Chapter 7 - The Betrayal
I snatched the binoculars from Emma’s hands and looked through them myself.
There, standing under the harsh floodlights, was the man I had trusted for a decade.
Marcus was smiling, shaking hands with the man who had just tried to murder my daughter.
"He sold us out," I growled, my jaw clenching in fury.
"He was working for the Vales this entire time."
"He helped them forge the documents," Emma realized, her voice thick with anger.
"And he knew exactly where to find the real deed to the orchard."
I watched as Blake opened the briefcase, inspecting the vintage paper inside.
He nodded approvingly and patted Marcus on the shoulder.
They were preparing to board the jet.
Once that plane took off, Blake would disappear with millions, and Emma would take the fall for everything.
"We have to stop them," Emma said, grabbing my arm.
"We can't just storm an airstrip," I warned her.
"There are six armed guards on that tarmac, plus whatever security is inside the plane."
"I don't care," she said fiercely, her sadness completely replaced by rage.
"He humiliated you."
"He tried to kill me."
"I am not letting him fly away."
I looked at my daughter, finally seeing a glimpse of the strong woman I had raised.
"Alright," I said, formulating a rapid plan.
"I will create a diversion at the fuel tanks on the east side of the runway."
"When the guards run toward the explosion, you slip into the back of the hangar."
"Do not engage anyone."
"Just find the breaker box and cut the runway lights."
"Without lights, the pilot cannot take off in this fog."
Emma nodded resolutely.
I grabbed two flare road flares from the truck's emergency kit and slipped into the tree line.
I moved silently through the wet brush until I reached the massive aviation fuel storage tanks.
I cracked open the main valve, letting the potent smell of jet fuel spill onto the concrete.
I lit the flare, tossed it into the puddle, and sprinted back into the woods.
A massive fireball erupted into the night sky, illuminating the fog in bright orange.
Alarms instantly blared across the airfield.
"Fire!" one of the guards shouted, pointing toward the blazing tanks.
Four of the heavily armed men immediately abandoned the jet and ran toward the explosion.
Through the chaos, I saw Emma dart across the tarmac like a shadow.
She slipped through the side door of the hangar undetected.
Ten seconds later, the entire airstrip plunged into total darkness.
The runway lights, the floodlights, and the hangar interior all went black.
"What's going on?!" Blake's panicked voice echoed across the quiet tarmac.
"Get the plane in the air now!"
I drew my pistol and stepped out of the tree line, walking slowly toward the jet.
But before I could reach the boarding stairs, the emergency backup lights flickered on.
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I froze.
Standing at the top of the stairs was Marcus, holding a gun to Emma’s head.
