Part 18: The Northern Boundary
Part 18: The Northern Boundary
Six months after the western expansion was finalized, the spring thaw had arrived at our main logistics hub.
The wide-open spaces were vibrant with new grass, and the courtyard smelled like lavender and piñon smoke in the evenings.
My development firm was now the dominant force in the district, its assets radiant with a deep, unyielding sense of peace that no predator could touch.
I stood near the open office window of the park district, reviewing the new commercial contracts for the regional supply lines.
Everything was moving smoothly until a red delivery van pulled up to the baseline structure, its engine idling loudly.
A woman in a traditional service uniform stepped out, holding a large, yellow shipping crate.
She didn't walk toward the main office.
She walked straight toward Naomi, who was sitting on a stone bench near the safety fence.
My heart skipped a beat, the old discipline kicking in before my mind could fully process the danger.
"Marcus!" I shouted into my radio. "Secure the baseline structure. Now."
I ran down the concrete path, my boots pounding against the ground as the woman reached into the crate and pulled out a heavy, black leather folder.
She wasn't a delivery driver.
She was Clara, the former maid who had worked for the Hale family before their corporate execution.
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She looked up as I approached, her face pale, her eyes filled with a quiet, desperate fear.
"Claire," she whispered, holding the folder out with both hands. "You need to hide this. Your mother-in-law is out."
