Chapter 18 - The Raid
The booming automated voice completely shattered Thorne's arrogant composure.
Heavy boots echoed above them, followed by the unmistakable sound of flashbang grenades.
"FBI! Drop your weapons!" a chorus of commanding voices yelled from the upper floors.
The syndicate guards looked at each other in panic, their loyalty breaking down instantly.
Two of them dropped their rifles and ran toward the emergency exit, abandoning their boss.
Thorne gritted her teeth in pure fury, realizing her impenetrable fortress had fallen.
She turned her gun toward the servers, intending to destroy the physical mainframes.
Before she could pull the trigger, Julian leaped out from behind the cover.
He tackled Thorne hard, knocking her silver pistol out of her perfectly manicured hand.
Thorne fought viciously, clawing at Julian's face with desperate strength.
But Sarah jumped into the fray, pinning Thorne's arms to the floor with a fierce scream.
"That is for my family!" Sarah yelled, landing a heavy punch across Thorne's jaw.
Thorne went limp, finally defeated by the parents she had underestimated.
Heavily armored FBI agents stormed into the basement, their laser sights sweeping the room.
"Nobody move!" the lead agent commanded.
Julian raised his hands slowly, stepping away from the unconscious crime boss.
"We are the hostages," Julian gasped, completely out of breath.
Agents quickly moved in, zip-tying Thorne and tending to the wounded.
Julian looked over and saw Vanessa lying in a pool of her own blood.
An FBI medic was pressing bandages tightly against her gunshot wound.
Vanessa weakly opened her eyes and looked directly at Julian.
She managed a faint, mocking smile despite the intense pain.
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"You owe me, Julian," she whispered before passing out.
Julian knew the nightmare was finally ending, but the aftermath was just beginning.
