Chapter 8 - The Bait and Switch
The girl trembling in the chair was a complete stranger with terrified, tear-stained eyes.
Evelyn realized instantly that Celeste had been entirely bluffing about kidnapping Maya.
"Where is the little waitress?" Celeste demanded, looking around the empty pier suspiciously.
Lorenzo kept his hands raised high, his face an impenetrable mask of absolute calm.
"She ran away in terror the moment we left the subway," Lorenzo lied effortlessly.
Celeste sighed dramatically, pulling a polished silver revolver from her expensive designer handbag.
"It really doesn't matter," she said, aiming the lethal weapon directly at Lorenzo's chest.
"I only needed her to lure you out into the open, and it worked perfectly."
Evelyn knew she had to do something drastic before Celeste pulled the trigger.
She looked around frantically and spotted a heavy control lever mounted on the side of the container next to her.
It was the manual release mechanism for a massive suspended cargo load hanging from the crane directly above Celeste's mercenaries.
Evelyn didn't hesitate for another second.
She grabbed the rusted lever tightly with both hands and pulled down with all her body weight.
The incredibly loud screech of grinding metal echoed across the foggy pier.
A massive steel shipping container plummeted violently from the sky, crashing directly into the center of Celeste's hit squad.
The explosive impact shook the concrete dock, throwing everyone violently to the ground.
Dust and debris exploded upward into the air, creating a thick, blinding cloud of total confusion.
Lorenzo instantly dropped to his knees, smoothly drawing his hidden backup weapon from his ankle holster.
He fired three rapid, flawless shots, eliminating the remaining guards who were desperately struggling to stand.
Celeste screamed in pure frustration, firing wildly into the dust cloud as she scrambled blindly for cover.
Lorenzo sprinted toward the terrified hostage, slicing her thick ropes with his switchblade and pulling her to safety.
Evelyn ran out bravely from the shadows, joining them behind a heavily rusted forklift.
"You learn fast," Lorenzo told her, genuinely impressed by her quick and ruthless thinking.
Suddenly, the screeching sound of burning rubber pierced the quiet night air.
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A heavily armored tactical truck smashed violently through the shipyard gates, speeding directly toward their position.
Standing in the open roof turret of the truck, operating a heavy machine gun, was Julian.
