Chapter 9 - The Dead Man's Switch
Arthur's eyes burned with fierce determination as he carried his son out of the ruined mansion.
The fire department had successfully extinguished the flames, leaving the estate a blackened shell.
He handed Leo to the waiting paramedics and turned to the FBI commander.
The commander reported that Marcus's private helicopter was prepping for takeoff on the South Lawn.
Arthur did not wait for the tactical team to formulate a safe plan.
He sprinted through the smoking debris of his former home, heading straight for the helipad.
The heavy rain soaked his clothes as he burst through the charred garden gates.
Marcus was standing near the spinning blades of the helicopter, holding a silver briefcase.
Arthur tackled his former best friend to the wet grass with brutal force.
The briefcase popped open, scattering hard drives and passports across the lawn.
Marcus punched Arthur in the jaw, scrambling desperately to get back on his feet.
Arthur grabbed him by the expensive collar and slammed him against the metal side of the helicopter.
He demanded the decryption keys to restore the stolen corporate funds.
Marcus simply laughed, a manic and desperate sound over the roaring engine.
He ripped open his soaked dress shirt to reveal a complex vest wired with explosives.
He held up a small detonator with his thumb resting heavily on the trigger.
Marcus explained that the vest was a dead man's switch.
If his heart stopped, or if his thumb slipped, the explosives would level the entire garden.
The FBI agents surrounded them, their laser sights painting bright red dots on Marcus's chest.
But none of them dared to take the shot, fearing the massive blast radius.
Marcus demanded a clear path to the helicopter and a guarantee of safe passage.
He looked at Arthur with pure hatred and promised to hunt Leo down from the shadows.
Arthur slowly raised his hands, pretending to surrender to the madman's demands.
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But Hannah had quietly crept up the side stairs of the dark helipad.
She swung a heavy fire extinguisher with absolute, unforgiving precision.
