Chapter 8 - The Desperate Ploy
Noah kicked and thrashed violently as Gary ruthlessly choked the life out of him. Black spots danced aggressively in his vision as vital oxygen left his panicking brain. "Did you genuinely think I would not thoroughly search you?" Gary spat with sheer disgust. He aggressively pried the heavy golden coin from Noah's tightly clenched, trembling fist. "A hollow trick coin, how terribly cliché," Gary laughed, dropping Noah carelessly to the ground. Noah gasped desperately for air, coughing violently on the cold, wet concrete floor. Gary twisted the gold coin apart, revealing a microscopic memory chip safely nestled inside. "Fifty million dollars, resting right here in the palm of my hand," Gary gloated arrogantly. The remaining heavily armed cartel enforcers aimed their assault rifles directly at Noah's chest. "Kill the crying boy and make sure you finish off the bleeding old man," Gary commanded smoothly. Noah closed his eyes tightly, finally accepting that his simple act of kindness had sealed his doom. But Elias Vance was not entirely finished fighting just yet. With his absolute last ounce of remaining strength, Elias pressed a tiny button on his silver watch. A high-pitched, terrifying mechanical whine suddenly echoed loudly through the underground chamber. Gary looked down in absolute horror as the microchip in his hand began to glow a bright, searing red. "It is not a data drive, Gary," Elias wheezed loudly with a bloody, triumphant smile. "It is a military-grade, highly unstable thermal detonator." The chip emitted a blindingly white flash just as Gary realized his incredibly fatal mistake.
