Chapter 13 - Daniel’s Desperate Gamble
In the high-security holding wing of the federal detention center, Daniel Vance was pacing like a caged animal. His pristine academic charm was entirely gone, replaced by frantic desperation. His scheduled arraignment was in less than twelve hours, and every legal avenue had been slammed shut by Julian's cooperation.
When the heavy steel door of his holding cell opened, Daniel lunged forward, expecting his new court-appointed public defender. Instead, a tall man in a bespoke gray suit stepped inside, flanked by two silent guards. The man had sharp, predatory features and cold gray eyes that seemed to strip away Daniel's remaining dignity.
"Daniel Vance, I presume," the man said smoothly, his voice carrying a crisp, transatlantic accent.
"Who are you? Are you my new lawyer?" Daniel demanded, backing away slightly.
"Let's just say I represent the people who funded Meridian Holdings," the man replied, closing the heavy steel door behind him and locking it from the inside. He pulled out a silver cigarette case, though he didn't light anything, merely turning it over in his manicured fingers. "You and Vanessa made quite a mess of things, Daniel. You were supposed to acquire Vanguard Technologies quietly through legal incapacity. Instead, you turned it into a violent, televised crime drama."
Daniel swallowed hard, sweat beading on his forehead. "I... we had to adapt! Elena found out about the secondary access logs! She was going to freeze us out!"
"And instead of handling it like professionals, you smashed a crystal award over her head and left a live cellular transmitter rolling on the rug," the man said, his voice dropping an octave into chilling mockery. "Do you have any idea how much money and time our firm invested in setting up your corporate takeover?"
"Please," Daniel pleaded, dropping his arrogant facade entirely as he fell to his knees on the concrete floor. "Get me out of here! Pay off the judge, hire a better legal team! I'll give you whatever you want—full control of Vanguard's secondary patents!"
The man looked down at Daniel with utter contempt, as if inspecting a cockroach on a pristine floor. "We don't need Vanguard's patents anymore, Daniel. And we certainly don't need you. You're a liability."
Before Daniel could scream, the man signaled the two guards standing outside the doorway. They stepped forward with terrifying speed, wielding a heavy wet towel and a syringe.
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"Wait! No! You promised!" Daniel shrieked as they forced him down against the cold floor.
Within seconds, the cell fell silent once more. The man in the gray suit adjusted his cuffs, stepped over Daniel's limp form, and walked out into the corridor, leaving no trace behind except a lingering scent of expensive cologne.
