Chapter 17 - The Arrest
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"Drop your weapons! Do it now!" Hector roared, stepping into the room flanked by six of my heavily armed private security contractors. Red laser sights painted the chests and foreheads of the two Russian enforcers.
The Russians froze, realizing instantly that they were vastly outgunned and outmaneuvered. Slowly, deliberately, they lowered their weapons and placed them on the floor, kicking them away before interlacing their fingers behind their heads.
Chloe, however, completely lost her mind.
She screamed, dropping to her knees on the Persian rug, sobbing hysterically. "Alexander, please! They made me do it! I didn't want to come here! They threatened to kill me!"
"Save the performance for a jury, Chloe," I said, standing up from my desk. I didn't feel a shred of pity for the weeping woman on the floor. I only felt a profound sense of closure.
The wail of police sirens pierced the quiet night air, growing louder as multiple cruisers sped up the long driveway of the estate. Hector had coordinated the sting with a contact at the LAPD, ensuring that the moment the armed men stepped onto the property, the trap would spring shut.
Uniformed officers poured into the office moments later, slapping handcuffs on the Russian enforcers and hauling them roughly to their feet.
A female officer approached Chloe, grabbing her by the arms and pulling her up.
"Chloe Hastings, you are under arrest for extortion, trespassing, and conspiracy to commit burglary," the officer recited coldly.
"You can't do this to me!" Chloe shrieked as the cold steel clicked around her wrists. She thrashed against the officer, her hair wild, her makeup smeared across her face. She locked her manic, furious eyes on me.
"I'll ruin you, Alexander! I'll tell the world what a monster you are! You'll never be happy! Never!"
I stood silently, watching her as she was dragged out of the French doors and into the flashing red and blue lights of the waiting police cruisers. Her screams faded into the night, swallowed by the darkness.
May you like
Hector stepped up beside me, lowering his weapon. "The property is secure, sir. The threat is permanently neutralized."
"Thank you, Hector," I sighed, running a tired hand through my hair. "Tell the men to stand down. And go tell Marisol and the girls that it's safe to come out."
