Her left arm hung uselessly at her side, bleeding through a makeshift tourniquet, but her right hand was steady.
"Victoria," Daniel said, stepping into the vault entrance.
Victoria froze. She turned slowly, dropping the documents. She raised her gun, aiming it squarely at Daniel's chest.
"You just don't know when to die, do you?" she sneered.
"It's over," Daniel said, stepping forward so his body completely shielded the doorway where Emily and Lane stood. "Michael broke the lockdown. The shutters are opening. The police and fire department will be here in minutes."
Victoria’s eyes darted toward the ceiling. The faint sound of sirens could be heard in the distance.
Her face contorted into a mask of pure, unhinged desperation.
May you like
"If I can't have the empire," Victoria whispered, her finger tightening on the trigger, "there will be no heirs to claim it."
She shifted her aim, trying to point the gun past Daniel, directly toward the sound of the baby's soft cooing.
