Chapter 8 - The Fatal Error
The screen of the laptop flashed a bright, vibrant green, signaling that the data transfer was fully complete.
Every single piece of evidence, every audio recording, and the live video feed of Edric holding the gun was instantly sent to federal authorities.
A loud, automated siren began blaring from the laptop's speakers, echoing through the burning warehouse.
Edric’s smug smile instantly vanished as he realized what I had just done.
"What did you do?" he roared, his face turning an alarming shade of purple.
"I just sent everything to the FBI, Edric," I shouted over the blaring siren.
"They are tracking the IP address right now, and you will never see a single cent of that money."
Pure, unadulterated rage completely consumed him.
He raised the handgun, leveling it directly at the center of my forehead.
"Then I have absolutely no reason to keep either of you alive," he snarled, pulling back the hammer of the gun.
I closed my eyes, wrapping my arms tightly around Chloe, ready to take the bullet exactly like she had taken the blow for me earlier.
A deafening explosion suddenly ripped through the warehouse, shaking the concrete floor beneath our feet.
The fire in the rafters had reached a forgotten propane tank near the roof, blowing a massive hole through the ceiling.
A heavy, burning steel support beam plummeted from the ceiling and crashed violently onto the hood of Edric's SUV.
The sheer force of the impact sent a shockwave across the floor, knocking Edric completely off his feet.
The handgun flew from his grasp and slid into a deep drainage grate, disappearing into the darkness forever.
Edric scrambled frantically to reach the weapon, but the burning beam shifted and rolled directly onto his legs.
He let out a blood-curdling scream of agony as the heavy steel pinned him securely to the ground.
Uncle Alan groaned, slowly regaining consciousness, and staggered to his feet with blood pouring down his forehead.
He looked at Edric trapped under the fiery beam, then quickly rushed over to help Chloe and me stand up.
"We have to go, the entire roof is collapsing!" Alan yelled over the roaring inferno.
We sprinted toward the broken rolling doors, the intense heat scorching our backs as we escaped into the cool, foggy night.
Just as we reached the safety of Alan's hidden truck, a massive fleet of heavily armed FBI vehicles and fire engines swarmed the shipyard.
Red and blue lights illuminated the fog, completely surrounding the burning warehouse.
Federal agents rushed past us, dragging a screaming, severely burned Edric out of the wreckage before the building entirely collapsed.
Paramedics quickly descended on us, wrapping thick thermal blankets around Chloe and me while tending to Alan's head wound.
I watched as another team of medics wheeled my mother out on a stretcher.
She had miraculously survived the gunshot, but the heavy handcuffs locked to the rail of her gurney confirmed her future was permanently sealed.
Chloe leaned her head against my shoulder, her body finally relaxing for the first time in years.
"Is it really over?" she whispered, staring at the flashing lights.
May you like
I squeezed her hand twice, offering her a genuine smile.
"It is finally over," I promised.
