Chapter 16 - The Real Truth Behind the Defective Exoskeleton Parts Emerges
Three days later, the preliminary federal grand jury hearings began inside the federal courthouse in downtown Brooklyn.
Arthur Vance and two manufacturing executives sat at the defense table, looking pale and defeated in standard prison jumpsuits.
Federal prosecutors presented physical exhibits to the jury, including the butchered titanium thrust bearing Boone had salvaged.
An independent metallurgical expert took the witness stand, using a high-definition projector to display the grinding tool marks.
“This was not a random manufacturing defect or a software synchronization error,” the expert testified clearly.
“This component was deliberately modified with a hand grinder on the assembly line to force an incorrect fit.”
The courtroom gallery buzzed with murmurs from reporters representing major national news networks and financial publications.
Celeste Larkin sat in the front row alongside Piper, who walked into the courtroom using only a pair of sleek forearm crutches.
Arthur Vance refused to look in their direction, keeping his eyes glued nervously to the polished mahogany defense table.
Federal prosecutors then introduced a second piece of evidence: an internal email chain recovered from Veyron’s secondary server.
The emails explicitly proved that Arthur Vance had personally authorized the use of out-of-tolerance parts to meet IPO delivery deadlines.
The net was completely airtight, leaving the defense team with zero legal maneuvering room to dispute the charges.
As the judge called a brief afternoon recess, federal marshals led the disgraced executives back toward the holding cells.
Arthur paused for a fraction of a second near the aisle, glancing briefly toward Piper standing proudly on her crutches.
There was no arrogance left in his eyes—only the hollow, shivering realization of a man who traded his soul for a corporate bonus.
Piper didn't glare at him; she simply looked through him as if he were nothing more than an unpleasant ghost from her past.
She turned away, leaning comfortably on her crutches as she walked out of the courtroom into the warm autumn sunlight.
Her mother walked beside her, wrapping a supportive arm around her shoulders as they headed toward the waiting limousine.
“Looks like Veyron’s manufacturing days are officially behind them,” Celeste remarked with quiet satisfaction.
“And our manufacturing days are just getting started,” Piper replied, stepping confidently down the courthouse steps.
For the first time in her life, the future didn't feel like a trail mapped out by corporate spreadsheets and medical liars.
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It felt open, unwritten, and entirely under her own power.
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