Chapter 18 - The Helipad
Against his better judgment, Reynolds allowed Sarah and Mark to ride in the heavily armored command vehicle as the FBI tactical teams descended upon the high-rise. The building was a sleek, glass monolith, completely dark and supposedly vacant for renovations.
The SWAT teams breached the ground floor, securing the elevators and the stairwells. Sarah watched the tactical feed from the command vehicle’s monitors, her heart pounding in her throat.
"We are approaching the roof access," the tactical leader’s voice crackled over the radio.
On the roof, the heavy thrum of helicopter blades began to vibrate through the audio feed. Thorne was minutes away from escaping justice.
"Breach, breach, breach!"
The roof doors were blown off their hinges. Tactical floodlights illuminated the rain-slicked helipad. Elias Thorne stood near the open door of a sleek, black helicopter, clutching a heavy metal briefcase. His remaining security guards raised their weapons, but they were vastly outgunned.
"Drop it!" the SWAT leader roared.
Seeing the red laser sights painting his chest, Thorne hesitated, then slowly raised his hands, dropping the briefcase. The helicopter pilot immediately killed the engine, surrendering.
Reynolds stepped out of the command vehicle, opening the door for Sarah. She walked through the heavy rain, flanked by agents, until she stood face-to-face with the man who had ordered her death just an hour ago.
Thorne looked at her, his expensive suit soaked, his arrogant facade finally crumbling. He looked small, pathetic, and entirely defeated.
"You think you’ve won?" Thorne sneered, though his voice shook. "I have money hidden in places you can't even fathom. I'll have an army of lawyers have me out by morning."
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Sarah looked at him, feeling absolutely nothing but pity. "Your money is frozen. Your ledgers are public. Your judges are under arrest. You have nothing left, Elias. The Vanguard is dead."
As the agents slapped the heavy steel cuffs onto Thorne's wrists, Sarah turned her back on him, walking away without another word.
