Chapter 5 - The Geography of the Fallout
The heavy silence that followed Ethan's muffled shout from the living room was suddenly shattered by a sharp, rhythmic pounding on the front security doors. Unlike the quiet, isolated atmosphere Ethan and Lorraine had engineered inside their temple of wealth, the perimeter of the estate was rapidly transforming into a tactical staging ground.
Lorraine emerged from the living room, holding her wineglass as she strolled toward the foyer to check the security monitor. Her casual expression vanished instantly when she saw two unmarked federal law enforcement vehicles blocking the driveway, their headlights cutting through the evening fog, accompanied by local county patrol cars.
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"Ethan! Get in here now!" Lorraine shrieked, her voice pitching upward into panic as she fumbled with the deadbolts. "There are federal agents at the gate!"
Ethan stumbled down the hallway, a beer bottle in hand, his face flushing with arrogant confusion. "Federal agents? For what? This is a private residence! I’ll have their badges!" He yanked the front door open, expecting to dismiss a minor nuisance. Instead, he was met by three heavily armed federal marshals and two economic crime investigators, led by a stern-faced senior inspector holding a stack of court-signed documents.
