Chapter 8 - The River Warehouse
The warehouse stood beside the river.
Old brick.
Rusting metal doors.
No lights.
Thomas parked several blocks away.
Evelyn sat beside him.
Neither spoke.
Finally, she whispered:
“They'll kill me too.”
Thomas looked at her.
“Maybe.”
She looked down.
“I deserve that.”
“No.”
Thomas's voice was hard.
“But you deserve to face what you did.”
Evelyn nodded.
“I know.”
They walked toward the warehouse.
Thomas carried the USB.
A speaker crackled above them.
“Stop.”
Thomas froze.
A man's voice echoed through the darkness.
“Put the USB on the floor.”
Thomas did.
“Step back.”
He did.
A door opened.
Two armed men appeared.
Then another.
Thomas's eyes adjusted.
At the back of the warehouse sat Claire.
Alive.
Weak.
Her wrists were tied.
Thomas almost moved toward her.
A gun lifted.
“Don't.”
Claire looked at him.
“Dad.”
Thomas's jaw tightened.
“I'm here.”
The man stepped forward.
His name was Marcus Vale.
Thomas recognized him immediately.
“You.”
Marcus smiled.
“You're older than I expected.”
Thomas stared.
“You kidnapped my daughter.”
Marcus shrugged.
“She found something.”
Claire shouted:
“Dad, don't give him the drive!”
Marcus pointed the gun toward her.
Thomas stopped.
Marcus smiled.
“Smart daughter.”
Thomas looked at the USB.
Then at Marcus.
“You want this?”
“Yes.”
“Then let her go.”
Marcus laughed.
“You don't negotiate from a weak position.”
Thomas looked around.
“You've made one mistake.”
Marcus's smile faded.
“What?”
“You assumed I came alone.”
Silence.
Marcus glanced toward the doors.
Nothing.
Thomas smiled faintly.
He had lied.
May you like
His security team had followed.
👉 Marcus had believed Thomas walked into the warehouse alone, but the first shadow moving behind the loading doors revealed that the trap was no longer his.
