Chapter 13 - Flight Through the Storm
The truck barreled down the narrow logging roads flanking the state forest, branches whipping violently against the armored windshield. Behind them, the twin beams of the search helicopters swept the canopy, their heavy rotor blades beating the stormy air into submission.
""Where do we go?"" Elena cried, bracing Clara between her knees. ""They control the highways, the state police, everything!""
Liam plugged Julian’s encrypted drive into Marcus's rugged dashboard console. ""Sarah left a failsafe protocol. She routed duplicate files to an independent international press server in Montreal. It requires dual-key verification to broadcast—Julian’s security token and Sarah’s master password.""
""What’s the password?"" Marcus asked, swerving sharply to avoid a fallen timber across the muddy trail.
Liam paused, staring at the flashing prompt on the green screen. He closed his eyes, remembering the night Sarah gave him the leather keychain before her final reporting trip. She had kissed his temple while Clara danced around the kitchen in her oversized pajamas.
""The Last Waltz,"" Liam whispered.
He typed the phrase into the prompt. The console chimed once, a green progress bar shooting across the screen: DECRYPTING ARCHIVES — BROADCAST IMMINENT.
A sudden explosion rocked the logging road ahead. An aerial rocket from the lead helicopter struck a hundred yards out, cratering the dirt path and throwing a wall of flaming timber across their only escape route.
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Marcus slammed on the brakes, the pickup sliding sideways, stopping inches from the roaring wall of fire.
""End of the line,"" Marcus said grimly, reaching for his sidearm. ""They’re landing in the clearing behind us.""
