Chapter 9 - The Rendezvous Gone Dark
The salt-heavy sea spray whipped against the weathered stone walls of the abandoned lighthouse at Blackwood Point. The midnight moon was obscured by thick, rolling storm clouds that painted the churning ocean in shades of slate and ink. David stepped out of the shadows of the lower gallery, holding the black briefcase tightly in his left hand while keeping his sidearm concealed beneath his coat. Emily and the baby were safely secured in a hidden underground bunker three miles inland, guarded by an automated distress beacon. He stood alone in the howling wind, waiting for the Director’s extraction team. A pair of high-intensity marine searchlights suddenly pierced the darkness from a sleek inflatable Zodiac cutting through the heavy surf. Three figures disembarked, stepping onto the slippery stone pier. At the center stood Director Cole, his silver hair slicked back, wearing a pristine trench coat that seemed entirely immune to the brutal coastal weather. Cole smiled coldly, holding up a portable tablet that displayed a live, high-definition feed of Sarah, still bound in the sterile white facility.
“You brought the drive, David? Or did you bring a bullet?” Cole shouted over the roar of the crashing waves.
