Chapter 4 - THE BETRAYAL AT PIER 42
“Everyone Has a Price—And Yours Just Ruined Us.”David stopped in his tracks. The friendly expression on his face slowly melted into a cold, hollow sneer.
He reached into his jacket—not for a badge, but for a suppressed pistol.
"I'm sorry, Lena," David said quietly, his voice devoid of emotion. "Marcus cleared my $2 million gambling debt. In this city, survival isn't about right or wrong. It's about who pays the bills."
"You sold out Clara's daughter?!" Lena yelled, tears mixing with the freezing rain on her cheeks. "She trusted you!"
"Clara is dead!" David snapped, lowering his gun toward Lena. "And if you hand over the girl, Marcus promised you'll walk away with enough cash to start a new life in South America. Don't be a hero, Lena. You're just a hotdog vendor!"
"I'm her aunt!" Lena screamed.
Before David could pull the trigger, a blinding set of headlights flared from the top of the shipping containers. Engine roars filled the night air as three black SUVs boxed them in.
Marcus Vance stepped out of the lead vehicle, holding a gold-trimmed cane.
"Very impressive, Detective," Marcus purred, stepping into the rain. "You actually brought them to me."
"I did my job, Vance," David said, turning slightly toward Marcus. "Now transfer the funds like we agreed."
Marcus raised a single hand. A muffled shot rang out.
David gasped, dropping to his knees as a red stain bloomed across his chest. He looked up at Marcus in shock. "You... you promised..."
"I don't leave loose ends," Marcus spat indifferently, stepping over David’s collapsing body. He turned his chilling gaze to Lena and the child. "Now, Lena... give me my daughter's key, or I will paint this pier with both of your blood."
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Lena backed toward the edge of the dark, freezing Hudson River. "She’s not your key, Marcus. She’s a human being!"
"She is an obstacle," Marcus corrected smoothly. He reached into his coat and pulled out a remote detonator. "And you have five seconds to step away from her."
