Chapter 5 - THE SHADOW OF RETRIBUTION
While Montgomery Meridian Capital celebrated its new era of transparent, high-precision acquisitions, miles away in a sterile federal holding facility in lower Manhattan, Richard Vance was planning his revenge.
The disgraced former hedge fund manager sat behind a Plexiglas divider in the visitor’s booth, staring across at his lead defense attorney with a look of manic desperation.
“I don't care about the SEC indictments,” Richard hissed through the telephone receiver, his voice echoing slightly in the crowded room. “Find a way to hit Arthur Montgomery where it hurts.”
“Richard, your assets have been frozen, your shell companies are dissolved, and Montgomery’s legal team has airtight federal protection,” the lawyer sighed, shaking his head. “There is nothing left to attack. Montgomery Meridian is untouchable.”
“Nobody is untouchable,” Richard snarled, his eyes narrowing into cold, venomous slits. “Montgomery has a new golden girl in his office. Some high-flying analyst named Maya Collins who came out of nowhere and completely overhauled their verification division.”
The lawyer paused, flipping through a stack of legal notes. “Maya Collins? You mean the former restaurant server he poached off the floor two weeks ago?”
“She’s the one who gave him the tip on the Travis County docket,” Richard said, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the plastic phone. “She’s the reason my acquisition strategy collapsed. If she hadn't opened her mouth, Montgomery would have walked right into our trap.”
“What are you suggesting, Richard?”
“She has a sister,” Richard whispered, a dark, calculating smile spreading across his face. “A sick kid undergoing experimental treatments at a private medical clinic in Queens. If that clinic suddenly loses its funding, or if certain... complications arise with her medical supply chain, how do you think our brilliant new asset analyst is going to perform under pressure?”
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The lawyer stared at him in horror. “Richard, that’s kidnapping and medical extortion. If the feds trace that back to us—”
“They won't trace it back to us,” Richard interrupted coldly. “Just make the call. Let’s see how much Arthur Montgomery’s new genius is worth when her family is falling apart.”
