Chapter 9 - The Ambush at the Bridge
Frank Vance stood outside the open van doors, rain streaming off the brim of his wax-canvas hat, holding a heavy-duty hydraulic rescue spreader connected to a portable generator in the back of his truck.
""Out of the van, Graves,"" Frank said calmly, his voice cutting through the drumming storm.
Graves raised his Glock, but Frank didn't flinch. From the shadow of the bridge railing, Elena stepped forward into the peripheral beam of the truck's headlights. She wasn't holding the baby—Leo was safely tucked in the back cab of Frank’s truck with the engine running and the heat on full.
In her hands, Elena held Julian’s leather-bound journal and a flare gun.
""Shoot Frank, and I drop this book into the river,"" Elena said, her voice completely devoid of fear. ""Every offshore account Arthur used to fund your private security firm's payroll is documented in here. The IRS has a standing bounty on whistleblowers for this specific fund.""
Graves froze, his eyes darting between the battered journal and Elena's steady gaze. He knew the contents of that book better than anyone; his own signature was on three of the Cayman shell entities.
""You're bluffing,"" Graves said, though his finger eased away from the trigger slack. ""You wouldn't destroy Julian's only leverage.""
""I don't need leverage to ruin you, Graves,"" Julian's voice rasped from the floor of the van. He pulled himself up, using his chained hands to balance against the bench. ""I just need to let the press know that Arthur Vance's private mercenaries are operating unauthorized holding cells on state highways.""
A tense silence hung over the wet asphalt, broken only by the roar of the swollen river twenty feet below the bridge. Graves slowly lowered his weapon, clicking the safety back into place.
""Your father will take everything you have left, Julian,"" Graves warned coldly.
""He already tried,"" Julian replied. ""Unlock the chains.""
Ten seconds later, Julian stepped out onto the wet asphalt, rubbing his raw, bleeding wrists. Elena ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck. Julian buried his face in her rain-soaked hair, weeping silently against her neck as the adrenaline drained from his limbs.
""Where is he?"" Julian choked out. ""Where is our boy?""
May you like
""He's in the truck,"" Elena whispered, pulling back to cup his bruised face. ""He's safe.""
Frank interrupted them, his expression grim as he watched the dashboard screen inside his truck flicker to life. ""We need to go. Arthur just found out the transport was stopped. He's called in the state troopers.""
