Chapter 5 - The Loyal Traitor
I stared down the barrel of Vincent's rifle, feeling the ultimate sting of absolute betrayal.
He had been my father's most trusted enforcer before he ever worked for me.
"You sold us out to Vanguard," I accused him, my voice completely devoid of emotion.
Vincent kept the weapon raised, his hands perfectly steady despite his severe head wound.
"I did not sell you out, Leo," Vincent spat, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the wet sand.
"I let them beat me in the basement so they would think I was no longer a threat."
He lowered the assault rifle and tossed a heavy set of boat keys directly to me.
"I am the one who sent the radio message to scare you into using the escape tunnel," he confessed.
"Elena had fifty armed mercenaries sweeping the upper floors, and you would have died if you stayed up there."
I caught the keys, processing his dangerous, high-stakes gamble.
"Are they following us?" I asked, rushing toward the concealed speedboat.
"They think you burned to death in the panic room, but that illusion will not last long," Vincent warned.
We quickly loaded Hannah and the crying baby into the hull of the sleek, black vessel.
Vincent untied the heavy mooring lines and pushed us out into the choppy, freezing water.
I started the twin outboard engines, and they roared to life with terrifying power.
"Are you not coming with us?" I shouted over the noise of the engine.
Vincent shook his head, pulling a fresh magazine from his tactical vest.
"Someone has to cover your escape and make sure Elena does not check the beach," he replied grimly.
"Find Julian, boss, and burn Vanguard to the ground."
I nodded once in silent respect and slammed the throttle completely forward.
The speedboat shot out into the dark bay, leaving my burning mansion and my most loyal friend behind.
We navigated the treacherous waters in complete silence, guided only by the distant city lights.
Hannah sat in the back of the boat, holding Grace tightly to keep her warm in the freezing sea spray.
An hour later, we docked at an abandoned industrial pier on the dangerous south side of the city.
Julian had purchased a hidden warehouse here five years ago under a fake corporate name.
We walked through the rusted loading doors and entered a dusty, windowless office space.
It was a completely off-the-grid bunker stocked with weapons, cash, and medical supplies.
"We are safe here for now," I told Hannah, turning on a single, dim desk lamp.
Hannah placed the sleeping baby onto a small cot and began digging frantically through Grace's diaper bag.
She pulled out a small, worn stuffed bear and ripped the seam open with her bare hands.
She extracted a tiny, encrypted satellite phone and handed it directly to me.
"Julian told me to use this only if Vanguard ever found out about Grace," Hannah explained breathlessly.
"He said the number programmed into this phone goes directly to the man holding him hostage."
I stared at the heavy black phone, realizing this was my only chance to negotiate for my brother's life.
I pressed the single green button and lifted the device to my ear.
The line rang exactly three times before a smooth, chilling voice answered.
"I was wondering how long it would take you to find the phone, Leo," the familiar voice said.
May you like
I froze completely as I recognized the man on the other end of the line.
It was the mayor of the city.
