Chapter 15 - The Retaliation
Stella returned to the hidden underground bunker clutching the precious data drive.
She handed the device to Jonah, her hands still shaking slightly from the adrenaline of the narrow escape.
"You got it," Jonah said, a rare, genuine smile crossing his tired face.
He plugged the drive into his massive console and immediately began decrypting the stolen files.
"This data completely exposes Senator Hayes and three federal judges," Jonah stated, rapidly scrolling through the documents.
"If we leak this to the press, the cartel's political protection crumbles overnight."
Stella collapsed onto a nearby sofa, kicking off her painful designer heels.
"Then leak it," Stella urged tiredly. "Let the authorities deal with the fallout."
Jonah shook his head, his dark eyes fixed intensely on the glowing screens.
"The cartel will simply find new politicians to bribe," Jonah explained grimly.
"We have to permanently eliminate the cartel's regional commander, a man named Silas."
Stella felt a cold shiver run down her spine at the mention of the notorious, brutal cartel leader.
"Silas is a ghost, Jonah," Stella warned. "No one even knows what he looks like."
Jonah tapped the keyboard, pulling up a series of highly encrypted emails from the stolen server.
"According to these files, Silas is personally attending a secret meeting at the docks tonight to finalize a massive weapons shipment," Jonah revealed.
"We have exactly two hours to intercept him."
Stella sat up, the exhaustion completely vanishing from her body.
"I'll gear up," Stella said, reaching for her tactical bag.
Jonah grabbed her wrist firmly, stopping her movements.
"You are not going alone," Jonah stated fiercely.
Stella looked at him, completely confused by his sudden, intense protective stance.
"You are paralyzed, Jonah," Stella reminded him gently. "You can't exactly lead a tactical assault team."
Jonah released her wrist and activated a hidden switch on his wheelchair console.
The heavy metal wall of the bunker slowly slid open, revealing a highly advanced, customized armored vehicle.
It was heavily modified with hand controls, reinforced plating, and a massive, remote-controlled heavy machine gun mounted on the roof.
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"I may not be able to walk, Stella," Jonah said, a dangerous, predatory glint in his eyes.
"But I can still drive."
