Chapter 9 - THE HAMPTONS STANDOFF
Down at the private marina in Sag Harbor, heavy waves crashed against the wooden piers as a sudden Atlantic storm battered the coast. Federal agents surrounded a hundred-foot luxury yacht named 'The Golden Velvet', their weapons raised against the blinding rain.
Inside the master cabin, Julian Vance—a thirty-eight-year-old hedge fund manager and Victoria's secret accomplice—furiously packed stacks of hundred-dollar bills into waterproof duffel bags. He wore a navy trench coat, his face pale with sweat as he listened to the megaphones shouting from the docks outside.
"Julian Vance! This is the United States Coast Guard and the FBI!" a voice boomed over the wind. "Power down your engines and step onto the deck with your hands above your head!"
Julian grabbed a black leather briefcase containing the master encryption keys to Victoria's offshore bank accounts. He drew a suppressed handgun from his coat, moving toward the rear emergency hatch that led to a motorized speedboat docked underneath the stern.
As he kicked open the hatch, a tall figure stepped out of the darkness, blocking the narrow walkway with unyielding presence. Arthur Montgomery stood there in a heavy oilskin coat, flanked by two armed federal marshals holding tactical shields.
"Going somewhere, Julian?" Arthur asked, his voice cutting through the roar of the ocean storm.
Julian raised his gun with a trembling hand, aiming it directly at Arthur's chest. "Get out of my way, old man! I will put a bullet in you right here and take my chances with the water!"
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"You won't shoot," Arthur said calmly, taking a step closer without showing a single shred of fear. "Because if you pull that trigger, the Coast Guard sniper on the lighthouse will end your life before you hit the deck."
Julian instinctively looked up toward the sweeping light of the nearby lighthouse, his focus breaking for a fraction of a second. In that exact moment, a federal marshal lunged forward, disarming Julian with a swift tactical strike that sent the handgun splashing into the dark ocean waters below.
