Chapter 16 - The Federal Betrayal
The revelation hit me with the devastating force of a wrecking ball.
The highest-ranking federal law enforcement officer in the city was actively working for the Sinaloa cartel.
That was exactly how Marcus had avoided federal prison, and how Cortez knew the forty million dollars had never actually been seized.
"We cannot go to the police, and we cannot go to the feds," Sarah whispered, rocking a sleeping Leo in her arms.
"We are completely on our own."
Elias drove us to an abandoned, half-finished high-rise construction site that my company had paused building six months ago.
The concrete skeleton stretched forty stories into the sky, surrounded by heavy chain-link fences and completely isolated from the public.
It was my territory, a labyrinth of exposed steel and scaffolding that I knew better than anyone else in the world.
"We are going to lure the FBI agent here," I declared, formulating a desperate, suicidal plan in my head.
I used the encrypted laptop to send a highly secure email directly to the Special Agent in Charge.
I claimed I was ready to surrender the forty million dollars in exchange for federal witness protection for my family.
I told him to come to the construction site alone, or I would instantly wire the money to a hundred anonymous international charities.
Exactly one hour later, a sleek, black government SUV pulled through the rusted gates of the construction site.
A tall man in a tailored suit stepped out, holding a silver briefcase and looking around with arrogant confidence.
I stood on the unfinished concrete floor of the third level, staring down at the corrupt agent.
"Charles!" the agent yelled, his voice echoing off the bare concrete pillars. "I have your immunity paperwork right here!"
I stepped out of the shadows, keeping my hands completely visible.
"Toss your weapon and your phone on the ground, or we don't talk," I shouted back.
The agent chuckled, casually dropping his federal sidearm and cell phone onto the dirt.
He walked slowly up the temporary wooden stairs, completely underestimating the trap he had just walked into.
As soon as he reached the third floor, Elias stepped quietly out from behind a concrete pillar and pressed a suppressed pistol directly against the back of the agent's head.
The agent froze instantly, his arrogant smile completely vanishing.
"You really think holding a federal agent hostage is going to save you?" the agent spat.
"You aren't a federal agent," I replied coldly, taking his silver briefcase and tossing it over the ledge into the dirt below.
"You are an errand boy for a murderer."
May you like
I pulled out my laptop, showing him the live transfer screen for the forty million dollar offshore account.
"Call Cortez right now," I ordered. "Tell him I am ready to make the final exchange, face to face."
