Chapter 17 - THE TRAP SPRUNG
Before Carmen could speak, a tiny, bright red laser dot appeared on the center of her fur collar.
A second laser dot illuminated the center of Javier’s forehead.
Simultaneously, six more red dots danced across the chests and heads of the eight private security contractors standing in the rain.
The security lead instantly raised his hand, shouting in panic: "DON'T MOVE! NOBODY MOVE! SNIPERS ON THE SILO!"
Carmen froze, her arrogant smile instantly evaporating as she looked down at the bright crimson beam resting over her heart. She looked frantically toward the surrounding dark structures, but saw only the endless curtain of rain and shadows.
From the dark interior of an open freight car twenty feet to their left, a figure stepped down onto the gravel.
Maya Bennett walked out into the rain. She carried her rifle across her chest, her posture completely calm, her eyes locked directly on Javier.
Javier gasped, stumbling back against the side of the limousine. "Maya...?"
"Hello, Javier," Maya said softly, her voice carrying easily over the sound of the storm. "You look nervous. Is this not how you pictured our honeymoon?"
"How... how did you do this?" Javier stuttered, his face ghostly white as the red laser stayed fixed precisely between his eyes. "You were supposed to be... you were just an art history major..."
"My mother raised me to appreciate art, Javier," Maya said, her voice dropping into a cold, lethal register as she leveled her rifle smoothly at his chest. "My father raised me to survive people like you."
May you like
Carmen swallowed hard, her hand trembling under her coat, but she forced herself to maintain her composure. "You wouldn't shoot us, Colonel. This is murder. The federal authorities—"
"The federal authorities are currently raiding your penthouse suite at the St. Regis, Carmen," Alexander interrupted smoothly, pulling a white document from his jacket. "While you were driving out here to ambush us, my former team uploaded a copy of this key to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. Every asset your family owns was frozen thirty minutes ago."
