Chapter 18 - The Steel Mill
The massive, rusted iron gates of the abandoned steel mill were chained open, welcoming me into the belly of the beast.
The sprawling factory was completely dark, save for a dozen harsh, portable halogen spotlights illuminating the central smelting floor.
I walked slowly through the cavernous building, my boots echoing loudly against the metallic grated walkways.
The smell of old oil, rust, and damp river water filled my lungs.
More than twenty heavily armed cartel mercenaries stood in the shadows, their laser sights tracing terrifying red lines across my chest.
I kept my hands completely empty, holding the encrypted laptop securely under my left arm.
Standing in the absolute center of the brightly lit floor was a tall, elegant man wearing a pristine white suit.
Alejandro Cortez looked entirely out of place in the filthy factory, exuding an aura of absolute, terrifying power.
"Charles," Cortez smiled warmly, stepping forward with his arms open as if greeting an old friend. "I am so glad we could finally resolve this terrible misunderstanding."
I stopped ten feet away from him, my face entirely devoid of emotion.
"There is no misunderstanding, Cortez. You want your money, and I want my family left completely alone."
Cortez chuckled, lighting an expensive cigar and blowing a thick cloud of blue smoke into the freezing air.
"You are a smart businessman, Charles. But you must understand that the men who broke into your home offended me by failing."
He snapped his fingers, and two mercenaries dragged the corrupt FBI agent out from the shadows, throwing him brutally onto the concrete floor.
The cartel had found him tied to the I-beam at my construction site hours ago.
Before the agent could even beg for his life, Cortez drew a silver-plated pistol and casually shot the man directly in the head.
The gunshot echoed violently through the massive factory, but I did not flinch or break eye contact with the cartel boss.
"Loose ends are very bad for business," Cortez said smoothly, holstering his weapon.
"Now, open the laptop and initiate the transfer."
I placed the laptop onto an old steel drum and typed in the primary password, bringing up the massive Cayman Island balance.
"The transfer requires a dual-authorization biometric scan," I lied, knowing the delayed-release timer was already ticking down in the background.
"I need exactly ten minutes to bypass the banking firewalls, or the money permanently locks down."
Cortez's eyes narrowed dangerously, his hand resting on the grip of his silver pistol.
"You have five minutes, Charles, or my men will drive to the water treatment plant and butcher your beautiful wife."
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My blood instantly turned to pure ice.
He knew exactly where Sarah and Leo were hiding.
