Chapter 16 - The Confrontation in the Dark
The interior of the warehouse was illuminated only by a single overhead work light casting long, distorted shadows across stacks of wooden pallets and rusted machinery.
David was sitting tied to a wooden chair in the center of the room, his face bruised and pale, his clothes covered in dust. Standing behind him were two large, heavily armed men in dark tactical vests, holding submachine guns casually at their sides.
As Mariana stepped through the doorway, David raised his head, his eyes wide with genuine terror.
"Mariana..." he whimpered. "You shouldn't came. They're going to kill us both."
"Shut up, you fool," one of the guards hissed, kicking the base of David's chair hard enough to make him lurch forward. The guard stepped out to block Mariana’s path, a cruel grin spreading across his face. "Well, well, well. The corporate manager herself. Do you have the flash drive?"
Mariana stood her ground, her posture rigid, her eyes completely devoid of fear. "I have everything Don Lorenzo needs. But I want proof that my daughter is entirely safe from your syndicate before I hand it over."
"You don't get to negotiate terms, lady," the second guard growled, stepping up behind her and grabbing her arm roughly, shoving her toward the center of the room. "Give me the drive right now or—"
Before he could finish his sentence, the heavy metal doors behind them blew wide open with a deafening crash.
"FEDERAL POLICE! DROP YOUR WEAPONS!"
Commander Vargas and a dozen heavily armed tactical officers poured into the warehouse, their laser sights painting a web of red dots across the chest protectors of the syndicate guards.
May you like
"DON'T MOVE! HANDS ON YOUR HEAD!"
Panic erupted instantly in the room. One of the guards raised his submachine gun toward Mariana, but before he could pull the trigger, a sharp crack echoed through the warehouse.
