Chapter 12 - The Iron Grip
Liam didn't pull the trigger. Instead, he struck Julian across the cheek with the steel slide of the pistol, sending his older brother sprawling into the mud.
""I don't need to kill you to destroy you,"" Liam growled, kneeling on Julian's chest and ripping the encrypted satellite phone and personal thumb drive from his breast pocket. ""Sarah had friends in federal oversight. All she lacked was your authentication key. And you just delivered it to me.""
Julian spat blood into the gravel, laughing weakly. ""You think the feds will save you? The Governor signed the warrant for Sarah’s surveillance himself! You're carrying a dead woman's crusade, Liam. You're already a ghost!""
Liam hauled Julian to his feet by his collar, dragging him toward the limousine. ""Then let’s go give the Governor our condolences.""
Suddenly, the roar of an engine cut through the rain. A dark pickup truck skidded to a halt on the quarry road above. Marcus leaned out of the passenger window, gesturing frantically toward the south ridge.
""Liam! Get up here! The state tactical unit just breached the outer checkpoint! They aren't here to arrest Julian—they’re here to wipe the grid!""
Liam shoved Julian into the backseat of the limousine, locking the heavy doors from the inside, and scrambled up the embankment toward Marcus. As he reached the truck, Elena threw open the rear door, Clara sobbing into her chest.
""Daddy!"" Clara reached out, her small hands catching Liam’s coat as he tumbled into the cab.
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""Drive, Marcus!"" Liam yelled, slamming the door.
The pickup surged forward just as two tactical helicopters broke through the low clouds, their spotlights pinning the quarry in brilliant, blinding cones of white light.
