Chapter 7 - The Hostage Trade
The world spun in a violent blur of shattering glass and crushing metal.
The car landed upside down, the roof completely crushed against the pavement.
I blinked away the blood dripping into my eyes and turned to the back seat.
Isabella was hanging by her seatbelt, bruised but conscious.
But Ellie's car seat was empty.
The back window had shattered completely during the crash.
I crawled through the broken glass, ignoring the searing pain in my ribs.
Vincent kicked his jammed door open, dragging himself out into the street.
Standing ten feet away was Dominic Vesceri.
He was dressed in a pristine suit, holding a terrified Ellie in his arms.
A dozen armed men formed a protective wall behind him.
"You really made this difficult, Vincent," Dominic sighed, adjusting his cuffs.
"Give me back my daughter!" I screamed, lunging forward.
Two massive guards grabbed my arms, slamming me hard onto the asphalt.
Vincent tried to stand, but his fresh wounds caused his legs to buckle.
"Here is how this ends," Dominic announced smoothly.
"You give me the USB drive, and I give you the little girl."
He pulled a silver revolver from his coat and pressed it against Ellie's head.
"If you don't give it to me right now, I will paint the street with her."
My heart completely shattered.
I looked at Vincent, begging him silently with my eyes.
Vincent reached into his torn pocket and pulled out the silver USB drive.
He held it up in the morning light.
"Let the maid and the kids go first," Vincent demanded.
"They get in a taxi, they drive away, and then you get the drive."
Dominic smiled coldly.
"You aren't in a position to negotiate, old friend."
"It's a dead-man's switch," Vincent bluffed perfectly.
"If I drop this drive, the casing shatters and the memory chip is destroyed."
Dominic hesitated, his eyes narrowing as he analyzed the threat.
"Fine," Dominic agreed, gesturing to his men.
They flagged down a passing city cab at gunpoint.
Dominic handed Ellie over to one of the guards, who shoved her toward me.
I caught my daughter, crying hysterically as I hugged her tight.
I grabbed Isabella's hand and pulled them both into the back of the taxi.
Vincent looked at me through the window and gave a final, solemn nod.
He was sacrificing himself so we could live.
The taxi sped away, leaving Vincent alone with Dominic and an army of killers.
I looked down at Ellie, thankful she was safe.
Then Ellie reached into her pocket and handed me a small, heavy object.
"Mr. Vincent told me to give you this," she whispered.
May you like
It was the real USB drive.
Vincent had held up a fake one, intending to die to buy me time to reach the FBI.
