Chapter 5 - The Devil's Deal
"Stop moving!" Claire yelled, throwing her arm out to block our path. I shined the flashlight upward and felt my stomach drop to the floor. It was a massive bundle of military-grade plastic explosives wired directly into the ceiling supports. The timer showed exactly forty-five seconds remaining. "Thomas planned to collapse the tunnel if we managed to find it," I realized in horror. "Keep the light steady," Claire demanded, stepping up onto an old wooden crate. She used her bloody forceps to carefully peel back the black tape holding the detonator. Thirty seconds. I held my daughters tightly, preparing to shield them from the blast. Twenty seconds. Claire's hands were incredibly steady, showing no sign of fear or hesitation. Ten seconds. She completely ignored the colorful wires and jammed the sharp surgical needle straight through the digital circuit board. The timer froze at exactly three seconds. We all let out a collective breath of absolute relief. We pushed forward, finally reaching the rusty grate that opened into the city sewers. We climbed out into the freezing Chicago night, completely covered in mud and blood. We had no money, no phones, and my entire empire was in the hands of my traitorous brother. "I know a safe house," Claire said softly, wiping dirt from her scarred face. "It belongs to a man who owes me a very large favor." We walked for two miles through the dark alleys, avoiding the main streets entirely. We finally arrived at an old, abandoned meatpacking plant on the south side of the city. Claire knocked on the heavy metal door in a strange, rhythmic pattern. The door opened, revealing a massive man covered in terrifying gang tattoos. It was Victor, the ruthless leader of the rival Russian cartel. "Well, well, well," Victor smiled, racking a shotgun with a loud clatter. "Look what the cat dragged in."
