Chapter 13 - THE FALL OF ROBERT VANCE
By 4:30 AM, the downtown federal courthouse was buzzing with emergency media vans and flashing camera shutters.
District Attorney Robert Vance was hauled out of his suburban mansion in his pajamas, surrounded by armed federal marshals.
The morning news broadcasts across the United States flashed breaking headlines about the massive municipal corruption ring.
Manhattan Elite and District Attorney Arrested in Landmark Underworld Conspiracy Sweep.
Inside his executive study, Marcus Sterling watched the live broadcast on a wall-mounted flat-screen television.
He poured two glasses of twenty-five-year-old single malt scotch, handing one across the mahogany desk to Elena.
"To dismantling empires and building better ones," Marcus toasted, raising his glass with a respectful nod.
Elena clinked her glass against his, the crystal ringing out like a small, sharp bell in the quiet room.
"The DA is finished, but his political associates in Washington will try to bury the rest of the file," Elena noted.
"Let them try. We hold the master cryptographic keys stored on secure servers offshore," Marcus replied with supreme confidence.
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"You planned this down to the microsecond before I even started working here, didn't you, Marcus?" Elena asked piercingly.
Marcus smiled, his dark eyes glittering with dangerous fascination. "I always prepare for every variable, Elena. Especially the exceptional ones."
