Chapter 9 - The Impossible Choice
I froze completely, terrified that she was telling the truth.
Vanessa smirked, realizing she had instantly regained total control of the situation.
"I want a helicopter here in five minutes, or I press the button," she demanded.
Noah looked at me with tears streaming down his small, pale cheeks.
My mind raced as I stared at the black device in her hand.
I recognized the small silver logo printed on the side of the plastic casing.
It was not a military-grade explosive detonator.
It was the remote control for the automated presentation projector in my company's boardroom.
She was completely bluffing.
I took a slow, deliberate step forward.
"Press it," I challenged her, keeping my voice dangerously calm.
Vanessa's eyes widened in genuine panic.
"I will do it, Daniel, I swear to God!" she screamed, her hand shaking violently.
As she was distracted by her own bluff, Noah suddenly reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a backup asthma inhaler I had secretly hidden in his jacket months ago.
He did not put it in his mouth.
He pointed the nozzle directly at Vanessa's face and pressed the canister.
A thick cloud of medicated mist sprayed directly into her open eyes.
Vanessa shrieked in pain, dropping the fake detonator and covering her face.
I lunged forward, snatching Noah out of her grasp and pulling him into a tight embrace.
Dozens of police cruisers suddenly flooded the runway, their sirens wailing loudly.
Sarah had called the authorities the moment we breached the airfield gates.
Officers swarmed Vanessa, forcing her to the ground and locking handcuffs on her wrists.
May you like
As they dragged her away, she looked at me with a twisted, victorious smile.
"I lied about the explosives, Daniel, but I didn't lie about your mother."
