chapter
Chapter 22: The Predator’s Ledger
Thousands of miles away, in the hyper-modern, sterile penthouse suite of Aetherius Global headquarters, Damian Vane poured himself a glass of expensive scotch.
Damian was a man who viewed the world entirely through the lens of extraction. To him, rivers, forests, and human beings were merely numbers on a balance sheet—assets to be liquidated or obstacles to be removed. He stared down at the sprawling city below his private tower, reveling in the absolute power his wealth provided.
His chief legal counsel, a nervous man named Aris, knocked timidly on the open door.
"Mr. Vane," Aris said, adjusting his glasses. "We have a situation regarding the Oakhaven dam project. A new entity has entered the theater."
Damian took a slow sip of his scotch, not bothering to turn around. "Did the locals find another pathetic pro-bono lawyer to file a meaningless injunction? Bury them in paperwork until they run out of funding."
"It isn't a local firm, sir," Aris stammered, a bead of sweat forming on his brow. "It is the Calderon Foundation. They have filed a massive, multi-national class-action lawsuit in the World Court. They have also dispatched emergency water convoys to the region, completely bypassing our blockades."
Damian stopped. He slowly lowered his glass, his jaw tightening.
He knew the Calderon name. Everyone in the global financial sector knew it. They were the anomaly—an apex predator that hunted other predators to protect the flock.
"The Calderons," Damian sneered, turning to face his lawyer. "A wealthy mother playing saint, and a boy playing king. They think because they bullied a few local venture capitalists, they can step onto the world stage and dictate terms to me?"
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"Sir, their legal fund is practically inexhaustible," Aris warned. "And Leo Calderon is personally on the ground in Oakhaven."
"Let him be on the ground," Damian laughed, a dark, hollow sound. "The dirt is where he belongs. Double the private security at the dam. Freeze the local supply routes. I want to see how long their philanthropy lasts when it costs them blood."
