Chapter 4 - The Shadow of Vanguard Holdings
Across the city, in a sleek, glass-enclosed penthouse office, Victor Vance sat behind a massive desk overlooking the Manhattan skyline. Vance was a man who reeked of expensive cologne and ruthless ambition. He was the CEO of Vanguard Holdings, a company built on aggressive acquisitions and shattered livelihoods. He was currently screaming into his encrypted cell phone. "What do you mean the kid walked into a bank? I told you to watch the apartment!" The voice on the other end, a corrupt private investigator on Vance's payroll, stammered excuses. "He slipped out the fire escape, Mr. Vance. But a source at the precinct just tipped us off. The kid is at First Fidelity on 5th Avenue. And he has the green bag."
Vance slammed his fist onto the desk, rattling his crystal whiskey glass. Arthur Penhaligon, that weak, moralizing fool of a CFO, had discovered Vance's massive Ponzi scheme within the company's pension funds. Instead of taking a bribe, Arthur had downloaded all the damning financial ledgers onto an encrypted hard drive and, in a desperate move, stolen a million dollars in physical cash from Vance’s personal illicit slush fund to use as evidence of the physical money laundering. Vance didn't care about the million dollars—it was pocket change. He cared about the hard drive, which he suspected was hidden inside that green bag.
"Get down there," Vance snarled into the phone. "Intercept the kid before the feds take custody. I don't care who you have to bribe or hurt. If the police process that bag and find the ledger, we are all going to federal prison for the rest of our lives." He hung up the phone, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. The race was on. He had to silence Arthur Penhaligon, but first, he had to get to the boy. The corporate machine was moving, and it was aiming all its dark, heavy artillery at a seven-year-old child sitting in a bank manager's office.
