Chapter 5 - The Shifting Loyalties
Emily stared down the dark barrel of the smoking revolver.
She could barely comprehend what was happening in front of her.
Maria's hands were shaking violently, but her eyes were cold and full of desperate determination.
“Maria, what are you doing?”
“Put the gun down right now before someone hears the noise.”
Maria shook her head and stepped carefully over the bleeding body of the corrupt detective.
“I am not playing games with you anymore, Emily.”
“Your husband took my little brother hostage three days ago.”
Emily felt a cold wave of realization wash over her terrified mind.
“He told me to put the drug in your tea, or my brother would die.”
Tears finally began to stream down Maria's pale, exhausted face.
“I gave you a smaller dose to save your life, but David found out.”
“Now he says I have to deliver the stolen bearer bonds to him by midnight, or my brother is gone.”
Emily slowly lowered her hands, feeling a deep sense of empathy for the frantic maid.
Maria was not a cold-blooded killer; she was just a desperate sister trying to protect her family.
“Maria, you cannot trust a single word David says.”
“Even if you give him the money, he will kill both of you to cover his tracks.”
Maria sobbed, lowering the heavy gun an inch toward the floor.
“Then what am I supposed to do?”
“I don't have the power or the money to fight billionaires and corrupt police.”
Emily reached out and gently placed her hand over the hot barrel of the revolver.
“You have me, Maria, and together we are going to destroy them.”
She pushed the gun down completely and pulled the crying maid into a tight hug.
“I know exactly where David keeps his darkest secrets.”
They quickly wiped their fingerprints from the office and rushed out of the building.
They drove the stolen taxi toward the edge of the wealthy suburban district.
Emily directed Maria to an abandoned warehouse that David used for his illegal shipments.
The building was dark, heavily guarded by private security mercenaries, and surrounded by electric fences.
They sneaked around the back, using the heavy rain to mask their footsteps.
Emily used a hidden service grate she had accidentally discovered years ago.
They crawled through the muddy, rusted pipe and dropped silently into the dark warehouse.
The massive room was filled with wooden crates holding illegal weapons and stolen artwork.
In the center of the room sat a heavily armored security transport van.
Emily recognized the logo on the side of the vehicle immediately.
It belonged to the private orphanage that Chloe heavily funded for public relations.
They crept closer to the van and peered through the dark, tinted windows.
Maria let out a sharp gasp and clamped a hand over her mouth.
Sitting inside the locked cage of the van was her kidnapped younger brother.
He looked terrified, but he was physically unharmed.
Maria reached frantically for the heavy metal door handle.
Emily grabbed her arm tightly to stop her.
“Wait, it's connected to an alarm system!”
But it was already too late.
A blinding spotlight hit them from the dark catwalk above.
David’s voice boomed through a loud megaphone, echoing menacingly across the warehouse.
“I knew your bleeding heart would lead you straight into my trap, Emily.”
Suddenly, the metal doors of the van flew open, but the boy inside did not run toward Maria.
Instead, the child smiled a wicked, unnatural smile and pulled out a small tactical radio.
“Target secured, Mr. Sterling,” the boy said in a deep, adult voice.
May you like
Maria collapsed to her knees, realizing the boy was not her brother at all.
It was a highly trained decoy wearing a realistic silicone mask.
