Chapter 7 - The Rescue Mission
The violent crash threw us against the reinforced steel walls of the overturned van.
Smoke filled the dark cabin as I frantically searched for Sarah in the twisted metal.
"I'm okay," she coughed, grabbing my hand in the darkness.
I kicked the damaged rear doors with both feet until the locking mechanism finally shattered.
We climbed out into the chaotic street, hiding behind the smoking wreckage of the police vehicle.
A black SUV had intentionally rammed the police convoy, and heavily armed men were shooting at the confused officers.
It wasn't a rescue attempt; Marcus's cartel associates were trying to silence us permanently before we could talk to detectives.
"Run!" I shouted, pulling Sarah toward a narrow, dark alleyway.
We sprinted through the humid Miami night, dodging stray bullets that chipped the brick walls around us.
We finally lost our pursuers near a crowded nightclub, blending in with the drunken tourists.
I stole a burner phone from a sleeping drunk on a bench and immediately dialed Marcus's personal number.
"You really are hard to kill, Charles," Marcus answered, sounding genuinely annoyed.
"I still have the USB drive," I lied smoothly.
"The police didn't find it, and I will hand it over to the FBI in exactly ten minutes if you don't tell me where Leo is."
Marcus was silent for a long moment, calculating his next move.
"He is at the private marina on South Beach, dock number seven," Marcus finally growled.
"Bring the drive, or I will drop him in the ocean with an anchor tied to his little legs."
I hung up the phone and looked at Sarah, whose eyes were filled with fierce maternal determination.
We stole a sleek speedboat that was idling carelessly at a nearby public dock.
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I pushed the throttle to the maximum, skipping violently over the dark ocean waves toward South Beach.
As we approached dock number seven, I saw Marcus standing on a luxury yacht, holding a terrified little boy over the deep, black water.
