Chapter 8 - The Raid
The armored SWAT truck slammed violently into the side of the mercenary's unmarked helicopter.
The deafening crunch of tearing metal echoed across the runway as the chopper was completely destroyed.
Daniel stumbled backward in sheer panic, dropping the metal briefcase onto the wet asphalt.
Evelyn screamed hysterically, dropping her champagne glass as heavily armed federal agents swarmed the tarmac.
“FBI! Drop your weapons immediately!” a voice boomed over a massive tactical loudspeaker.
The three hired mercenaries instantly threw their rifles to the ground, knowing they were completely outgunned.
Daniel frantically raised his pistol, aiming it desperately at the lead FBI agent charging toward him.
Before Daniel could pull the trigger, Sarah lunged forward and tackled him viciously around the knees.
They crashed onto the hard pavement, and Daniel’s weapon skittered harmlessly away into the darkness.
Agents swarmed Daniel in seconds, driving their knees into his back and clicking heavy steel handcuffs onto his wrists.
I watched Evelyn try to sneak away into the shadows of the hangars, her expensive heels clicking frantically.
I marched right up behind her and grabbed a fistful of her pristine, perfectly styled hair.
I yanked her backward, throwing her forcefully onto the wet, oily tarmac.
“You don't get to walk away from this one, Evelyn,” I snarled, standing over her shivering form.
A female FBI agent quickly hauled Evelyn to her feet and slapped a pair of cuffs on the arrogant matriarch.
A tall, distinguished man in an expensive suit walked through the chaos and approached me directly.
“Mrs. Mercer, I am Special Agent Vance with the FBI Anti-Corruption Task Force,” he introduced himself warmly.
I looked at him in confusion, my adrenaline still pumping wildly through my veins.
“How did you know we were here?” I asked, gesturing to the ruined airstrip.
Agent Vance smiled and pointed to the small, cracked cell phone still clutched in my left hand.
“When you accessed your hidden cloud drive at the hospital, it triggered an automatic alert on our servers.”
He picked up the metal briefcase Daniel had dropped and popped the latches open to secure the ledger.
“We have been building a massive RICO case against Detective Harris and Dr. Patel for two years,” Vance explained.
“You just handed us the missing piece of the puzzle that takes down their entire criminal syndicate.”
Daniel thrashed violently against the agents holding him, screaming my name with pure, unadulterated hatred.
“You are nothing without me, Claire!” Daniel shrieked like a petulant, spoiled child.
Agent Vance walked over to Daniel and pulled a small, clear plastic evidence bag from his pocket.
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“I think you have bigger problems, Mr. Mercer,” Vance said, holding up a tarnished silver key.
“We just raided your family's country estate, and we found out what this key opens in the basement.”
