Arrogant Billionaire Mocks Old Friend, Only To Be Humiliated By His Secret Power
Previously: A freezing winter dusk at St. Jude's Cathedral becomes the stage for a brutal confrontation. A wealthy man belittles his childhood acquaintance, unaware of the shocking truth that will soon shatter his world.
An Unexpected Arrival
Just as Gregory prepared to push Tommy again, the air was suddenly pierced by a high-pitched tactical siren. The piercing sound was quickly followed by the screech of studded winter tires on ice. Three massive, matte-black presidential Suburbans, their crimson and blue grille LEDs flashing erratically, jumped the cathedral curb and braked in a synchronized, aggressive maneuver, forming an instant barricade. Four burly Secret Service agents, clad in heavy wool overcoats and wearing ballistic earpieces, sprinted out, their sidearms held low, swiftly establishing a security perimeter around the steps.
"Federal perimeter secured, clear the stairs immediately!"
The lead agent’s voice boomed with gravelly authority, cutting through the frigid air. Gregory’s blood ran cold. He glanced at Tommy, whose expression remained unnervingly calm, but his eyes widened slightly. Gregory felt a paralyzing terror grip him. His hand, slick with the condensation from his scotch glass, trembled violently. The crystal tumbler slipped from his grasp, hitting the frozen ice with a sharp, explosive shatter, scattering shards across the ground.
"Director Vance, the President is holding on the secure line for your emergency briefing, Sir."
The lead agent, a man with an immaculate, rigid posture, stepped briskly between Gregory and Tommy. With a crisp military heel click on the snow-covered stone, he raised a flawless salute directly towards Tommy. He then opened a secure, encrypted titanium tablet, his movements precise and efficient. Gregory watched, his mind reeling. Director Vance? The President? His knees visibly buckled. His face drained of all color, becoming a corpse-like white. Sweat beaded at his hairline, freezing instantly in the frigid air.
”Sweat beaded at his hairline, freezing instantly in the frigid air.