Chapter 23 - The Devil's Ransom
Tariq did not bother sending his lawyers to negotiate with a snake like Victor Vance.
At exactly midnight, Tariq’s sleek black motorcade pulled up to the heavily guarded entrance of Victor’s corporate headquarters.
Tariq walked right past the bewildered security desk, his aura radiating absolute, terrifying power.
He kicked open the double doors of the executive boardroom where Victor was celebrating his skyrocketing stock prices.
The room fell dead silent as the most feared man in the financial sector stepped into the light.
Victor tried to mask his fear with a smug smile, gesturing for his private security to stand down.
"Tariq Al-Farsi, what a rare and desperate pleasure to see you in my building," Victor sneered.
"Release the antiviral shipments to the downtown clinics immediately," Tariq commanded, his voice a low, dangerous rumble.
"I am afraid supply chain issues make that impossible, unless you are willing to make a trade," Victor replied confidently.
Victor slid a thick legal document across the mahogany table.
He demanded that Tariq sign over fifty-one percent of the Al-Farsi global shipping routes in exchange for the medicine.
It was a blatant extortion attempt that would cripple Tariq’s empire and hand the city over to a tyrant.
Tariq looked at the contract, his face an unreadable mask of cold stone.
May you like
He knew that if he surrendered his shipping routes, thousands of his own employees would lose their livelihoods.
But if he refused, Chloe's patients would not survive the week.
