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Chapter 37: The open gallery
publish date:
2026-05-24 22:56:36
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DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH Chapter 114: The Sub-Tier Perimeter
Chapter 114: The Sub-Tier PerimeterThe descent into the archives of the Palais de Justice felt like stepping back into a forgotten century of stone and iron. The stairs down from the marble of the public galleries led to raw damp limestone corridors. These corridors were lit by low-wattage security bulbs spaced apart. The bulbs hummed against the dampness underground.Julian moved down the flight of stone steps. He did so with the predatory ease of a hunter stalking prey into a cave. His large frame filled the corridor. The dark fabric of his cashmere overcoat brushed against the walls. His gray eyes were hard. Like ice. They seemed to be made of executive power.Elena was behind his shoulder. Her dark leather trench coat was zipped up tight against the chill of the sub-tier. She held a security mobile command unit. The unit's screen was dimmed to a clinical blue. This blue highlighted the angles of her face. Her right hand was steady over the console. Her unpolished silver band caug
DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH Chapter 113: The Two-Hour Fuse
Chapter 113: The Two-Hour FuseThe oak doors of the high-tier maritime chamber closed behind them with a loud thud. This shut out the noise of Baron Hendrick Vance's team. The grand gallery outside was empty. It had marble walls and high arched windows. The Brussels rain drummed steadily against the windows.Julian didn't slow down. His large hand was on Elena's back. He had a grip. His gray eyes were sharp. They swept the hallways like a hawk looking for prey."We don't wait in the galleries, " Julian said. His voice was deep. It brooked no argument. "The Baron is cornered. His cartel is watching their money disappear. He has two hours before the magistrate returns. He will use every second to try and find a weakness in our plan."Elena moved in step with Julian. Her dark leather trench coat was sharp against the marble walls. She had a security mobile command unit on her forearm. Her silver band glinted under the chandeliers. Her fingers worked the network loops."The Rotterdam blac
DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH Chapter 112: The Blackout Gambit
Chapter 112: The Blackout GambitThe tier maritime chamber of the Palais de Justice was a big room with dark polished mahogany and old brass fixtures. Above a large stained-glass skylight let in some gloomy Brussels rain making long distorted shafts of sepia-colored light that cut through the shadows. At the bench sat Magistrate Vivienne De Clercq, a woman with a sharp unreadable expression. She had been doing this job for decades dealing with Europe's volatile international trade disputes.Julian and Elena walked down the center aisle, their footsteps hitting the floor with a rhythmic unyielding authority. As they took their places at the defense table the air in the room seemed to contract under Julian's presence. He took off his cashmere overcoat and threw it over the back of his chair standing tall like a wall of dark charcoal wool and absolute lethal focus.Across the aisle Baron Hendrick Vance sat with his team. The haired banker looked calm, his fingers steepled as he nodded at
DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH Chapter 111: The Sovereign Threshold
Chapter 111: The Sovereign ThresholdThe stone corridors of the Palais de Justice were a dark and sweeping labyrinth. The towering marble arches swallowed the echoes of Julian's footsteps. The air inside was cold, damp and thick with the scent of wax and wet slate. This was a contrast to the high-tech aircraft they had been on just an hour before.Julian walked with deliberate steps. His massive frame cut an imposing silhouette against the sconces on the walls. His black cashmere overcoat was unbuttoned, showing his charcoal suit underneath. His gray eyes were flat and cold like a Chairman ready to take on anyone who got in his way.Elena moved beside him, her dark leather trench coat brushing against the stone floor. Her expression was a mask of detachment, her posture straight and unyielding. Her right hand was in her pocket, her fingers on the high-security console that held the master architecture of the asset shield. On her finger a simple silver band felt heavy and real. It was
DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH Chapter 110: The Sovereign Gavel
Chapter 110: The Sovereign GavelThe gray runway of Brussels-Abelag Terminal shone under a dark low-hanging sky as the Gulfstream landed with a sharp stop. Mist stuck to the glass panels of the executive tarmac making the sharp lines of the surrounding logistics towers blurry.Julian stepped out of the plane first into the cold damp air. He wore a black cashmere coat over a dark charcoal suit, his broad shoulders back against the driving rain. His gray eyes were cold and alert scanning the tarmac. Elena followed him, her dark hair pinned up against the damp chill, a protective black trench coat wrapped tightly over her silk blouse. The raw quartz pendant around her neck felt heavy and cold against her collarbone while the unpolished silver band on her hand shone under the industrial tarmac lights.Waiting at the base of the air-stairs were three Mercedes-Benz sedans, their engines humming quietly. Marcus’s European security lead opened the door of the center vehicle as soon as Julian’
DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH Chapter 109: The Euro-Zone Ambush
Chapter 109: The Euro-Zone AmbushThe Gulfstream airplane was flying high above the North Atlantic. The only sound was a humming noise from the plane. At 43,000 feet the plane had become a command center. The soft lights that usually made the plane feel cozy were gone. Now the plane was filled with sharp lights from the computer screens.Elena was sitting at a table in the front of the plane. She was typing on a computer with a rhythm. She had changed into a business suit and her hair was pulled back. A quartz pendant was resting on her chest and a silver ring was on her finger.Julian was standing behind her. He was wearing a suit and his eyes were fixed on the computer screens. His face was tense. His eyes were scanning the screens quickly. He was no longer relaxed like he was in Miami. Now he was like a guard watching everything carefully."The court in Brussels is not investigating, " Elena said. Her voice was clear and sharp, cutting through the noise of the plane. "They are usin
DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH Chapter 56: The Rising Current
Chapter 56: The Rising CurrentThe mountain valley below the lodge was covered in a thick white fog as the sun came up. Inside the library the air was still and smelled like old cedar wood and hot coffee. Elena sat at a table with her laptop open next to an old shipping crate from 1937. The old dia
DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH Chapter 55: The Living Archive
Chapter 55: The Living ArchiveThe smell of rain on pine trees filled the air as it came through the windows of the main lodge. This was a change from the warm glow of the fire that was burning in the stone hearth. Elena was sitting in the library room watching as the morning light shone on the tho
DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH Chapter 54: The Sovereign Matrix
Chapter 54: The Sovereign MatrixThe smell of cedar and dirt filled the air as evening came to the sanctuary in the country. Inside the main cabin Elena sat at a simple desk made of pine wood. The desk was rough and not fancy like the offices she used to work in. It felt real and comfortable. She c
DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH Chapter 53: The Breaking Ground
Chapter 53: The Breaking GroundThe air in the woods was cool and damp. It was a change from the hot and humid air at the Brooklyn shipyard. Elena stood on a hill that was not too steep. She looked out at an area of pine trees and empty land. The ground beneath her feet was fresh. Big machines had
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