Chapter 17 - The Retaliation
Julian froze, blinded by the harsh beam of Chloe’s tactical flashlight. He raised a hand to shield his eyes, but he didn't drop the heavy iron bar.
"You think one cop is going to stop me?" Julian sneered, his chest heaving. "I have enough money hidden to buy this entire police department. You have no idea who you're dealing with."
"Actually, Julian, we know exactly who you are," I said, stepping out from behind the desk. I held up my laptop, the screen glowing brightly in the dark room.
Julian’s eyes darted toward the screen. It was displaying the live feed of our security cameras, recording every word he was saying, every threatening movement he made.
"You see that blinking red light?" I asked, pointing to the small camera mounted in the corner of the ceiling. "It’s currently broadcasting this entire interaction directly to the FBI task force that just raided your house. You aren't just looking at fraud charges anymore, Julian. You just added armed burglary and attempted murder of a federal witness to your tab."
Julian stared at the camera, the reality of his situation finally piercing through his arrogant delusion. He realized he was standing in a room entirely controlled by the woman he thought he could intimidate.
He let out a primal scream of frustration and raised the iron bar, preparing to rush Chloe.
"Don't do it, Julian!" Chloe warned, her finger tightening on the trigger.
Before he could take a step, the wail of police sirens erupted from the street outside. Red and blue lights flooded the dark parking lot, flashing violently against the shattered glass of the office windows. The FBI had tracked his car.
Julian looked at the flashing lights, then back at me. The iron bar slipped from his hand, clattering loudly onto the hardwood floor.
His empire was gone. His money was gone. And now, his freedom was gone.
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"Get on the ground. Face down. Hands behind your back," Chloe ordered, moving forward to secure him.
Julian slowly sank to his knees. The monster had been reduced to a pathetic, shivering man in a wet suit. I watched him hit the floor, feeling an immense, crushing weight lift off my shoulders. The shadow of Dominic's network was finally eradicated.
