Chapter 7 - The Strike at Marcus Vance
Four weeks later.
The snow across Northern Vermont was beginning to melt, turning the edges of the highways into slushy grey ribbons under a bright late-winter sun.
Inside the headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Burlington, a massive joint task force consisting of state police, DEA agents, and Canadian Mounted Police sat around a conference table covering fifty feet of space.
I sat at the head of the table alongside Detective Ortiz and Special Agent Marcus Thorne.
On the high-definition monitors mounted on the wall, real-time satellite feeds showed a sprawling, fifty-acre estate located just across the Canadian border in Stanstead, Quebec.
"Marcus Vance’s primary compound," Agent Thorne announced, laser-pointing at the fortified stone mansion surrounded by high security walls and private helipads. "For seven years, Vance operated under the assumption that his cross-border cold-chain logistics network was invisible because he used legitimate American transport companies like Bennett Cold Storage."
Thorne turned to look at me.
"Thanks to Miss Bennett's full cooperation," Thorne continued, "and the complete server data recovered from Vault 4, we have identified every single distribution node, every corrupted customs officer, and every encrypted communication channel used by the Vance Syndicate."
"What happens to the company, Alice?" Detective Ortiz asked, turning her chair toward me.
I pulled a sleek tablet from my bag, displaying the new corporate structure of Bennett Cold Storage.
"We’ve restructured completely," I said, my voice strong, confident, clear. "We’ve cut all ties with Northline. We’ve secured a twelve-million-dollar federal infrastructure grant to convert our specialized deep-freeze units into distribution hubs for legitimate medical supply chains, vaccine storage, and regional agricultural transport."
A low murmur of approval went around the room.
"And Marcus Vance?" I asked, looking at Agent Thorne.
Thorne smiled—a cold, fierce expression.
"At six o'clock this morning," Thorne revealed, "the Royal Canadian Mounted Police executed thirty-four simultaneous arrest warrants across Quebec and Ontario. Marcus Vance was taken into custody at his home without incident. His assets have been seized under international racketeering laws."
I closed my eyes for three long seconds.
I felt the deep, heavy knot of terror that had resided in my chest since that dark night on I-91 finally unravel, melting away like the snow outside the window.
May you like
It was over.
The monster in the ditch was gone. The shadow over my father's legacy was lifted.
