Chapter 10 - Counterstrike
Three hours later, Avery was sitting inside a private corporate jet flying at thirty thousand feet toward Chicago. Accompanying her was Marcus Vance and a high-profile white-collar defense attorney named David Vance (no relation to Marcus), whom Eleanor Price had hired to handle federal law enforcement interactions.
"If Caroline’s information is accurate," David said, opening his briefcase on the leather table, "we aren't just looking at corporate misconduct anymore. We're looking at federal racketeering, wire fraud, and grand larceny."
"Julian is desperate," Avery said, staring out the oval window at the sunset clouds. "He knows that once the SEC forensic accountants finish digging through Blackwell’s primary accounts, his entire empire will collapse. He wants to destroy the evidence and blame the missing funds on the previous management team."
"We've already coordinated with the FBI's corporate fraud unit in Chicago," David informed her. "Special Agent Miller will meet us at the Langford Hotel. We are legally authorized to secure the digital evidence under a federal subpoena."
At 8:45 PM, the private jet touched down at O'Hare International Airport. A black SUV was waiting on the tarmac to rush Avery and her legal team directly to the downtown Langford Hotel.
The Langford Hotel was the exact location where Julian and Caroline’s illicit affair had been captured on video weeks earlier. Walking through the opulent, grand lobby felt strangely surreal to Avery.
They were met in the lobby by Special Agent Miller, a tall, stern-faced woman in a charcoal suit, accompanied by two armed federal agents.
"Ms. Sloan," Agent Miller said, shaking her hand firmly. "We have secured the hallway outside Room 412. Our technical team is standing by."
They rode the elevator up to the fourth floor in tense silence. When the doors opened, two local Chicago police officers were stationed outside Room 412.
Avery stepped forward, punched the code—8842—into the electronic keypad, and heard a soft green chime as the heavy lock disengaged.
Agent Miller drew her sidearm and pushed the door open. "FBI! Step inside!"
The room was not a standard hotel guest room; it was a converted private office packed with high-end server racks, blinking blue LED lights, and stacks of paper documents.
Standing near the main server terminal, holding a heavy-duty physical hard-drive shredder, was Julian Cross.
Julian froze in absolute shock as the federal agents flooded into the room. His hair was messy, his designer suit was wrinkled, and his eyes were wild with desperation.
"Julian Cross," Agent Miller announced loudly, displaying her badge. "Step away from the equipment immediately! Keep your hands where we can see them!"
Julian dropped the metal shredder onto the carpet with a heavy thud. His eyes darted past the federal agents and landed directly on Avery Sloan, who stood calmly in the doorway.
"You..." Julian hissed, his face twisted in pure, unadulterated hatred. "You miserable, ungrateful bitch! I gave you your career! I made you Chief Operating Officer!"
Avery walked slowly into the room, her expression completely cold and unfazed by his outburst.
"You didn't give me anything, Julian," Avery said, her voice dropping into a razor-sharp whisper. "I earned every promotion through hard work while you were off spending company money on private hotel suites and corrupt bribes."
"You ruined everything!" Julian shouted, trying to step toward her, but two FBI agents immediately grabbed his arms and forced him down onto his knees. "I built Blackwell Group!"
"No, Julian," Avery said, looking down at him with quiet contempt. "You stripped Blackwell Group clean. And now, you're going to pay for every single cent."
Special Agent Miller stepped forward and pulled out a pair of steel handcuffs. "Julian Cross, you are under arrest for federal wire fraud, conspiracy, and destruction of evidence. You have the right to remain silent..."
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As the cold metal handcuffs clicked around Julian’s wrists, Avery watched the great, untouchable CEO finally break. Tears of rage and defeat spilled down his cheeks as he was marched out of the room in shame.
Avery turned to Marcus and the FBI technical team. "Secure every single hard drive in this room," she commanded softly. "It's time to bring down the rest of them."
