Chapter 15 - The Sister With One Hour Left
Ortiz wanted a controlled operation.
Daniel wanted to tear Site 14 apart with his bare hands.
Emily wanted Claire alive.
"We give him what he thinks he wants," she said.
Ortiz looked at her. "No."
"You need someone he expects. He knows Daniel will come. He knows police will watch Daniel. He does not expect me to walk in alone."
Daniel turned on her. "Absolutely not."
Emily snapped back, "Your sister is tied to a chair because she tried to help us. We are not wasting forty minutes arguing about who gets to be brave."
Ortiz studied the site map.
"We can use her idea without sending her in blind."
They built the trap fast.
A cloned drive. A tracker hidden in the locket casing. A microphone under Emily's collar. Tactical officers positioned beyond the tree line.
Daniel hated every second.
At Site 14, rusted steel beams rose from weeds like bones.
Emily walked through the open gate carrying a small envelope.
"I'm here!"
A floodlight snapped on.
Evan stepped from behind an old trailer.
"Where's Daniel?"
"Not coming."
Evan laughed. "He let his wife do his dirty work. Thomas would be proud."
"Where's Claire?"
"Drive first."
Emily held it up. "Claire first."
A door opened inside the trailer.
Claire stumbled into view with tape over her mouth, wrists tied.
Daniel watched from the dark fifty yards away, every muscle screaming at him to move.
Ortiz whispered into his earpiece. "Hold."
Evan took the envelope.
"Password?"
"You'll get it when Claire reaches me."
He shoved Claire forward.
She took three steps.
Then headlights swept across the site.
A white SUV crashed through the side gate.
Margaret.
"Mom?" Daniel whispered.
Ortiz cursed.
Margaret got out holding a handgun.
Evan spun. "What are you doing here?"
"Cleaning up your mess."
"Your mess," Evan shot back.
Emily pulled Claire behind a concrete barrier.
Daniel moved.
Ortiz grabbed his jacket, but he tore free and ran low through the weeds.
Margaret raised the gun at Evan.
"Give me the drive."
He smiled. "Still pretending this was all for Daniel?"
"Give it to me."
"Tell him the truth first."
Margaret fired.
The shot hit Evan high in the arm. He dropped behind a loader.
Police surged from both sides.
Chaos exploded.
Claire screamed. Emily dragged her toward cover. Daniel reached them as another shot cracked against steel.
Evan, bleeding but conscious, crawled behind the loader and shouted toward Daniel.
"She didn't cover Site 14 to save me!"
Margaret screamed, "Shut up!"
Evan laughed.
"She did it because of what was in the truck with you."
Daniel froze.
"What was in the truck?"
Evan looked straight at him.
"Your baby brother."
------------------------------------------------------------
May you like
--- If you enjoyed the story, bookmark my site: https://vibe.treeiq.biz New stories are posted daily, so check back for updates.
