Chapter 10 - The Federal Shield
The corrupt tactical leader placed his finger directly on the trigger of his rifle.
I closed my eyes and stood protectively in front of where Emma and Lily were hiding.
Suddenly, the deafening sound of helicopter rotors completely drowned out the roaring fire.
Two massive black choppers descended from the dark sky, casting blinding spotlights over the entire airstrip.
The side doors of the helicopters slid open, revealing men wearing windbreakers with bright yellow FBI lettering.
Sharpshooters in the choppers aimed laser sights directly onto the chests of the corrupt local cops.
A federal agent on a megaphone ordered everyone on the ground to drop their weapons immediately.
The corrupt cops instantly panicked, tossing their rifles onto the tarmac and dropping to their knees.
David tried to run into the burning hangar, but two federal agents tackled him hard to the concrete.
I collapsed onto the ground, sobbing uncontrollably as agents rushed over to help me.
They quickly found Emma and Lily in the grass, bringing paramedics to treat them immediately.
Later that morning, sitting in the safety of a federal field office, an agent explained everything.
My frantic call to Mark from the hospital had been intercepted by a federal wiretap investigating his gambling syndicate.
The FBI had been tracking the illegal medical corporation for years, and my chaos at the airstrip finally gave them the location.
Sarah, David, and Mark were all arrested and charged with federal kidnapping and human trafficking.
Six months later, a judge permanently stripped them of their parental rights and granted me full custody of Lily.
We moved to a quiet, sunny neighborhood in a completely different state, far away from the nightmares of the past.
The girls were happy, enrolled in a great new school, and finally living a normal, peaceful life.
I watched them laughing and playing together in the backyard as I unpacked the last moving box in the kitchen.
I reached into the box and pulled out Emma’s favorite old stuffed bear.
The seam on the back of the bear was slightly ripped, revealing a small, blinking red light hidden inside the stuffing.
My new, highly secure cell phone vibrated on the counter with a message from an unknown number.
May you like
I opened the text, and my blood ran completely cold.
The message read: "You took our project, so we will take yours."
