Chapter 61: The Siege of Vance Tower

 

Penthouse Suite. The Four Seasons Hotel. Directly opposite Vance Tower. 8:00 PM.

The room was dark. The only light came from the floor-to-ceiling windows, framing the glittering skyline of Manhattan. Sebastian sat in a velvet armchair, a glass of whiskey in his hand. He had shaved, showered, and changed into a crisp black suit. He looked like the Devil on his day off.

Harper stood by the window, looking down at the street below. "It's quiet," she whispered. "Too quiet."

"That's because the wolves are circling," Sebastian took a sip. "Check the feed."

Harper picked up a tablet connected to the street cameras (thanks to her dad's network). Unmarked black vans were blocking the intersections. Men in trench coats were moving into position. A delivery truck had "broken down" right in front of the main entrance of Vance Tower.

"The countdown ends in ten seconds," Sebastian looked at his watch. "Ten. Nine. Eight..."

He stood up and walked to the window, standing behind Harper. "Three. Two. One."

BOOM.

The "broken down" delivery truck exploded. A massive fireball engulfed the lobby entrance of Vance Tower. Glass shattered and rained down like diamonds on the pavement. Alarms began to wail across the city.

"Showtime," Sebastian whispered.

---

[The Chaos]

Inside Vance Tower. 50th Floor.

Victoria Vance was in the middle of a champagne toast with the Board of Directors. "To the future," she raised her glass. "And to the end of the Sterling legacy."

BOOM. The building shook violently. The champagne glasses rattled on the table. "What was that?" a director screamed.

The door burst open. The Head of Security rushed in, blood on his forehead. "Ma'am! We are under attack!"

"Terrorists?" Victoria gasped.

"No, ma'am. Everyone," the security chief shouted. "The Russians are at the loading dock. The Triads are rappelling from the roof. The Cartel just blew up the lobby!" "They are all demanding the same thing! 'Give us the Key!'"

Victoria froze. The Key? She didn't have the Key. She had a dead Julian and a pile of rubble in Paris. She realized instantly. Sebastian.

"He played us," Victoria hissed, smashing her glass. "He put a bounty on my head."

"We can't hold them off!" The security chief yelled as gunfire erupted in the hallway. "They have RPGs! We need to evacuate!"

"No!" Victoria’s eyes went wild. "If we leave, they will burn this building down. My servers! My money! It's all here!" She ran to the window. She looked across the street. At the penthouse of the Four Seasons. She saw a silhouette standing in the window. A man in a wheelchair... no, a man standing with a cane. Raising a glass to her.

"You want a war, Sebastian?" Victoria grabbed her phone. "I'll give you a war."

---

[The Broadcast]

The Penthouse.

"They are breaching the 20th floor," Harper watched the tablet. "Victoria's private army is fighting back, but they are outnumbered."

"Good," Sebastian watched the smoke rising from his enemy's fortress. "Let them tear each other apart."

Suddenly, the massive digital billboard in Times Square—visible from their window—flickered. The advertisements for perfume and cars disappeared. It was replaced by a live video feed.

Victoria Vance. She was disheveled, dust in her hair, looking terrified. She was crying. (Fake tears, but convincing).

"Citizens of New York!" Victoria sobbed into the camera. "Please help us!" "We are under attack by a terrorist organization led by a madman!"

A photo of Sebastian Sterling appeared on the giant screen. It was an old mugshot from his rebellious youth, edited to look sinister.

"Sebastian Sterling has lost his mind!" Victoria screamed. "He killed his own brother! He bombed my building! He is holding the city hostage!" "I am begging the police, the National Guard... kill him! Before he kills us all!"

Harper gasped. "She's flipping the narrative! She's framing you as a domestic terrorist!"

Sirens began to wail in the distance. Not for Vance Tower. For the Four Seasons. Victoria had doxxed their location.

"Smart," Sebastian admitted, his eyes cold. "She knows she can't win with bullets, so she's using the media."

"Sebastian, the police are coming for us now!" Harper grabbed his arm. "If they arrest you, you'll never get out. Victoria owns the judges!"

"I have no intention of being arrested," Sebastian turned from the window. He picked up his cane. He picked up the Rolling Pin.

"Where are we going?" Harper asked frantically.

"To the one place she won't bomb," Sebastian walked to the door. "We are going to Vance Tower."

Harper stared at him. "Are you insane? That's the kill zone!"

"Exactly," Sebastian smiled. A dark, predatory smile. "The safest place in a hurricane is the eye of the storm." "Besides... I have an appointment with my mother-in-law."

He opened the door. "Liam! Is the helicopter ready?"

"Yes, sir," Liam’s voice crackled over the earpiece. "Roof extraction in two minutes."

Sebastian looked at Harper. "Do you trust me?"

Harper looked at the burning building across the street. Then at the man who would burn the world for her. She took a deep breath. "Let's go finish this."

(End of Chapter 61)