2025-12-24 14:43:04
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CHAPTER 28
James held the reporter's gaze for a moment, then straightened his shoulders and spoke clearly into the microphones."Yes. I led this rescue operation personally when we learned that Claire Sterling, CEO of Sterling Global Corporation, had been kidnapped."The reporters erupted with questions, voices overlapping in a chaotic rush."How did you know where to find her?""Were the kidnappers armed?""Is Miss Sterling injured?"James raised his hand again, commanding silence with nothing more than his presence. The crowd quieted, though cameras continued flashing."We received intelligence about Miss Sterling's location approximately thirty minutes ago," James said, his voice steady and authoritative. "I immediately mobilized a tactical team and we moved to secure the area. The suspects were apprehended without incident. Miss Sterling is safe and receiving medical attention.""Were there casualties?" someone shouted from the back."No casualties. Several suspects are in custody and will f
CHAPTER 27
The soldier helped Ethan to his feet, though Ethan didn't really need the assistance.He stood slowly, brushing dust from his pants, his expression unchanged. As if kneeling on a factory floor surrounded by armed gang members was just another Tuesday evening.Around them, the cleanup was already underway.Soldiers were hauling gang members to their feet, checking them for concealed weapons, reading them their rights. Police had arrived—regular city police, not military—and were taking statements, photographing the scene, bagging evidence.Victor Kane was being led out in handcuffs, his massive frame flanked by four soldiers who looked small next to him. He didn't resist. Didn't say a word. Just walked with his head down, his face blank.Richard was different.He was screaming."This is a mistake! I'm a victim here! That man—" he pointed at Ethan with his zip-tied hands "—he's the one you should be arresting! He attacked us! He broke into this building!"Nobody paid attention.Two poli
CHAPTER 26
The sirens were deafening now.Then came the sound of engines. Heavy vehicles moving fast. Too fast for civilian traffic.Military.Victor's face went from white to gray. He looked around at his men, all of whom had frozen in place, their eyes darting toward the exits."Boss, what do we—" one of them started.The factory gates exploded inward.Not literally. But the force with which they were rammed open made it sound like an explosion. Metal screeched against metal. The chains that had secured them snapped like string.Through the opening poured a convoy of military vehicles—armored trucks, tactical vans, all of them painted in dark colors with no visible markings except for small military insignias.The vehicles screeched to a halt in a semicircle around the factory entrance, their headlights flooding the interior with blinding white light.Doors flew open.Soldiers poured out.Not regular soldiers. Special forces. You could tell by the way they moved—fast, coordinated, weapons up a
CHAPTER 25
Ethan didn't move.His eyes locked on Victor's blade, calculating the distance between them. Fifteen feet. Maybe sixteen. Too far to close before Victor could drag the knife across Claire's throat.And Victor knew it.The gang leader's smile widened, triumphant. "That's right. Stay exactly where you are."Ethan's mind worked rapidly, running through scenarios. Every possible angle of attack. Every way this could play out.None of them ended well.If he rushed forward, Claire died.If he tried to negotiate, Victor would stall until his men returned from the perimeter. Then Ethan would be outnumbered again, and any chance of getting Claire out alive would vanish.There had to be another option.But right now, with that blade pressed against Claire's throat, Ethan couldn't see it."Smart boy," Victor said, his voice low and pleased. "I can see you thinking. Running through all your little plans. But here's the thing—there's no move you can make that doesn't end with her blood on this flo
CHAPTER 24
Victor's head snapped toward the gang member with the radio."What do you mean, movement?"The gang member pressed the radio closer to his ear, listening intently. "Perimeter patrol says they saw someone near the north fence. Could be nothing, could be—""Get out there," Victor ordered, his voice sharp. "Take everyone except two guards. Check it out. Now."The gang members moved immediately, weapons drawn, heading toward the exits in a rush of footsteps and muttered curses.Ethan watched from the catwalk above, his expression unchanging.He'd thrown the rock fifteen minutes ago, deliberately aiming it at the fence on the far side of the complex where he'd seen motion sensors. Old security equipment that probably didn't even work anymore, but the gang wouldn't know that.They'd investigate. Waste time searching the perimeter for a threat that didn't exist.And that would give Ethan the opening he needed.Within thirty seconds, ten of the twelve gang members had filed out through the lo
CHAPTER 23
Ethan pulled back from the window and pressed himself against the wall, his mind working through the problem methodically.Twelve gang members. Maybe more hidden in other parts of the factory. All of them armed with at least knives, probably guns too.Victor Kane in the center, holding Claire hostage.Richard Langley somewhere in the background, likely unarmed but unpredictable.Direct assault was suicide.Ethan needed another way in.He circled around to the north side of the building, moving carefully through the debris and overgrown weeds that had reclaimed this part of the industrial district. The darkness helped. No streetlights out here. Just the faint glow of the moon and the distant lights of the city.As he rounded the corner, he spotted it.A rusted fire escape clinging to the side of the building like a skeleton. The metal was old, corroded in places, but it looked stable enough. More importantly, it led directly to a second-floor catwalk that ran along the interior of the
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