Chapter 10 - The Gilded Cage
The abandoned steel mill loomed in the darkness like a rusted skeleton. The rain had stopped, leaving a heavy, chilling fog rolling off Lake Michigan.
Cole parked the SUV in the shadows of a decaying cooling tower. He handed Mercer a heavy coat to conceal the bleeding, then loaded a sniper rifle, melting away into the higher scaffolding without a word.
"Listen to me," Lily said, grabbing Mercer’s arm before he could open the door. She pulled a pre-filled syringe from her pocket. "This is a heavy dose of epinephrine. It will spike your blood pressure and keep you conscious, but it's going to put massive strain on your heart."
"Do it," Mercer commanded, rolling up his sleeve.
Lily injected him. Instantly, the color rushed back into Mercer’s face. His pupils dilated, and his breathing sharpened.
"Stay in the car," Mercer ordered, grabbing the ledger. "If things go south, put it in drive and don't look back."
Lily didn't answer. She watched as he stepped out into the open courtyard of the mill.
Two black Mercedes sedans were already waiting under the flickering glow of a single halogen floodlight.
Ivan Volkov stepped out of the lead car. He was a massive man, wearing a tailored cashmere coat, looking entirely out of place in the industrial ruin.
From the second car, two heavily armed guards pulled a young woman out into the cold air. Elena Mercer. She was bruised, shivering, but her eyes were defiant as they locked onto her brother.
"The book, John," Volkov demanded, holding his hand out.
Mercer held up the ledger. "Let her walk to the halfway point."
Volkov nodded. The guards released Elena. She stumbled forward, wrapping her arms around herself in the freezing fog.
Mercer tossed the heavy leather book onto the wet concrete between them.
Volkov smiled, stepping forward to retrieve it.
May you like
But Lily, watching from the SUV, saw what Mercer couldn't. From the shadows of the rusted shipping containers behind Mercer, three red laser sights suddenly cut through the fog, settling directly onto Mercer’s back.
Volkov hadn't come alone. It was an execution.
