CHAPTER 6
At precisely eleven o'clock, the large flat-screen television mounted on my hospital wall connected to the grand executive boardroom at Hartwell Biotech headquarters in downtown Seattle.
Twelve corporate board members sat around the long polished mahogany table, their faces pale, nervous, and utterly terrified as my image appeared on the central display screens.
Marcus Sterling sat at the head of the table, sweating profusely through his expensive silk suit as he adjusted his golden cuff links.
"Good morning, gentlemen," I spoke through the high-definition microphone, my voice cutting through the silent room like a razor blade. "I see several of you are sitting in seats that no longer belong to you."
Marcus cleared his throat nervously, attempting to regain his composure while shuffling a stack of legal papers.
"Victoria... we are all relieved to see you recovering," Marcus stammered, his eyes darting toward the security cameras in the corners of the boardroom. "However, given the recent media circus and federal investigation, the board feels it is best to appoint an interim trustee—"
"The board no longer has the legal authority to appoint anyone, Marcus," I interrupted coldly, signaling Arthur to display our federal filing on their screens. "Under Section 4 of the Hartwell corporate charter, any board member implicated in federal racketeering automatically forfeits their voting shares."
Marcus gasped, his face draining of color as a real-time federal injunction appeared on the screens, freezing his personal stock accounts and revoking his executive board seat.
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Two federal marshals stepped into the Seattle boardroom behind him, placing their hands on his shoulders as he tried to stand up.
"Marcus Sterling, you are under arrest for conspiracy to commit securities fraud and corporate sabotage," the lead marshal declared, pulling him away from the executive table in front of his terrified colleagues.
