Chapter 5 - The Ambush
Daniel stole a civilian pickup truck from a nearby farm to drive them back into town.
The streets of Franklin were completely deserted on Thanksgiving night.
They parked two blocks away from the massive Mercer Home and Living retail store.
The giant blue neon sign flickered ominously in the freezing rain.
Daniel checked his stolen rifle and told Clare to stay in the truck with Lily.
Clare refused, stating that her keycard was the only way past the biometric employee doors.
She looked at Lily and promised she would be right back.
She locked the truck doors and followed Daniel through the dark, flooded alleyway.
They approached the steel reinforced loading dock doors at the rear of the building.
Clare swiped her ID badge, and the heavy door clicked open with a loud mechanical hum.
The interior of the massive retail store was pitch black.
They moved silently past towering shelves of holiday decorations and patio furniture.
Clare led him toward the customer service desk at the front of the store.
Suddenly, the glaring fluorescent overhead lights slammed on, blinding them both.
Dozens of armed men stepped out from behind the retail aisles, weapons raised.
Standing behind the customer service counter was Richard, wearing a tailored suit.
Richard smiled and held up a small, silver flash drive.
He mocked Clare, telling her Mark was a brilliant accountant but a terrible spy.
He ordered his men to disarm Daniel and force them both to their knees.
Daniel complied slowly, placing the rifle on the polished linoleum floor.
Richard walked over and aimed a golden pistol directly at Clare’s head.
He told Daniel that the flash drive was fully encrypted with a rotating military cipher.
He gave Daniel exactly ten seconds to provide the password, or Clare would die.
Daniel remained completely silent, his face a mask of cold stone.
Richard sighed and pulled the hammer back on the pistol.
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A small, high-pitched voice suddenly echoed from the store's public intercom system.
It was Lily, announcing that she knew the password, and she had just called the FBI.
