The deep crater fell into a terrifying, heavy darkness as the black titanium console went completely dead.
The beautiful sky-blue screen vanished, leaving Damien Vance and Evelyn Vance standing in the pitch-black shadows of the ruined Ross family estate.
The heavy smell of electric ozone and burnt metal still hung thick in the cold midnight air.
Evelyn Vance stood completely frozen, her small fingers clutching the faded color photograph of her mother, Dr.
Diana Ross, and Arthur Vance.
Her mind was spinning in absolute confusion.
Damien Vance did not hesitate for a single second.
He reached out his big, powerful hands into the glass vault and grabbed the small, leather-bound personal journal.
He slid the journal and the old photograph deep into the inside pocket of his sharp black tuxedo jacket.
Then, Damien Vance bent down and swept Evelyn Vance up into his massive, muscular arms.
He held her tightly against his chest as if she were the most precious treasure on earth.
CRUNCH!
CRUNCH!
CRUNCH!
Damien Vance’s heavy leather shoes crunched loudly against the loose rocks and gravel as he began to carry her up the steep, dangerous slope of the smoking black crater.
Suddenly, several bright beams of light cut through the dark night sky from the top of the crater.
Captain Leo Chang and ten elite Vance security guards stood at the edge of the hole, holding high-powered tactical flashlights.
They immediately formed a tight, protective human shield around Damien Vance and Evelyn Vance, pointing their weapons into the surrounding darkness.
Captain Leo Chang walked forward quickly, his tactical boots clicking against the hard dirt.
His face was filled with an intense, deep worry that Evelyn Vance had never seen before.
Captain Leo Chang spoke in a rapid, hushed whisper, “Mr.
Vance, we have a massive problem.
The green energy beam that shot into the sky lasted for less than a minute, but it was incredibly powerful.
My tech team just confirmed that three global energy spy satellites flagged the energy flare.
The coordinates of the Ross estate have been sent directly to the highest levels of the global corporate syndicates.
The Shadow Council knows that the Genesis Core has been activated.”
Damien Vance’s dark eyes narrowed into sharp slits of pure steel.
He did not lose his calm behavior.
Damien Vance said in a cold, authoritative voice, “Move the armored trucks.
We are leaving this property right now.
Erase all our digital tracks from the hotel computer system and lock down the perimeter.”
Captain Leo Chang bowed his head deeply.
“Yes, Mr.
Vance!”
Damien Vance carried Evelyn Vance straight to the open door of his armored black Maybach.
He placed her gently onto the soft, luxurious leather seat and slid in right next to her.
The heavy bulletproof door shut with a loud, secure thud.
The driver slammed his foot on the gas pedal, and the powerful engine roared loudly as the Maybach tore away from the ruined estate, speeding down the dark, empty highway.
Inside the quiet luxury of the back seat, Damien Vance reached up and pressed a button on the side panel.
Damien Vance reached into his tuxedo jacket and pulled out the old, leather-bound journal.
He placed it gently into Evelyn Vance’s trembling hands.
Evelyn Vance looked down at the faded brown leather.
On the front cover, her mother’s elegant handwriting was written in golden ink: Property of Dr.
Diana Ross.
With shaking fingers, Evelyn Vance slowly opened the first page of the diary.
RUSTLE!
The fragile paper rustled softly in the quiet car.
Evelyn Vance began to read the neat, handwritten words aloud in a small, breaking voice.
“To my beautiful daughter, Evelyn.
If you are reading this journal, it means I am no longer alive to protect you, and the greedy monsters of the world have discovered the land.
Twenty years ago, Arthur Vance and I discovered an ancient, limitless clean-energy mineral deep beneath this soil.
We named it Verdant Jade-9.
We knew that if the global energy syndicates found it, they would kill us and use it to control the entire world economy.”
Evelyn Vance paused, a warm tear slipping down her pale cheek.
She looked up at Damien Vance, whose eyes were fixed completely on the journal.
She turned the page and continued reading.
“Arthur Vance used his massive multi-billion dollar wealth to build the titanium shields to bury the core.
I used my own genetic sequence to create the bio-resonance lock.
But we knew a digital password could be hacked.
Therefore, Arthur and I made a sacred, unbreakable bloodline pact.
We locked the core using a dual-frequency system.
The physical key is hidden inside the platinum necklace I left for you.
The biological key is your own blood.
But the digital safety codes are locked inside the main mainframe computers of Vance Enterprises.”
Evelyn Vance gasped softly as the puzzle pieces finally began to fall into place.
The journal continued: “Evelyn, you are the key, but you will always need a shield.
If the day ever comes that the secret is exposed, you must marry Arthur’s son, Damien Vance.
His absolute corporate power and military-grade security are the only things on earth strong enough to keep you safe from the Shadow Council.
Your marriage is not a coincidence.
It is the ultimate blueprint to save the world.”
The cabin of the Maybach became completely silent.
Evelyn Vance closed the journal slowly.
She turned her head and looked at Damien Vance.
Her heart was pounding with a strange, deep emotion.
Her marriage to this powerful, cold billionaire was not a random accident.
It was a destiny prepared for them twenty years ago by their own parents.
Damien Vance looked at Evelyn Vance.
His large hand reached out and gently wiped the stray tear from her cheek.
He made me promise to protect the Ross land with my life.
Now, I finally understand why.”
Suddenly, a loud, sharp electronic sound shattered the quiet moment inside the car.
RING!
RING!
RING!
The encrypted satellite phone on the center console flashed with a violent crimson light.
Damien Vance’s face instantly returned to its cold, hard mask.
He reached out his big hand and pressed the speaker button.
Instantly, the frantic, trembling voice of Lawyer Vance Jenkins echoed loudly through the car speakers.
Lawyer Vance Jenkins shouted in pure terror, “Mr.
Vance!
We are under attack!
Julian Sterling was just a small pawn!
His ruthless grandfather, Old Master Sterling, has just launched a catastrophic global counter-attack against us!”
Damien Vance’s jaw clenched tightly.
He said in a powerful voice, “Speak clearly, Jenkins.
What did the old man do?”
Lawyer Vance Jenkins gasped for air over the phone.
“Old Master Sterling used his massive political influence to hijack the global satellite data from the green energy flare!
He has just filed an emergency international report!
He convinced the International Energy Commission that you are hiding an illegal, highly dangerous nuclear weapon beneath the Ross estate!”
Evelyn Vance felt the color drain from her face once again.
Lawyer Vance Jenkins continued to yell in total panic, “Mr.
Vance, it is a total trap!
The international high-tech tactical forces have believed his lies!
They have officially charged you with global treason!
Dozens of military helicopters and heavily armed government agents are flying toward the city right now!
They have orders to raid the Ross estate, seize the property, and arrest you and Mrs.
Vance on sight!
You have less than sixty minutes before the international army arrives!”
Evelyn Vance looked at Damien Vance in absolute horror.
They had just stopped a self-destruct sequence, and now they were being hunted by the most powerful military forces in the world.
Damien Vance did not panic.
A dark, terrifyingly cold smile slowly spread across his handsome face.
His dark eyes flashed with an intense, deadly light.
He reached forward and grabbed the satellite phone.
Damien Vance spoke into the receiver in a calm, powerful voice that carried the absolute weight of a king: “Let them come, Jenkins.
Tell Captain Leo to activate the Vanguard Protocol.
If the international army wants a war, I will show them what the Vance family is truly capable of.”
The satellite phone screen suddenly went completely dark.