Chapter 3 - The Hostage Situation
My heart slammed against my ribs as the stranger's voice echoed in my ear.
I had spent my entire military career analyzing hostage situations from a safe distance.
Now, my own mother was the victim.
"Listen to me very carefully," I said, dropping my voice into an icy, authoritative tone.
"If you harm a single hair on her head, I will bring the full weight of the United States military down on your organization."
The man on the phone simply chuckled.
"We don't care about your military badges, little girl," he sneered.
"We only care about our two million dollars, or the deed to that mountain property."
"The property is locked in a federal trust," I explained.
"It physically cannot be transferred to a private shell company without a federal judge's approval."
"Then you better find a judge, because you have exactly forty-eight hours," the man threatened.
He hung up the phone.
I immediately sprinted toward my commanding officer's quarters.
I needed an emergency tactical leave approved immediately.
Major Hayes looked up from his desk as I burst through the door.
I quickly explained the situation, omitting the classified details but emphasizing the immediate threat to civilian life.
"Take a transport plane to Denver tonight," Major Hayes ordered, signing my leave papers.
"Do you need military police backup?" he asked.
"No, sir," I replied.
"If local cops show up, the syndicate will kill my mother."
I packed my tactical gear and boarded a midnight cargo flight to Colorado.
The cold mountain air hit my face as I stepped out of the Denver airport.
Sloane was waiting for me in a black SUV by the curb.
"I tracked Victor's cell phone," Sloane said as I climbed into the passenger seat.
"They are holding them at his private office downtown, not the house."
We drove aggressively through the empty city streets.
I pulled my standard-issue sidearm from my tactical bag and checked the magazine.
"You cannot go in there shooting, Elena," Sloane warned me.
"I am not going to shoot anyone," I said.
"I am going to negotiate."
We pulled into the dark parking lot of Victor's accounting firm.
The building looked entirely abandoned.
I crept up to the back door and easily bypassed the cheap security lock.
I moved silently down the hallway until I heard voices coming from Victor's personal office.
I kicked the door open and raised my weapon.
Victor was tied to a chair, bruised and bleeding from his nose.
But my mother was nowhere to be found.
May you like
Instead, Brianna was sitting casually on the desk, holding a cup of coffee and laughing with the syndicate thugs.
"It took you long enough, Elena," my half-sister smiled wickedly.
