All Chapters of From Trash to Titan: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

They stepped out of the SUV into the noise and chaos. Maxwell followed Kieran toward the main building. It was a massive structure that looked more like an airport terminal than a warehouse. A man in a hard hat and reflective vest jogged over when he saw them. He was in his fifties, builit like someone who'd worked with his hands his whole life. "Mr. Ashford," the man said, extending his hand to Kieran. "Wasn't expecting you today." "Frank," Kieran shook his hand casually. "This is Maxwell Sterling. Marcus's son." Frank's eyes widened. It was clear that he didn't expect to see Marcus's son here. Those who knew that Marcus had a son, also knew that his son had been missing and Marcus had never even met him before. He turned to Maxwell and wiped his hand on his vest before offering it. "Mr. Sterling. It's an honor, sir. Your father built this place from nothing." Maxwell shook his hand. "Just Maxwell is fine." Frank smiled. "Alright then. What can I do for you?" "I want you to s

"What was that?" Kieran asked, already moving toward the door.Maxwell did the same. Frank didn't answer. He was frozen, staring at nothing.As they reached the hallway, they heard another explosion. It was a rumble, smaller than the last one, but the fire alarms continued blaring.Maxwell followed Kieran. Workers were looking around, confused. Some were already heading toward the exits. The smell of smoke was faint but growing stronger."South wing!" someone shouted. "Fire in the south wing!"Sarah appeared, running down the hall with a radio in her hand. "We need to evacuate the factory. Now. Everyone out!"Kieran turned to Frank, who had finally stumbled out of his office. "What's in the south wing?"Frank's mouth opened, but nothing came out."Frank!" Kieran grabbed his shoulder. "What's stored there?""Chemical... chemical storage," Frank stammered. "Cleaning agents. Solvents. It's... it's all sealed. It shouldn't...""Get everyone out," Kieran ordered. "Do a headcount. Make s

Across the parking lot, he saw them loading Cedric onto a stretcher. The man was conscious, barely. The paramedics were working on him fast. Maxwell also noticed something when he finally saw the man's face. Cedric, was the same man who had left Frank's office angry, mumbling about him being a ‘dishonest pig.’This just made everything even more suspicious to Maxwell.Kieran crouched down beside him. "You could've died in there.""But I didn't," Maxwell said, his voice rough."That was stupid.""Yeah." Maxwell looked at the building. The smoke was starting to clear as the firefighters got the blaze under control. "Probably."Victoria's car pulled up. She got out before it even fully stopped, her face pale. She walked straight to Maxwell. Meanwhile Julian, who also arrived with her, got out of the car too, looking concerned, but his concern was more about the factory than Maxwell. "Are you hurt?" she asked, her voice tight."I'm fine."She looked at the paramedic. "Is he fine?""Some

Maxwell ignored Julian and his hostility and kept his eyes on Victoria. "Cedric called Frank a dishonest pig right before he stormed out of his office. Then ten minutes later, the section Cedric was working in explodes. That's not a coincidence.""Cedric could've been upset about anything," Victoria said calmly. "A denied vacation request. A performance review. You're connecting dots that might not be connected.""Exactly," Julian said, enjoying this. "This is what happens when you give someone with no experience too much responsibility. They start seeing conspiracies everywhere.""I'm not imagining this," Maxwell defended himself. ."Maybe not," Victoria said, her tone still polite but firm. "But you're also not an investigator. Frank has been managing this facility successfully for years. He's increased efficiency by fifteen percent since he took over. His record is spotless.""Then let corporate security look into it," Maxwell said."They will," Victoria assured him. "They'll inves

The McLaren roared to life in the parking garage. Maxwell sat behind the wheel, feeling the engine vibrate through the seat. He still wasn't used to it. Probably never would be.He pulled out onto the street and just drove.No destination. No plan. Just driving.He passed through downtown, the morning crowds already thick on the sidewalks. People rushing to work, coffee in hand, faces stressed.Maxwell turned down a street he recognized. High-end shopping district. He'd walked past these stores a thousand times, never once going inside.He parked the car and got out.The first store he walked into was a watch shop. The kind with a security guard at the door and displays that looked like museum exhibits.A salesperson approached immediately. "Good morning, sir. Can I help you find something?""Just looking," Maxwell said."Of course. Let me know if you see anything you like."Maxwell walked along the displays. Rolex. Patek Philippe. Audemars Piguet. Watches that cost more than cars.He