Chapter 8 - Fracture
Sterling let out a high-pitched, agonizing scream as the impact tore the surgical wires straight through his jawbone. His grip on the Magnum slipped.
Marcus fired instantly. The two bodyguards collapsed before their weapons cleared their waists. Marcus stepped in, sweeping Ava behind him with one arm while bringing the rifle stock viciously into Sterling's chest, knocking the billionaire flat onto the stone floor.
Sterling wriggled across the ground, coughing blood and screaming in agony, his fingers clawing for the fallen revolver. Marcus stomped his heavy boot directly onto Sterling’s wrist, pinning the arm until bone cracked audibly.
""Marcus... stop,"" Ava gasped, clinging to his tactical vest from behind. She was shaking violently, cold sweat drenching her skin. ""Don't murder him. If you kill him, Hayes wins. They'll bury everything.""
Marcus looked down at the pathetic, groveling billionaire beneath his heel. Every cell in his body demanded execution. Sterling had broken Ava; he had bought the military establishment; he had spat on everything Marcus had bled for.
Slowly, Marcus lifted his boot. He knelt down, driving his fist into Sterling's temple just hard enough to knock the man unconscious.
Marcus turned to Ava, using his knife to sever the zip-ties on her wrists and ankles. She collapsed into his arms, sobbing silently against his chest as the adrenaline finally burned out of her system.
""I have you,"" Marcus whispered, burying his face in her hair. ""I've got you. It's over.""
""It's not over,"" she whispered back, pulling back to look into his eyes. Her trembling hands reached into her ripped dress, extracting a miniature flash drive. ""Sterling kept digital ledgers. Off-shore accounts, names of senators, payments to Hayes. Everything he used to blackmail the fleet command. I pulled it from his safe when he left me alone to prep the camera.""
Marcus took the drive. Suddenly, the compound’s sirens wailed at ear-splitting volume.
May you like
A synthetic voice echoed through the ceiling speakers: Perimeter breached by Federal Bureau of Investigation tactical teams. Stand down.
The estate wasn't being secured by friends. Heavy tactical teams were breaching the front gate with armored vehicles, and they were shooting anything that moved.
