Chapter 7: The Interception
At 7:15 PM, Jane’s satellite phone vibrated. It wasn't Silas. The caller ID was a sequence of zeroes. Her breath hitched. She answered it slowly, bringing the cold plastic to her ear.
"Jane." The voice was low, resonant, and carried the weight of absolute authority. Marcus Thorne.
"Father."
"You have made a mess, little bird," Marcus said, his tone conversational, which made it infinitely more terrifying. "Elias reported the altercation. I am disappointed. Emotional outbursts are for the lower classes."
"It wasn't an outburst. It was a termination of a failed venture," Jane replied, keeping her voice steady.
"You don't terminate ventures without my approval," Marcus countered smoothly. "I have dispatched a cleanup crew to the Vanguard penthouse. They will secure Arthur and Eleanor. You will return to the compound, and we will renegotiate the terms of your marriage. The public must not see a fracture."
Panic, cold and sharp, pierced Jane's chest. "Call off your men, Father."
"Excuse me?"
"I said, call them off. I am handling the Vanguards. My way."
May you like
A low, dark chuckle echoed through the receiver. "You think you have the board, Jane. But you are just a piece. My men are three minutes away from the penthouse. We will discuss your insubordination when I see you." The line clicked dead.
Jane stared at the phone. Her father's men were fast, heavily armed, and completely loyal. Silas and his team were stealth operatives, not an assault force. If the two groups clashed, it would be a bloodbath, and the Vanguards might slip away in the chaos.
