Chapter 8 - The Hostage
Clara slapped Silas's hand away before he could touch her face.
Silas laughed, clearly amused by her defiance.
"Spirited," Silas noted. "I can see why my brother hasn't killed you yet."
Liam forced himself up onto one elbow, glaring at his brother with pure hatred.
"Why, Silas?" Liam demanded, his voice a low, dangerous rumble.
"I gave you the legitimate empire. You had money, power, zero risk."
Silas looked down at his brother with absolute disgust.
"Because the legitimate empire isn't enough anymore, Liam," Silas spat.
"The syndicate is evolving, and you're too old-school. You refuse to run the new narcotics lines through our ports."
Silas paced the small bunker, waving his hand dismissively.
"The cartel offered me a hundred million dollars to open the shipping lanes. All I had to do was remove the stubborn dinosaur sitting on the throne."
Liam's jaw tightened. "You sold out the family for drug money."
"I secured our future!" Silas yelled, his pristine facade cracking for a second.
He quickly composed himself, smoothing the lapels of his white suit.
"But you always were hard to kill, brother. The knife didn't finish the job, and the hit squad upstairs was sloppy."
Silas gestured to his mercenaries.
"Fortunately, I always clean up my own messes."
The mercenaries raised their rifles, aiming at Liam and Leo.
Clara realized they were all about to be executed in this concrete basement.
She looked at the tray of medical supplies sitting next to the bed.
Among the gauze and saline was a heavy, stainless steel surgical scalpel.
"Wait!" Clara shouted, throwing herself over Liam's body.
"If you kill him, you'll never get the access codes to the offshore accounts!" Clara lied desperately.
Silas raised a hand, stopping his men from firing.
"What offshore accounts?" Silas asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"He told me about them while I was treating him," Clara improvised, her mind racing.
"Billions of dollars hidden in ghost accounts. You need his biometric thumbprint to access them."
Silas stared at her, greed clearly warring with his desire to finish the assassination.
"If he's dead, the money is locked forever," Clara added, pressing her advantage.
Silas walked over to the bed, looking down at Liam.
"Is she telling the truth, brother?" Silas asked.
Liam looked at Clara, understanding exactly what she was trying to do.
"She talks too much," Liam grunted.
Silas smiled, a predatory gleam in his eyes.
"Bind Leo," Silas ordered his men. "And bring the nurse."
May you like
Silas grabbed Clara roughly by the arm, dragging her away from the bed.
"If I need his thumbprint, I'll take his hand after I torture the account numbers out of you."
