The Black Code Protocol / Chapter 7 / 40

Chapter 7 - The Vault Below

The synthetic voice echoing from the wall speakers seemed to freeze the very air inside the room.

Claire stood up from her chair, walking up beside Marcus, her hand resting gently on his olive jacket sleeve.

Claire: "Dad... five years ago, when I married Preston... did you know about this place?"

Marcus turned his head, his rugged features softening slightly as he looked down at his daughter.

Marcus: "I knew the Beaumont family was involved in federal defense contracting, Claire. But I didn't know they had compromised the local command node until six months ago, when your phone calls started getting intercepted."

Claire’s hazel eyes widened with sudden realization.

Claire: "My phone calls...? Every time I tried to call you from the estate, the line would drop!"

Marcus nodded slowly, his jaw set in a hard line.

Marcus: "They weren't dropping the calls, sweetheart. Preston was using the subterranean jammer to block your outgoing signals every time you threatened to leave him."

Preston scrambled backward across the marble floor, his voice breaking into a desperate scream.

Preston: "She was going to ruin my family's reputation! She was telling people I hit her!"

Marcus turned his steel-blue eyes toward Preston, taking one deliberate step forward.

Marcus: "You did hit her, Preston. And tonight was the last time you’ll ever lay a finger on a human being."

Vivienne stepped between Marcus and her son, holding her hands out, her sapphire jewelry flashing under the red strobes.

Vivienne: "Marcus... listen to me! We have fifty million dollars in liquid bearer bonds stored in the Greenwich vault! We can transfer twenty million to an offshore account in your name right now!"