Chapter 9 - An Anonymous Threat Arrives At The Cliff Edge
A sudden, sharp ringtone cut through the roar of the ocean waves from inside Viktor's wool overcoat. Viktor pulled out an encrypted satellite phone, flipping it open with a frown of annoyance.
He pressed the speaker button, and a breathless voice echoed across the quiet coastal clearing. "Mr. Mercer, we have a major breach at the federal maritime archive in lower Manhattan," a panicked assistant reported.
"What kind of breach?" Viktor demanded, his voice dropping into a dangerous register. "Federal marshals just executed a search warrant on the primary Zurich trust accounts linked to the estate."
Viktor’s face drained of color for a brief second before his expression hardened into absolute steel. "Who authorized the federal warrant?" Viktor asked, gripping his cane until his knuckles turned white.
"An independent filing by an unregistered legal agent representing Maren Vale," the assistant replied quickly. Viktor slowly turned his head to look down at Maren, who was still pinned beneath his security guard.
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"You thought you came here alone today, didn't you, Maren?" Viktor asked softly, stepping closer to her. Maren smiled through the dirt and blood on her face, tasting salt and iron on her lips.
"Federal marshals are already inside your Manhattan penthouses, Viktor," Maren gasped out defiantly. "Your empire is finished." Viktor raised his hand and struck Maren across the face with the heavy silver handle of his cane.
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