Chapter 45 - Shattered Glass
The courtroom descended into absolute bedlam as the federal assault team systematically disarmed the syndicate contractors. Flashbangs echoed down the marble corridors, the harsh chemical smoke mixing with the blinding broadcast glare that still beamed out across millions of American homes.
I walked down the steps of the dais, past Harrison Vance, who had slumped into a wooden chair, his arrogant posture shattered like cheap porcelain.
"Get him into holding," I ordered the marshals. "Keep him in solitary. No lawyers, no visitors, no contact until the Attorney General arrives from Washington."
"Aunt Eleanor!"
I spun around. Julian was sprinting through the double doors, his clothes disheveled, his glasses askew, carrying a military-grade satellite receiver. Behind him, flanked by three heavily armed federal agents, was Marcus.
And in Marcus's arms was Maya.
"Mommy!" Maya sobbed, reaching out for me.
The judicial robes felt like twenty pounds of useless weight as I broke into a run, dropping to my knees on the cold marble and pulling my daughter into my arms. I buried my face in her hair, breathing in the scent of cedar and sweet shampoo, trembling so violently that my teeth chattered.
"I'm here, baby," I whispered over and over, kissing her forehead, checking her hands, her face, her tear-stained cheeks. "You're safe. Nobody is ever going to touch you again. I promise."
Marcus looked down at me, his face blood-streaked from the breach, giving a slow, weary nod of relief. "Every underground entrance is secure, Judge. The National Guard just retook the Capitol grounds. The provisional coup has failed."
Julian stepped beside us, his face pale despite the victory, staring down at the glowing monitor of his portable terminal.
"Aunt Eleanor," Julian said, his voice trembling in a way that made the hair on my arms stand up. "We missed something. Something massive."
May you like
"Not now, Julian," I said, still holding Maya tight against my chest.
"Eleanor, look at the encrypted feed," Julian insisted, turning the screen directly toward me. "The broadcast signal... it wasn't just sending out the video of the swearing-in. The signal was a carrier wave. It was carrying an automated decryption cipher."
