Chapter 5 - Ambush In The Dark
""Down! Get down!"" Daniel hissed, grabbing Ryan and me by our jackets and dragging us behind the heavy steel inspection table just as the sharp crack of a suppressed pistol splintered the concrete wall above our heads.
Dust and shattered plaster rained down onto our backs. The only light came from the faint red emergency exit sign glowing dimly fifty feet away near the service corridor.
""Arthur!"" Ryan cried out in terror.
""He’s down, Ryan, don't move!"" I whispered fiercely, my heart hammering against my ribs like a caged beast.
Above us, heavy tactical boots descended the stone staircase with slow, methodical precision. There were at least two men, their movements quiet, disciplined, and ruthless. A beam of high-intensity white light cut through the gloom, sweeping across the rows of metal boxes.
""Daniel Vance,"" a rough, gravelly voice called out, echoing off the cold iron walls. ""We know you're down here. And we know what you took from Box 414. Leave the ledger on the table, step out with your hands behind your heads, and maybe your friends get to walk away.""
Daniel didn't answer. He reached into his coat and produced a heavy tactical flashlight. He leaned close to my ear, his breath hot and steady despite the chaos. ""The vault has an old ventilation shaft behind Section K. It leads to the boiler room, which opens into the storm drain alley. Ethan, take Ryan and the ledger. Get to the car.""
""What about you?"" I demanded in a furious whisper. ""I’m not leaving you behind again, Daniel!""
""I’m drawing their fire,"" Daniel said, his eyes locking onto mine in the dim red glow. ""They want me. They know I have the digital files. If you and Ryan get that physical ledger to Jake, they lose everything. Trust me, Ethan. We’re a team, remember?""
Before I could protest, Daniel clicked the tactical flashlight to maximum strobe mode, aimed it toward the staircase, and shouted, ""Over here, you cowards!""
The blinding pulse of thousands of lumens shattered the darkness, instantly disorienting the gunmen.
""Fire! Fire!"" one of them barked.
Suppressed rounds hissed through the air, sparking against the steel deposit boxes in a hail of ricochets. Daniel bolted toward the left aisle, drawing the flashlight beams and gunfire away from Section K.
""Go! Move!"" Daniel roared.
I grabbed Ryan by the collar, clutching the heavy steel tray containing his father’s ledger tightly against my ribs. We sprinted through the shadows toward the rear wall. Just as Daniel had said, behind a rusted metal partition in Section K was an old iron grating leading into a maintenance conduit.
Ryan shoved the grate aside with all his strength. We scrambled inside, crawling on our hands and knees through cold, stagnant water and cobwebs. Behind us, another gunshot echoed, followed by a grunt of pain and the sound of heavy metal crashing to the floor.
""Daniel!"" Ryan sobbed, trying to turn back.
""Keep crawling, Ryan! If we stop now, his sacrifice means nothing!"" I yelled, shoving him forward through the tunnel.
We burst through the rotting wooden door of the boiler room and tumbled out into the rain-drenched alleyway behind the bank. The cold rain hit our faces like a slap of reality. Across the street, headlights flashed twice—Jake was waiting in the rental car.
We sprinted across the asphalt, lunging into the backseat and slamming the doors shut.
""Where’s Daniel?!"" Jake screamed, staring wide-eyed at the rear-view mirror as he slammed the transmission into drive. Tires screeched against the wet pavement as the sedan surged forward.
""They ambushed us inside the vault!"" I shouted, panting heavily, clutching the ledger. ""Two men with suppressed weapons! Daniel created a distraction so we could get the manifest out!""
""Look!"" Ryan pointed out the back window.
Emerging from the alleyway, clutching his shoulder, was Daniel. He was staggering, but he was alive. Behind him, two figures in dark tactical gear burst out of the side door, raising their weapons.
Jake slammed on the brakes, threw the car into reverse with a violent screech, and spun the wheel. The rear bumper slammed violently into the first gunman, sending him flying across the pavement.
I threw open the rear door. ""Daniel! Get in!""
Daniel lunged forward, throwing himself into the backseat as bullets shattered the rear windshield, showering us with safety glass. Jake floored the accelerator, the engine roaring as we hurtled around the corner and vanished into the labyrinth of Oakridge’s stormy backroads.
Daniel collapsed against the seat, groaning in agony. His right hand was clamped over his upper left arm, dark crimson blood soaking through his wool suit jacket.
""Daniel! You're hit!"" Ryan cried, tearing off his own scarf to press it against the wound.
Daniel looked up, his face pale and slick with rain and sweat, but through the pain, a fierce, triumphant grin broke across his lips.
""They missed the bone,"" Daniel wheezed, his teeth clenched. ""And Ethan... tell me you have the book.""
May you like
I held up the leather ledger, its edges stained with raindrops and water from the conduit. ""We have it. Every single signature.""
Daniel leaned his head back against the headrest, closing his eyes as Jake sped toward the state highway. ""Then let's go pay my uncle Marcus a visit.""
