Chapter 15 - The Capital Under Siege
The emergency broadcast of Victor Kane’s dying confession hit the internet at 7:00 AM, right as the morning news shows went live across the nation.
The fallout was instantaneous and catastrophic.
Within thirty minutes, the Governor held an emergency press conference, publicly disavowing Senator Donald Sterling and ordering the immediate mobilization of the State Police Special Operations Division to execute a federal search warrant on the Sterling Elmwood Estate.
Protesters by the thousands began gathering outside the State Capitol building, holding signs reading **"JUSTICE FOR ABIGAIL," "FREE MARCUS HALE,"** and **"STAND WITH THE BOY."**
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the capital, Marcus, Ethan, Diane, and Sarah pulled their vehicle into a secluded service alley three blocks from the heavily fortified gates of the Elmwood Estate.
The estate was a sprawling twenty-acre compound surrounded by ten-foot stone walls, razor wire, and private Aegis Vanguard security guards armed with automatic rifles.
"The state police won't breach those gates for at least an hour," Diane said, monitoring the police dispatch radio. "Sterling's private security is refusing to grant access without a signed warrant from the State Supreme Court. That gives Sterling enough time to incinerate the underground vault and destroy the Chronos servers completely!"
Marcus looked at the estate blueprints on Diane's laptop. "There's a drainage culvert running beneath the western perimeter wall, connecting to the garden fountains. It's wide enough for a person to crawl through."
"I'm going in," Ethan said firmly.
"Ethan, no," Marcus said immediately. "The vault is buried beneath the main mansion. If Sterling starts an incendiary purge, that basement will become an incinerator."
"Marcus, Kane said the vault requires my mother's second key to unlock the data before the self-destruct sequence locks the drives forever," Ethan insisted, pulling his denim jacket tight. "The micro-transponder in my shoulder has a proximity NFC chip. I have to be within three feet of the terminal."
Marcus looked at Ethan. He saw the same unstoppable courage that had made a twelve-year-old walk straight toward a loaded assault rifle in a courtroom forty-eight hours ago.
Marcus checked his sidearm, securing three spare magazines in his vest.
"Then we go in together," Marcus said. "Nobody touches that boy while I'm breathing."
Sarah squeezed Ethan's hand. "Be careful, Ethan. The whole world is watching."
May you like
Ethan nodded. "Let's finish this."
Marcus and Ethan slipped into the dark concrete culvert, disappearing beneath the fortified walls of the empire that had stolen their lives.
