CHAPTER 4: The Flash Drive Called “TRUTH”
The first scream came from Emma.
The second never had a chance.
Rebecca covered her daughter's mouth and pulled her close as the apartment disappeared into darkness.
The only sounds left were metal grinding against metal...
And the slow, deliberate whine of a power drill chewing through the front-door lock.
Nathaniel didn't hesitate.
Years of leading a billion-dollar corporation had never required him to fight.
But years of living in a world where powerful people smiled while destroying lives had taught him one thing.
When someone cuts the power before knocking down your door... they aren't here to negotiate.
"They're coming in," he whispered.
Rebecca nodded, pale with fear.
"They've never done this before."
Nathaniel looked toward the kitchen.
"The fire escape."
Rebecca's expression collapsed.
"They'll have people there too."
"How do you know?"
"Because they always think ahead."
Another loud crack echoed through the apartment.
The deadbolt snapped.
Only the chain lock remained.
Nathaniel grabbed the small silver flash drive from Emma's hand.
It felt surprisingly heavy.
Old.
Military-grade.
Not an ordinary USB stick.
One side carried the engraved word:
TRUTH.
The other side carried something even stranger.
A tiny engraved symbol.
A falcon with its wings spread.
Nathaniel froze.
He had seen that symbol before.
Years ago.
Inside his father's private office.
On confidential files that were never supposed to leave the building.
Only four executives had access to documents carrying that emblem.
His father.
Michael.
Victor Ashford.
...and Nathaniel himself.
Rebecca noticed his expression.
"You recognize it."
Nathaniel nodded slowly.
"This drive came from Grant Industries."
Rebecca whispered,
"Michael gave it to me."
CRACK!
The chain lock strained violently.
Someone kicked the door.
Again.
And again.
The old frame splintered.
A deep voice shouted from outside.
"Mr. Grant!"
"This ends much easier if you cooperate!"
Nathaniel ignored him.
Instead, he pulled out his phone again.
One weak bar had returned.
Just enough.
He dialed only three numbers.
Not 911.
A private emergency line.
The only number his late father had ever insisted he memorize.
It connected immediately.
A calm male voice answered.
"Grant Executive Security."
Nathaniel spoke only six words.
"Code Black. Michael was murdered."
Silence.
Then...
The man's tone changed instantly.
"Confirm your identity."
"Nathaniel Grant."
Another pause.
Then a sentence Nathaniel had never heard before.
"Mr. Grant..."
"...we've been waiting five years for this call."
The line went dead.
Rebecca stared at him.
"What does that mean?"
Nathaniel honestly didn't know.
The front door exploded inward.
Wood scattered across the hallway.
Three men rushed inside wearing dark tactical clothing.
No police markings.
No company logos.
Professional.
Disciplined.
The tallest one immediately raised both hands.
"Weapons down."
"We're not here to hurt the child."
Nathaniel stepped in front of Emma anyway.
"You have exactly three seconds to leave."
The man almost smiled.
"You sound exactly like your brother."
Nathaniel's fists tightened.
"You knew Michael."
"We worked together."
"No."
Nathaniel's voice hardened.
"You hunted him."
For the first time...
The stranger's smile disappeared.
Before anyone moved—
Another sound echoed from outside.
Not footsteps.
Engines.
Lots of them.
Powerful engines.
The street suddenly filled with black SUVs.
One after another.
Brakes screeched.
Doors slammed.
The tactical men inside the apartment looked toward the windows.
Confused.
One whispered,
"That's not our team."
The leader frowned.
"What?"
Then...
Laser sights appeared across the apartment walls.
Red dots.
One.
Three.
Seven.
Twelve.
Every intruder suddenly had a red dot centered on his chest.
A booming voice thundered from outside through a loudspeaker.
"FEDERAL PROTECTIVE UNIT!"
"DROP YOUR WEAPONS IMMEDIATELY!"
Nathaniel frowned.
Federal Protective Unit?
He had never heard of it.
Neither had the intruders.
The leader whispered into his earpiece.
"This wasn't supposed to happen."
No one answered him.
His radio was dead.
The apartment windows shattered.
Not from bullets.
Smoke canisters.
Thick white smoke flooded every room.
Emma cried out.
Rebecca couldn't see.
Nathaniel wrapped one arm around both of them.
"Stay behind me!"
Shadowy figures poured through the broken windows.
Black uniforms.
Night-vision goggles.
Perfect coordination.
The entire operation lasted less than twenty seconds.
One by one...
The armed intruders hit the floor.
Handcuffed.
Disarmed.
Silent.
Not a single shot fired.
The leader struggled.
"You don't understand!"
"You can't arrest us!"
One of the masked officers leaned close and quietly replied,
"We're not here to arrest you."
The man froze.
"What?"
"We're here to disappear you."
Nathaniel heard the words clearly.
Every instinct told him something was wrong.
These weren't ordinary federal agents.
They were too efficient.
Too invisible.
Too calm.
The masked commander finally turned toward Nathaniel.
He slowly removed his helmet.
Nathaniel stared.
The man looked to be around sixty.
Gray hair.
Sharp blue eyes.
A scar across his chin.
Then the stranger spoke.
"I wish we'd met under better circumstances."
Nathaniel didn't answer.
The older man reached into his coat.
Rebecca gasped.
But instead of a weapon...
He produced an old photograph.
Nathaniel's heart nearly stopped.
It showed two boys fishing beside a lake.
One was Nathaniel at age ten.
The other was Michael.
Standing behind them...
Laughing...
Was the man now standing in the apartment.
Nathaniel whispered,
"...Who are you?"
The stranger answered quietly.
"My name is Samuel Reeves."
"I was your father's closest friend."
Nathaniel frowned.
"My father never mentioned you."
Samuel gave a sad smile.
"He wasn't allowed to."
Rebecca looked completely confused.
"Allowed?"
Samuel nodded.
"Because officially..."
"...I died twenty-two years ago."
Silence filled the ruined apartment.
Then Samuel looked directly at the flash drive in Nathaniel's hand.
His face turned deadly serious.
"You must never plug that into any computer connected to the internet."
Nathaniel tightened his grip.
"Why?"
Samuel's answer chilled everyone in the room.
"Because the second that drive comes online..."
"...the people who killed your brother will know exactly where you are."
Before Nathaniel could ask another question—
Samuel's encrypted radio crackled.
A frightened voice shouted through static.
"Commander!"
"We've got movement!"
"Someone just activated Protocol Phoenix!"
Samuel's face lost all color.
He looked straight at Nathaniel.
"They found Michael."
Nathaniel's heart slammed against his ribs.
"What do you mean?"
Samuel whispered words no one in the apartment believed possible.
May you like
"Your brother is alive."
— End of Chapter 4 —
