Chapter 6 - THE TURNCOAT'S GAMBITBefore the explosive charge on the bathroom door could be detonated, a deafening explosion erupted from the front of the house, followed by chaotic shouting and the unmistakable roar of automatic tactical weapons.
Federal backup hadn't taken twenty minutes. They had been rerouted by an anonymous high-priority override code sent directly from inside the Department of Justice.
Through the bathroom vent, the sounds of tactical engagement shifted rapidly.
"Federal agents! Drop your weapons! Down on the ground!"
The men hunting us were suddenly the ones being hunted. Heavy boots scrambled away from our door, retreating toward the back windows as smoke grenades filled the hallway.
Sarah exhaled a long, shaky breath, lowering her pistol just an inch, though she kept her stance locked. "Hold your position, Clara. Let them clear the sector."
Ten agonizing minutes later, a heavy knock rattled the bathroom door, followed by a familiar, breathless voice.
"Sarah! Clara! It's Commander Vance—open up!"
I froze. Vance?
Sarah’s eyes flared with suspicion. She slowly unlocked the heavy steel bolt and cracked the door open, keeping her weapon raised.
Standing in the smoke-filled hallway wasn't one of Julian’s hitmen. It was federal task force director David Vance—Marcus’s estranged, honorable cousin who had spent the last five years secretly building an internal affairs case against Julian and Marcus’s syndicate.
"It's over," David panted, holding up his badge and hands to show he was unarmed. "Julian’s private security detail just tried to eliminate you. My team intercepted their communications and mobilized the tactical strike unit. They’re all in custody."
Sarah lowered her weapon, stepping out into the hallway. "How did you find us so fast, David?"
David wiped soot from his forehead, looking grim. "Because Eleanor finally broke. She gave us the master decryption keys to Julian’s offshore accounts, his private communication logs, and the exact locations of every shell corporation they use to fund their operations. Julian is fleeing the country right now on a private freighter out of the harbor."
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I stepped out of the bathroom, holding my sleeping baby against my chest. "A freighter?"
David looked at me, his expression grim and resolute. "Yes. And if we don't intercept him within the next two hours, he’ll vanish into international waters forever, taking every shred of evidence regarding Marcus's crimes—and your stolen life—with him."
