“My passport? I have a business trip to Frankfurt on Friday.”

“Not anymore, you don’t,” Judge Beckett said.

She stood up, her black robes billowing slightly behind her.

“Court is adjourned.”

The bailiff stepped forward, holding out his hand toward Gavin.

“Your passport, please, sir,” the bailiff said.

Gavin reached into his breast pocket with a shaking hand.

He pulled out the blue booklet and handed it over.

I watched him surrender his freedom, one piece at a time.

Sarah Vance began gathering our papers, placing them into her leather expandable file.

“We have him, Cassandra,” she whispered.

“We need to get the boys,” I said.

“Let’s go,” Sarah said.

I walked out of Courtroom Six, the heavy double doors swinging shut behind me.

The hallway was bright.

Late afternoon sun streamed through the tall glass windows of the courthouse.

I took a deep breath of the cool, air-conditioned air.

My phone buzzed again in my hand.

It was an email notification from the Rourke Regional Mobility corporate server.

The subject line read: *Emergency Board Meeting – Immediate Removal of CEO.*