Chapter 12: The Meetup
Chapter 12: The Meetup
Believing he still held the absolute upper hand, Tyler agreed to meet Leo at the specified location: an abandoned, subterranean parking structure deep in the city's crumbling, forgotten industrial district. Tyler dressed in dark, unbranded clothing, leaving his signature designer jackets at home. Tucked deep into the interior pocket of his heavy coat was a solid-steel, heavy-duty tactical flashlight. It was a brutal, heavy object. He fully intended to smash the encrypted hard drive into a million unreadable, shattered pieces—and he was more than prepared to ruthlessly do the exact same thing to Leo’s skull to protect his newfound viral fame and avoid a prison sentence.
He drove his leased luxury SUV through the desolate streets, his mind racing with twisted justifications. It’s Leo’s fault for being greedy, he told himself, gripping the leather steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. I’m the talent. I built this empire. He’s just a disposable editor.
As he slowly descended the concrete ramp into the underground garage, the damp, freezing shadows of the cavernous structure seemed to close in around him claustrophobically. The overhead fluorescent lights buzzed aggressively, half of them burned out, casting long, menacing shadows across the empty parking bays. The air was incredibly thick, smelling strongly of stale urine, decaying trash, and pooled motor oil. Water dripped ominously from the cracked ceiling, echoing loudly in the vast, concrete emptiness.
May you like
Tyler parked his car, killing the headlights, and stepped out into the freezing gloom. He slid his right hand into his coat, his fingers wrapping securely around the cold, knurled grip of the heavy flashlight. He took a deep breath, puffing out his chest to project dominance.
"Leo? Come out, you spineless little coward! Let's make the trade," Tyler demanded. His arrogant, projecting voice echoed loudly off the stained, oil-slicked concrete pillars, bouncing back to him in the dark. "I have the crypto transfer queued up on my phone. Bring me the drive, and you get the money!"
