Chapter 4 - Into the Lion's Den
Bear pushed the glass door open, stepping out into the cold, smoky air. The four masked men immediately trained their laser sights on his chest. "Just me," Bear yelled, keeping his hands high where they could see them. "Leave the people inside alone." The door jingled behind him, and Bear's heart stopped. Martha stepped out onto the pavement, her chin held high despite her fear. "I'm not letting you go alone," she said, her voice steady. One of the masked men chuckled, stepping forward with zip ties. "How sweet, a family reunion," the man sneered, roughly grabbing Bear's arms. Bear did not resist, allowing them to bind his wrists tightly behind his back. They did the same to Martha, pushing them both roughly into the back of the SUV. The doors slammed shut, plunging them into darkness as the vehicle sped away. Bear tested the strength of the plastic ties, calculating his odds of breaking them. "Are you hurt?" Bear whispered in the dark. "Just my pride," Martha replied, proving she was tougher than she looked. The ride was terrifyingly short, lasting only a few minutes before the SUV lurched to a halt. The doors swung open, revealing the heavily fortified loading dock of an old meatpacking plant. Armed guards patrolled the catwalks above, their silhouettes dark against the overhead lights. Bear and Martha were dragged out and led through a maze of hanging steel hooks. The smell of rust and old blood hung heavy in the freezing air. They were pushed into a large, brightly lit office at the center of the plant. Sitting behind a massive oak desk was Police Chief Sterling, calmly sipping a cup of coffee. Sergeant Vance stood by his side, looking smug and victorious. "Agent Stone," Chief Sterling smiled, setting his mug down. "You have caused me a great deal of trouble today." Bear glared at the Chief, refusing to show any signs of intimidation. "The FBI knows I'm here, Sterling, you can't just make me disappear," Bear stated flatly. Sterling laughed out loud, a rich, booming sound that echoed in the cold room. "They think you died in that car bomb outside the diner," Sterling corrected him. Vance pulled a charred piece of metal from his pocket, tossing it on the desk. It was Bear's federal badge, damaged by the blast. "We recovered your remains, Agent," Vance smirked. Bear felt a knot tighten in his stomach. They had staged his death perfectly to buy time to dispose of him quietly. Sterling stood up, walking slowly around the desk until he was inches from Martha. "Now, let's talk about the flash drive she's hiding," Sterling whispered. Bear froze, staring at his mother in utter confusion. Martha looked away, refusing to meet Bear's eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about," she lied, but her voice cracked. Sterling pulled a heavy revolver from his belt and pressed it against her temple.
