Chapter 12 - Storming the Citadel
The Chicago Federal Courthouse stood forty stories tall,
a monolith of steel,
glass,
and stone towering over the empty plaza.
The ground floor was dark,
save for the flickering lights of the security desk inside the glass atrium.
Our three armored SUVs pulled onto the plaza sidewalk,
their headlights cutting through the thick fog.
Eight of my most trusted operatives stepped out,
their weapons ready,
forming a tight defensive perimeter around me.
"Julian,
take the roof access via the exterior fire stairs,"
I ordered,
stepping out into the cold rain.
"Disable their backup generators if they try to lock down the elevator shafts."
"Consider it done,
Boss,"
Julian nodded,
disappearing into the side alley with two men.
Dominic and I approached the heavy glass doors of the main entrance.
A lone security guard inside backed away in terror,
reaching for his sidearm.
I raised my hand,
shaking my head once.
Dominic planted a small breach charge on the lock mechanism.
BOOM.
The reinforced glass shattered into thousands of tiny cubes,
and we stepped into the marble lobby.
"Where is District Attorney Sterling?"
I asked the trembling guard,
pinning him against the marble pillar.
"Thirtieth floor,"
he gasped,
his hands raised high.
"Executive suit...
she's with her private legal counsel and federal tactical team!"
We stepped into the express elevator,
Dominic keying the override code.
The steel doors closed,
and the elevator surged upward through the dark shaft.
Thirty seconds later,
the doors opened into a luxurious hallway of carpet,
mahogany,
and floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the storm-tossed city.
Standing at the end of the hallway,
surrounded by six heavily armed private contractors,
was Evelyn Sterling.
She wore a sharp grey business suit,
her dark hair pulled into a tight bun,
her face cold and unreadable.
"Sebastian Ross,"
Sterling said,
her voice smooth and devoid of fear.
"You're trespassing on federal property.
This ends your empire forever."
"Your network is dead,
Evelyn,"
I replied,
stepping forward slowly,
my gun held low.
"Marcus Vance is gone.
Gabriel Vance is in my trunk.
And the SD card from my wife's locket is currently uploading to every major news outlet in the country."
Sterling's composed face finally cracked,
her eyes flinching slightly.
"You think a digital file will stop me?"
she sneered.
"I control the judges,
I control the marshals,
I control the narrative!"
"You don't control me,"
I said.
Before her guards could raise their rifles,
Dominic and I opened fire with lethal,
surgical precision.
Thwip.
Thwip.
Thwip.
In less than four seconds,
all six of her bodyguards collapsed onto the plush carpet.
Sterling backed against the glass wall,
her breathing ragged,
her confidence completely shattered.
"Where is my wife?"
I demanded,
stepping into her personal space,
the cold barrel of my gun resting against her forehead.
May you like
"Tell me where Sarah is,
or you won't live to hear the news broadcast."
