Chapter 10 - Trapped in the Dark
"Stay behind me," Alexander commanded in a low, fierce whisper, his hand sliding immediately to his inside coat pocket where he carried a tactical flashlight.
The beam cut through the darkness, illuminating swirling dust motes in the cold, damp air of the storage facility.
Sophie clutched the tiny titanium flash drive tightly in her fist, her knuckles turning white as her heart hammered violently against her ribs.
"They followed us," Sophie whispered, her voice barely audible over the hum of the overhead electrical wires.
"Quiet," Alexander warned, stepping past the threshold of Unit 412 and into the narrow, darkened aisle.
Heavy, methodical footsteps echoed against the concrete floor just around the corner near the main exit.
Clack. Clack. Clack.
Leather-soled shoes approaching with cold, unhurried precision.
Alexander raised his flashlight, casting the beam toward the ceiling to bounce the light down the hallway without giving away his exact position.
Two figures in dark tactical gear stepped into view, their faces half-hidden beneath black balaclavas, each carrying a suppressed automatic weapon.
Arthur's men.
Before the guards could raise their rifles, Alexander lunged from the shadows, slamming his shoulder directly into the chest of the lead operative and sending him crashing backward into a stack of metal lockers.
The second guard spun around, bringing his weapon up, but Sophie—acting on pure, adrenaline-fueled survival instinct—grabbed a heavy plastic storage bin and hurled it directly at his face.
The bin struck the operative squarely, throwing off his aim just enough for Alexander to sweep his legs out from under him, sending him crashing hard onto the concrete floor.
"Move! Now!" Alexander shouted, grabbing Sophie's hand and sprinting down the dark aisle toward the rear emergency exit.
They burst through the heavy metal push-bar door into the pouring rain, tumbling into the alleyway behind the facility just as the sound of shouting echoed behind them.
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Alexander yanked open the passenger door of the SUV, shoving Sophie inside before sliding into the driver's seat and slamming his foot down on the gas pedal.
The tires shrieked against the wet asphalt, spraying water as the luxury vehicle vaulted out of the alley and into the safety of the Manhattan traffic stream.
