Chapter 8 - The Construction Site
The blood drained entirely from my face as Ethan’s cruel, mocking laughter echoed through the tiny hospital office.
My younger sister, Maya, was a college student who lived three states away and had absolutely nothing to do with my previous federal career.
Ethan had somehow tracked her down and violently abducted her just to establish a final, desperate insurance policy against me.
"If you harm a single hair on her head, I will tear you apart with my bare hands," I threatened, my voice dropping to a lethal, icy whisper.
"Bring the decryption key to my new high-rise construction site downtown in exactly forty-five minutes," Ethan demanded, completely ignoring my threat.
"If you bring the police, or if you are one minute late, I will drop your sister from the fiftieth floor."
The line went dead, leaving a heavy, suffocating silence in the room.
Sophia immediately wiped her tears, her professional federal training finally overriding her paralyzing maternal panic.
"We need to mobilize the SWAT team and set up a covert perimeter around that entire city block," Sophia commanded, reaching for her radio.
"No," I interrupted firmly, grabbing my tactical jacket.
"If he sees a single police cruiser, he will execute Maya and your daughter instantly."
Audrey grabbed my arm, her eyes burning with a fierce, unwavering determination.
"I am coming with you, Liam," she stated, refusing to take no for an answer.
I handed her a compact, loaded firearm and nodded, knowing we were walking directly into a heavily armed death trap.
We arrived at the massive, unfinished skeletal structure of Ethan's downtown skyscraper exactly forty minutes later.
The site was completely deserted by the civilian workers, shrouded in dark shadows and the howling city wind.
I instructed Audrey to take the freight elevator to the forty-eighth floor and secure a hidden vantage point with a clear line of sight.
I walked boldly out into the center of the completely open, concrete fiftieth floor, entirely exposed to the elements.
Ethan was standing near the treacherous, unguarded edge of the building, flanked by three heavily armed, massive cartel enforcers.
Maya and Sophia's young daughter were tied tightly to a heavy steel girder, both weeping silently with duct tape covering their mouths.
"Toss the decryption drive across the floor," Ethan ordered, aiming a high-powered pistol directly at Maya's head.
I pulled a small, silver flash drive from my pocket, knowing perfectly well that the drive was completely empty and entirely fake.
I tossed it sliding across the smooth concrete floor, stalling for the precious seconds Audrey needed to get into position.
Ethan eagerly picked up the drive and plugged it into a rugged, portable tablet held by one of his cartel goons.
"The files are completely fake, boss," the goon announced, his voice laced with immediate, violent anger.
Ethan smiled a wicked, terrifying smile and pulled a small, electronic detonator from his suit jacket.
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"It doesn't matter anyway," Ethan laughed like a complete maniac.
"I rigged the entire foundation of this building with industrial C4, and we are all going to burn together."
