Chapter 16 - Shadows Behind the Iron Gates
Far away from the gleaming towers of Manhattan, inside the maximum-security wing of a federal correctional facility in upstate New York, Ethan Cole paced frantically inside his ten-by-six-foot concrete cell.
The harsh fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting a sickly yellow glow over the peeling paint. His orange jumpsuit was stained with coffee, and his beard had grown out in patchy, unkempt tufts. Gone was the arrogant, high-society tech mogul who had believed he could conquer the world.
The heavy steel door rattled violently as a guard struck it with a baton. “Cole! Visitor in booth four. Move.”
Ethan’s heart leaped with a desperate surge of hope. Could it be his legal team with a miracle appeal? Could it be Bianca’s family offering a lifeline?
He was dragged down the gray cinderblock corridor and shoved into the cold visitor booth. He sat down eagerly, picking up the heavy black telephone receiver and pressing it to his ear.
On the other side of the plexiglass partition sat a man in an expensive, dark Italian suit—someone Ethan had never seen before. The man’s face was sharp, expressionless, and wore the cold eyes of an apex predator.
“Who are you?” Ethan stammered, gripping the receiver tightly. “Are you from the appeals court?”
“I am not from the court, Mr. Cole,” the man replied in a low, chillingly calm voice with a faint European accent. “I am here on behalf of the Pantheon Group.”
Ethan’s face turned the color of ash. The receiver shook in his hand. “The... the Pantheon? But... but I completed my assignment! I gave you access to the startup foundation!”
“You gave us a crumbling asset that your former wife systematically dismantled and weaponized against us,” the man corrected coldly. “Because of your incompetence, our entire European server network has been compromised by federal authorities. Billions of dollars in hidden capital have been frozen.”
“No, wait! Please!” Ethan shrieked, pressing his face against the glass. “It wasn't my fault! Claire... Claire is a genius! She tricked both of us! You have to help me get out of here!”
The man in the suit stared at Ethan with utter contempt. “We don’t help liabilities, Mr. Cole. We erase them.”
Slowly, deliberately, the man stood up, placed his receiver back on the cradle, and turned his back, walking out of the visitation room without looking back.
Ethan screamed, slamming his fists against the plexiglass partition until the guards rushed in, pinning him to the floor as his desperate cries echoed into the empty corridor.
May you like
His grand victory had become his eternal cage.
==================================================
