Chapter 5 - The Ghost of the Past
The man standing next to Daniel was wearing a faded military tactical vest.
I recognized the jagged scar running down the side of his neck instantly.
It was Master Sergeant Vance, a corrupt contractor I had personally court-martialed for stealing supplies overseas.
He was supposed to be serving a twenty-year sentence in a federal military prison.
Now, he was standing in a warehouse in North Carolina, holding a heavy combat knife.
“Where is the money, Daniel?” Vance growled, pacing around my terrified son.
Daniel was shaking uncontrollably, clutching a designer leather duffel bag to his chest.
“The agents promised me they had Emma, the transfer should happen any minute.”
Vance laughed cruelly and pressed the cold blade of his knife against Noah’s cheek.
“Your ex-wife is a Tier-One tactical operator, Daniel.”
Vance grabbed Daniel by the throat and slammed him against a concrete pillar.
“You sent two low-level street thugs to kidnap a woman who hunts terrorists for a living.”
My blood boiled as I watched my son squeeze his eyes shut in pure terror.
I carefully unholstered my stolen pistol and aimed it through the narrow slats of the vent.
I had a clean shot at Vance’s head, but there were six other heavily armed mercenaries patrolling the floor below.
If I fired now, they would instantly return fire and catch Noah in the crossfire.
I needed to create a massive diversion.
I slowly crawled backward through the ductwork until I reached the main electrical junction box near the roof.
I used my pocket knife to strip the heavy power cables, deliberately crossing the live wires.
Sparks flew violently, and a massive electrical surge blew out every single light in the massive warehouse.
The building plunged into absolute, pitch-black darkness.
The mercenaries began shouting in confusion, turning on the bright flashlights mounted to their assault rifles.
I dropped silently from the ceiling, landing heavily on a stack of wooden shipping pallets.
My bad knee buckled upon impact, sending a sharp wave of agonizing pain up my spine.
I gritted my teeth, tasting copper in my mouth, and refused to make a single sound.
I slipped behind the closest mercenary and grabbed him by the tactical harness.
I pulled him backward into the shadows and neutralized him with a swift strike to the temple.
I took his night-vision goggles and strapped them tightly over my eyes.
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The dark warehouse instantly transformed into a glowing green battlefield.
I saw Vance grab Noah by the collar, dragging my crying son toward a steel reinforced panic room at the back of the building.
