Chapter 6 - The Black Ledger
"Drop the rifle, Vincent," a familiar, arrogant voice echoed through the train yard.
Marcus stepped out from the shadows of the rusted boxcars, holding a gun to the back of Vincent's skull.
Two more Russian mercenaries flanked him, aiming their weapons menacingly at my mother and me.
Vincent slowly lowered his assault rifle to the gravel, raising his hands in surrender.
"You tracked the ledger, didn't you?" Vincent asked calmly.
"It has a microchip sewn into the spine," Marcus sneered, snatching the heavy book from my mother's trembling hands.
"You always were too smart for your own good, Sarah."
Marcus flipped the ledger open, preparing to destroy the physical evidence of his massive theft.
But as he looked at the pages, his smug expression instantly vanished.
The pages were completely blank, covered only in a series of strange, randomized QR codes.
"It is digitally encrypted," Vincent explained with a dark, mocking smile.
"David must have updated the security protocols to keep you out, Marcus."
Marcus cursed violently and aimed his gun directly at my mother's face.
"You worked in the office, you know the decryption key," Marcus demanded aggressively.
My mother stood tall, shielding me with her body despite her absolute terror.
"I will only give you the password if you let my daughter walk away right now," she negotiated fiercely.
Marcus laughed, a cruel, soulless sound that echoed in the cold air.
"You are in no position to make demands, sweetheart," he mocked.
Suddenly, Marcus's cell phone began to ring loudly in his tailored jacket pocket.
He answered it, his face turning completely pale as he listened to the voice on the other end.
He slowly lowered his weapon and looked at Vincent with genuine, unfiltered fear.
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"The head of the National Commission wants to see all of us at the abandoned steel mill in one hour," Marcus whispered.
"And he said if the child doesn't come too, absolutely everyone dies."
