Chapter 5 - The Poison Pill in the Code
The trap was set, but Lorraine was a cornered animal, and cornered animals are the most dangerous.
That evening, I was alone in my father’s house while he went to the federal courthouse to secure the new warrants. The rain was lashing against the windows, masking the sound of the approaching car.
Suddenly, the heavy wooden front door shuddered. Someone was kicking it.
Before I could grab my phone, the glass pane shattered, and a hand reached in, unlocking the deadbolt. The door swung open, revealing Lorraine. She looked completely deranged. Her expensive designer coat was soaked with rain, her makeup running down her face. Behind her stood two massive men in dark suits—private security mercenaries she had hired.
"You little parasite," Lorraine hissed, stepping into the hallway. "You think you can ruin my family? You think a few lines of computer code can take down a dynasty?"
"Your dynasty is built on theft, Lorraine," I said, backing slowly toward the kitchen island where my father kept a panic button wired to the local precinct. "And it's already burning."
"Grab her," Lorraine snapped to the men. "Take the laptop. We're going to a private clinic. By tomorrow morning, she'll be heavily medicated and unable to testify."
One of the men lunged forward.
Before his hand could touch me, the kitchen erupted in blinding, strobing red and blue lights. The wail of police sirens pierced the storm.
Lorraine froze. She turned toward the window.
The street was entirely blocked by black tactical SUVs. Dozens of FBI agents and heavily armed SWAT officers were pouring onto the lawn, their weapons drawn. The flashing lights reflected off the wet pavement like a warning beacon.
My father stepped through the shattered front door, his DOJ badge gleaming on his chest, flanked by two federal marshals.
"Lorraine Preston," my father said, his voice cutting through the noise like a scythe. "You are under arrest for federal racketeering, money laundering, conspiracy to commit corporate espionage, and witness tampering."
Lorraine’s face contorted in shock. "You can't do this! I am a pillar of this community! I have judges on my payroll!"
"Not anymore," my father said softly. "Sarah's algorithm just dumped your entire payroll directly to the Department of Justice. Your bank accounts are frozen. Your foundation has been seized. You have nothing."
The two mercenaries instantly dropped their hands and backed away, realizing they were outgunned and their employer could no longer pay them.
As the federal marshals clamped the handcuffs around Lorraine’s wrists, she looked at me, her eyes filled with a venomous, impotent rage.
"You were nothing before my son picked you up," she spat. "You are just a stupid girl!"
I walked slowly across the kitchen, stopping inches from her face.
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"I am a scientist," I said quietly. "And you just became my greatest successful experiment in garbage disposal."
I watched as they dragged her out into the rain, shoving her into the back of a squad car. The nightmare was finally over.
