Chapter 5 - THIRTY THOUSAND FEET IN FLAMES"You were always too smart for your own good, Boss," Vance said, his voice completely devoid of the loyalty he had displayed for eight years.
Iris screamed, hiding her face in Hazel’s shoulder. Griffin slowly stood up, placing himself squarely between the gun and his daughters.
"She’s your sister, Vance," Griffin said, his voice dangerously low. "Those are your nieces."
"They are collateral!" Vance spat, his eyes wild with greed. "Do you have any idea what is inside Vault 409? It’s not money, Griffin! It’s the original digital blueprints and access codes to the entire global defense network. My father died for it. Sloan hid it. And now, the highest bidder in Beijing wants it for four billion dollars!"
"You poisoned her," Griffin stated coldly.
"She refused to give me the key!" Vance yelled. "She chose you over her own blood! She ran away eight years ago because she knew if she stayed with you, the Syndicate would destroy your empire to get to her. She saved your life by leaving, Griffin! And you spent eight years hating her for it!"
The truth struck Griffin harder than any bullet could.
Sloan hadn't abandoned him. She had sacrificed her happiness, her luxury, and her life with the man she loved to protect him from a global cabal of war profiteers. She had raised their twin daughters in secret, living in constant fear, just to keep Griffin safe.
"Hand over the key, Drake," Vance demanded, cocking the pistol. "Or I blow your head off and take it off your corpse."
"You forgot one thing, Vance," Griffin said softly.
"What's that?"
"This is my plane."
Griffin slammed his palm onto the emergency depressurization button on the wall panel behind him.
ALARM BELLS SHRIEKED.
The aircraft’s emergency exit doors blew open with an explosive pop. Oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling as a hurricane of cold air rushed through the cabin, throwing tables, chairs, and paper into a chaotic vortex.
May you like
Vance was thrown off balance, his gun flying from his grip toward the open door.
Griffin lunged forward through the roaring air, tackling Vance to the carpet. The two men fought viciously, trading heavy blows as the plane banked violently in the sky.
