Chapter 3 - A Direct Line to the Empire
My first move was survival. I called a high-end, 24-hour private medical concierge service I had known about during my supply chain days. Within thirty minutes, a luxury medical transport SUV pulled up to the diner.
A professional, incredibly polite doctor stepped out, carrying a state-of-the-art portable nebulizer and a brand-new, top-tier maintenance inhaler. He treated Lyra right there in the back of the heated vehicle. As the medicine entered her lungs, her breathing finally eased, the terrifying rattle subsiding into a soft, healthy rhythm. She fell asleep across the leather seats, wrapped in a heated cashmere blanket the medical team provided.
"Where to, Mr. Pendelton?" the driver asked respectfully.
"The Grand Plaza Hotel," I said. "Book the Presidential Suite for the next month."
As the vehicle glided through the quiet, snow-covered streets, I looked at my phone. The weight of the millions in my bank account felt like armor. I was no longer the broken man who had taken a beating from life. I was a father with the power to protect his child, and I was about to rebuild my life from the ground up.
The next morning, I awoke in a bed that felt like a cloud. Lyra was still sleeping peacefully beside me, her cheeks having regained their healthy pink color. I stepped out onto the balcony overlooking the city skyline and called Richard Vance.
"Arthur," Richard answered on the first ring. "I trust the initial transfer was satisfactory?"
"It saved my daughter's life, Richard. Thank you. Now, I need to understand the full scope of what I own."
"You own 51% of Vance Global Logistics," Richard explained. "But more importantly, you own the land, the warehouses, and the distribution contracts. In fact, if I recall correctly, your former employer, Apex Medical Distributing, relies entirely on Vance Global for its shipping corridors."
A cold, sharp smile spread across my face. Apex Medical was the company that had laid me off right after my divorce, citing 'restructuring' when in reality, my supervisor had hired his own nephew to take my place. And my father’s logistics consulting firm, Thaddius & Sons, was currently bidding for a major subcontracting deal with Apex to keep his own failing business afloat.
"Richard," I said, my voice steady and cold. "I want a full audit of all active contracts in the state. Specifically, any proposals involving Thaddius Pendelton or Apex Medical."
May you like
"Consider it done, Arthur. I will have my team compile the documents. Would you like to schedule an introductory meeting with the board of directors?"
"Yes," I replied, looking back at Lyra as she stirred awake. "Set it for this Thursday. And Richard? Make sure it's kept completely quiet until I walk through those doors."
