Chapter 7 - The Digital Siege
The black sedan tore through the labyrinthine streets of the city, dodging traffic lights and cutting through dimly lit industrial zones to avoid police checkpoints. In the backseat, I carefully peeled the black plastic flash drive away from the inside cover of Frank’s journal, turning the small device over in my palm. This tiny piece of metal and silicon held the weight of thirty-two years of deceit, murder, and stolen identities.
"How do we know the federal agents aren't on their payroll too?" I asked, looking up from the drive to meet Lucas's steady gaze in the rearview mirror.
"Because we aren't going to local law enforcement," Lucas replied, tapping a complex routing program on a ruggedized laptop resting on his knees. "We're bypassing the chain of command entirely and uploading this data directly to the secure terminal of Director Vance—a man who has spent the last five years secretly investigating the pharmaceutical conglomerate from the inside, waiting for definitive proof of their illegal operations."
Ten minutes later, the sedan slid into the secure underground parking garage of the federal building. Lucas killed the engine, plunging the car into deep shadow.
"Stay here," Lucas instructed, unbuckling his seatbelt. "I'll use Frank's credentials to interface with the external terminal at the security gate. If I'm not back in five minutes, take the drive and run toward the Federal Plaza."
"No," I said, opening my door and stepping out onto the cold concrete. "We finish this together. Frank lied to me my entire life, but I'm not going to run from the truth anymore."
Lucas hesitated, then offered a grim, approving nod. Side by side, we walked toward the heavy glass security doors of the federal facility.
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As we reached the exterior card reader, the emergency lights overhead suddenly flickered and died, plunging the entire garage into pitch darkness. A split second later, the sharp crack of a suppressed gunshot echoed off the concrete walls, shattering the glass windowpane inches from Lucas’s head.
"Ambush!" Lucas yelled, shoving me behind a concrete support pillar as a volley of gunfire erupted from the shadows near the exit ramp.
