Chapter 5 - The Tactical Strike
Brianna let out a piercing scream as the heavily armed men dragged her across the office floor.
Victor wept pathetically from his tied chair, completely useless and broken.
"Please, don't hurt her!" Victor cried out.
I knew I had only seconds to act before this situation turned fatal.
I had dropped my sidearm, but I never walk into a hostile environment with only one weapon.
I subtly shifted my weight and slipped a small, ceramic tactical knife from my sleeve.
In one fluid motion, I spun around and slashed the hand of the man holding the gun to my neck.
He roared in pain and dropped his weapon.
I caught his falling gun mid-air and instantly fired two precise shots into the knees of the men holding Brianna.
They collapsed to the floor, groaning in sheer agony.
The suited boss's eyes widened in shock as he reached inside his tailored jacket.
I aimed the stolen weapon directly at the center of his forehead.
"Do not move a single muscle," I commanded with absolute, terrifying calm.
The room fell completely silent, save for the heavy breathing of the wounded men.
Brianna scrambled away from her attackers and huddled in the corner, shaking uncontrollably.
"You are out of your mind," the boss whispered, raising his empty hands.
"You just assaulted three members of the Vargas Syndicate."
"I just defended my family against domestic terrorists," I corrected him.
I slowly walked toward him and snatched my father's Silver Star from his paralyzed fingers.
I carefully placed the medal into my tactical vest pocket, feeling a surge of profound relief.
"Sloane," I said loudly, knowing my attorney was listening through my hidden earpiece.
"Call the FBI extraction team waiting two blocks away."
The boss's face turned completely pale.
"You brought the feds?" he asked, genuine fear finally breaking his arrogant facade.
"I am military intelligence," I smiled coldly.
"I don't go anywhere without tracking devices and a heavily armed backup plan."
Within seconds, loud sirens wailed outside the office building.
Red and blue lights flashed aggressively against the large windowpanes.
Heavily armored FBI agents smashed through the doors and flooded into the room.
They quickly secured the wounded syndicate members and placed the boss in heavy handcuffs.
An agent untied Victor, who immediately tried to run toward Brianna.
I stepped in front of him, blocking his path.
"You are not going near her," I said firmly.
"Elena, thank you," Victor sobbed.
"You saved us."
"I didn't save you, Victor," I replied.
"I secured the evidence."
I looked at the lead FBI agent and nodded.
"Arrest Victor Pike for massive federal wire fraud and conspiracy to sell classified government property," I ordered.
Victor's jaw dropped as an agent violently slammed him against the wall and cuffed his wrists.
But as they dragged him away, the syndicate boss looked back at me and laughed.
"You think you won, Captain?" the boss sneered.
May you like
"We weren't buying that cabin for the view."
"We bought it because of what your paranoid father buried underneath the floorboards."
