Chapter 3 - The Cartel Connection
I stared at Hank in absolute disbelief.
I asked him why on earth a drug cartel would care about my father's land in the Ozarks.
Hank quickly grabbed the mercenary by the collar and dragged him deeper into the cabin.
He explained that Marcus Finch was not just a simple estate lawyer for wealthy families.
Marcus was a high-level money launderer for a notorious crime syndicate operating out of Chicago.
My father had discovered Marcus using his corporate accounts to hide dirty money.
Instead of going to the police, my father had quietly bought this land to secure his assets and build a case against him.
The rare-earth minerals were the key to destroying the cartel's financial network completely.
Hank tossed a spare tactical vest toward my chest.
He told me to gear up because the woods were currently swarming with professional killers.
I strapped the vest on and checked the magazine of the captured rifle.
I had exactly thirty rounds to defend a billion-dollar secret against an army.
We moved toward the back door of the cabin, staying low to avoid any other sniper fire.
Hank pushed the wooden door open and led the way into the freezing night air.
The Ozark woods were completely pitch black, illuminated only by the pale moonlight shining through the canopy.
We sprinted toward a thick grove of pine trees, using the natural terrain for cover.
Suddenly, a bright spotlight flipped on from a black SUV parked on the dirt road.
The blinding light swept across the tree line, searching frantically for our silhouettes.
Three armed men stepped out of the vehicle and began marching toward our position.
I raised my rifle, exhaled slowly, and squeezed the trigger three times in rapid succession.
The men scrambled for cover behind the heavy steel doors of their SUV.
Hank fired his shotgun, shattering the spotlight and plunging us back into the protective darkness.
We used the distraction to retreat further up the rocky mountain path.
My phone vibrated violently in my tactical vest pocket.
I pulled it out and saw a text message from my sister Skylar.
The message included a live video link that made my blood run completely cold.
May you like
I tapped the screen and watched a live feed of our mother tied to a chair in Skylar's luxury penthouse.
Marcus Finch was standing behind our mother with a pistol pressed firmly against her head.
