Chapter 2: Divorce

"If you don't sign those land papers by noon, Maya, I will have you declared mentally unfit, take custody of Leo, and throw you into a psychiatric ward!" Derek's roar echoed down the hallway before the elevator doors even clicked open.

Maya didn't even turn around. She stood inside the lobby of Harrison & Partners, sipping a warm cup of black coffee while two armed private security guards stepped between her and her enraged ex-husband.

"Try it, Derek," Maya said.

"Because three minutes ago, Mr Harrison officially filed for our divorce and the frozen assets order was served directly to your board of directors."

Derek’s face drained of all color. He pulled out his phone, his hands shaking violently as three call notifications from his chief financial officer flashed across his screen.

"What... what did you do?" Derek choked out, his arrogance turning into pure panic.

"I didn't just cancel your corporate card, Derek," Maya smiled. 

"I reported fifty thousand dollars in wire fraud to the federal district attorney. Every single dollar you transferred from our joint trust into Chloe's personal offshore account is now evidence in a criminal investigation. 

And if you ever speak Leo's name again, I will ensure you serve maximum time in federal prison."

"Maya! You bitch!" Derek shrieked, lunging forward, but the two massive security guards grabbed his arms, pinning him against the pillar.

"If you take one more step toward Mrs. Vance, Mr. Vance,"Mr Harrison, stepping out of the elevator with a briefcase, "the police waiting outside will add felony assault to your fraud indictment. 

You have twenty four hours to sign the asset and surrender all claims to Leo and the estate, or you will spend all your days in a federal holding cell."

Derek stared at her, his jaw trembling, sweat breaking out across his forehead. "You can't do this to me! My entire life... my company's stock deal... it's all destroyed!"

"You destroyed it the moment you stole from my son," Maya said coldly, turning on her heel. "Sign the papers, Derek. Or get used to wearing handcuffs."

Leaving Derek screaming in the lobby, Maya stepped into a waiting black SUV.

She didn't waste a single second celebrating. She had twenty nine days left before the sky froze, and a simple divorce wasn't going to protect her or save her son's life. 

She needed to manipulate the entire commercial supply chain before anyone realized what was coming.

Maya pulled out her tablet and dialed Frank, the head logistics for the state's largest wholesale distribution network.

"Frank," Maya said directly. "I need fifty tons of grain, thirty tons of canned meat, ten gallons of fuel, three tons of organic milk powder, bulk toddler vitamins, and winter clothing delivered to Dock Warehouse 4 by ten o'clock tomorrow morning."

On the other end of the line, Frank let out a nervous laugh. "Miss Vance, that's over a million dollars in bulk supplies. Distributors don't move that fast without six weeks of clearance and commercial permits."

"I am paying full price in cash right now," Maya replied smoothly, "plus a fifty percent non-disclosure bonus if the entire shipment is sealed inside Warehouse 4 without a paper trail."

There was silence on the line. "Cash? No paper trail?"

"Swipe the card, Frank, or I take my two million dollars to your rival in the north district."

"Consider it loaded," Frank swallowed hard. "Trucks move in two hours."

Next, Maya placed two calls to pharmaceutical suppliers and tactical gear outfits across two neighboring states.

"I want five thousand cases of broad spectrum antibiotics, pediatric medicine, suture kits, surgical trays, trauma bandages, and five hundred portable oxygen cylinders," Maya ordered firmly. 

"I am wire transferring eight hundred thousand dollars directly to your clearing account. I expect two trucks at Warehouse 4 before midnight."

"Miss Vance, that volume of medical equipment requires hospital authorization!" the sales manager blurted out over the speakerphone.

"I am paying a three hundred thousand dollar rush premium in cash," Maya replied.

"Do you want the transaction, or should I contact l your competitor?"

"The trucks will be loaded in forty five minutes, Miss Vance," the manager answered immediately, his tone shifting from suspicion to greed.

By six o'clock that evening, Maya stood inside Warehouse 4 in the city. 

Inside the warehouse, mountains of wooden pallets filled with canned beef, grain, medical supplies, pediatric gear, diesel bladders, and industrial generators stretched fifty feet high.

Maya stood in the center of the concrete floor and raised her right hand.

System, activate.

[SPATIAL CITADEL SYSTEM]

[Dimensional Storage Capacity: 10,000 Cubic Meters]

[Targeting Bulk Cargo: 500 Tons]

[Store All?]

Store all, Maya commanded in her mind.

A soft, pulsing blue ring flared out from her palm, sweeping across the warehouse like an invisible shockwave.

SWOOSH!

In less than three seconds, the five hundred tons of supplies vanished into thin air. The concrete floor was bare, not a single speck of dust remained.

[SPATIAL CAPACITY: 28.5% USED]

[Absolute Stasis: Active]

A sudden vibration buzzed in her pocket.

It wasn't a text from Derek, and it wasn't a confirmation from her contractor. It was a ping from an unknown military network:

[UNKNOWN SENDER: Miss Vance, your massive cash purchases in the wholesale district have flagged a red line security alert. You aren't the only one preparing for the winter. Meet me at Ironclad in one hour if you want to survive what's coming before Day Zero.]

Maya’s eyes narrowed into a frown.

Someone else knew about the cold. Someone else was watching her every move.

She locked the warehouse doors, gripped her car keys, and smiled a cold, dangerous smile.

"Let's see who's playing," Maya whispered.