Chapter 11 - The Arson Conspiracy
At 3:00 AM, thick black smoke rolled across the Hudson River as fire engulfed Vance-Harrison Warehouse Facility Number 4.
Julian stood on the riverbank in his long wool coat, watching firefighter crews pump high-pressure water onto the roaring inferno.
Marcus stepped up beside him, holding a melted plastic container recovered from the perimeter security fence by arson investigators.
"This was professional thermite arson, Julian," Marcus reported grimly, shining a flashlight on the scorched metal container.
"Richard Vance is executing a scorched-earth policy... he would rather burn the company's assets to the ground than let your mother hold them," Marcus added.
Julian’s phone buzzed with an incoming text message from an unknown encrypted phone number.
The message contained a single photo: Eleanor sleeping inside her hospital room, captured through the window from a sniper's angle.
Below the photo was a text: *"Relinquish the stock certificates by noon tomorrow, or your mother won't wake up for breakfast."*
Julian clenched his jaw so hard his teeth clicked, his dark eyes burning with an explosive, lethal fire.
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"Marcus, move my mother to the safehouse facility in the Adirondack Mountains immediately," Julian ordered firmly.
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