Chapter 14: The Mexican Standoff
Chapter 14: The Mexican Standoff
The icy rain pelted Eleanor’s face, flattening her elegant silver hair against her forehead and soaking her to the bone. Below her, the dark ocean violently slammed against the wooden pylons, shaking the very foundation of the pier. Ignoring the weapon aimed at her heart, she calmly extended her arm, holding the silver encrypted drive directly over the churning abyss below.
"Shoot me," Eleanor said. Her voice was eerily calm, carrying a chilling authority that cut easily through the roaring wind. "My muscles spasm, my hand opens, and ten million dollars of your boss's operational money sinks straight to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Tell me, Vargas, how forgiving are your cartel masters? Because they won't kill you fast. They'll take their time. You'll beg for a bullet."
Vargas hesitated. His finger trembled slightly against the trigger guard. The absolute, unblinking certainty in the old woman's eyes deeply unnerved him. This wasn't a scared, cornered civilian; this was a seasoned professional who had looked death in the eye long before he was even born.
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Behind Vargas, the sounds of crunching glass echoed. David limped out of the smoke-filled hangar, clutching his bleeding side, his shotgun entirely empty. Moments later, the steel door of the office creaked open. Sarah cautiously emerged, holding a terrified Tommy tight to her chest.
"Let my son and daughter leave," Eleanor demanded, her grip on the silver drive unyielding. "They take a car, they drive away. Once I see their taillights hit the main highway, I toss the drive to you. That is my final offer."
