Chapter 6 - The Ultimatum
I stared at the glowing phone, the incessant ringing sounding louder than the bustling train station behind me.
I slowly picked it up and pressed it to my ear, not daring to speak a single word.
A smooth, chillingly calm voice spoke through the speaker, echoing with dangerous authority.
The Mayor casually introduced himself and thanked me for playing my part in his little game.
He explained that Arthur's safehouse had been compromised weeks ago, and they had simply been waiting for Chloe to make a mistake.
He told me that Chloe was currently sitting in his private office, battered but entirely alive.
The Mayor proposed a very simple trade that would solve everyone's problems instantly.
He demanded I bring the little girl to the station's rooftop helipad in exactly fifteen minutes.
If I complied, he would let Chloe walk away, and I could disappear with a generous unmarked bank account.
If I refused, or if I involved the authorities, he promised to broadcast Chloe's execution live to my phone.
I realized with terrifying clarity that the Mayor had no idea the locker was empty of any actual evidence.
I decided to gamble everything and lied, stating that I already had the hard drive and had uploaded copies to a dead man's switch.
The Mayor's smooth voice cracked for a fraction of a second, revealing a sudden, desperate panic.
He told me to bring the drive and the girl, or nobody was walking off that roof alive.
The line went dead, leaving me listening to the hollow dial tone.
I looked down at Lily, who was wiping away tears and shivering despite the warmth of the station.
I pulled her small pink coat tighter around her shoulders to comfort her.
May you like
My fingers brushed against something hard and rectangular, sewn meticulously into the shoulder padding.
I took out my pocket knife and carefully sliced the fabric open, pulling out a sleek, black USB drive.
