Chapter 7 - The Hostage Exchange
I grabbed the television remote and turned on the local news broadcast.
A breaking news banner flashed across the bottom of the screen in bright red letters.
The news anchor reported a violent kidnapping at a downtown corporate law firm.
My best friend, Sarah, had been dragged out of her office by armed men in broad daylight.
Julian's voice echoed through the phone, dripping with absolute, venomous malice.
He told me he would execute Sarah in two hours unless I returned his stolen cargo ships.
He also demanded a fueled private jet waiting on the runway of a specific abandoned airfield.
I felt a massive wave of nausea wash over me as I realized the depth of his pure evil.
My father grabbed the phone from my hand and told Julian the deal was accepted.
He promised Julian that if a single hair on Sarah's head was harmed, the military would hunt him forever.
Julian laughed arrogantly, provided the coordinates for the hostage exchange, and ended the call.
My father looked at me with cold, determined eyes and told me we were setting a massive trap.
He mobilized his elite black-ops team to secure the perimeter of the abandoned airfield.
I insisted on going with the team to ensure my best friend survived this nightmare.
My father reluctantly agreed, placing me in heavy body armor and keeping me inside the armored command vehicle.
We arrived at the desolate airstrip just as the sun began to set behind the jagged mountains.
A solitary black SUV was parked directly in the center of the cracked, weed-covered runway.
The tactical team slowly advanced on the vehicle with their weapons drawn and lasers activated.
They aggressively ripped the doors of the SUV open, completely ready for a violent firefight.
The vehicle was entirely empty except for a ringing cell phone resting on the driver's seat.
My father answered the phone and put it on speaker for the entire command vehicle to hear.
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It was not Julian on the other end of the line.
It was the ruthless leader of the international weapons cartel.
