Chapter 5 - Cicero at Dawn
The morning sun failed to warm the industrial district of Cicero. Gray mist clung to rusted rail cars and abandoned corrugated-iron warehouses. Damian sat behind the wheel of an unassuming slate-gray SUV, the engine idling in a low purr. Maya sat in the passenger seat, her fingers intertwined in her lap, wearing a worn denim jacket over a simple sweater.
In the back seat sat two heavy black cases containing portable Vance-patented dialysis units, along with an envelope containing three thousand dollars in clean bills.
"Remember what you say," Damian instructed, his voice steady. "You are confirming the lot number. Nothing else. If he becomes aggressive, you step back toward the car. Do not play the hero."
"He knows I'm a maid," Maya said, her voice shaking slightly. "He knows I shouldn't have access to this kind of money so quickly."
"He thinks you stole it from me," Damian said grimly. "Greedy men always believe other people are as corrupt as they are. It reassures them."
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A rusted green sedan pulled into the gravel lot, crunching debris beneath worn tires. A thickset man with greasy thinning hair and a stained leather coat stepped out, his eyes darting across the desolate clearing before settling on the SUV. He lit a cigarette, gesturing toward Maya with a flick of his wrist.
"Stay behind me," Damian said quietly. He opened his door and stepped out into the cold wind. Maya followed, her heart slamming against her ribs, the reality of the danger settling over her like lead.
