Chapter 5 - The Ghost of Pier 42
Midnight wrapped around the Delaware River like a wet wool blanket. The rain had started again, a fine, biting drizzle that turned the oil-slicked asphalt of the docklands into a mirror of neon orange streetlamps and harsh white security floodlights.
Pier 42 was a monolith of corrugated steel and rusting iron, stretching out over the black, churning water of the river. Guard towers punctuated the perimeter fence like iron teeth, and the low hum of heavy generators vibrated through the damp air.
Parked three blocks away in the darkened cab of an unmarked black van, Nora checked the magazine of her suppressed Sig Sauer P226, sliding it home with a satisfying click.
Beside her in the driver’s seat, Dominic adjusted the cuffs of his tactical turtleneck—having discarded his expensive tuxedo for something more appropriate for a war zone. He tapped a glowing tablet screen on the dashboard.
“My tech guy has looped the perimeter cameras,” Dominic whispered, his eyes reflecting the blue light of the screen. “You have a seven-minute window before the security system resets its handshake protocol. The side loading bay is your best entry point.”
“And your diversion?” Nora asked, keeping her eyes fixed on the distant guard gates.
Dominic smiled—a sharp, wolfish expression that didn't reach his eyes. “My men are currently cutting the main power substation three blocks north. The emergency generators at Pier 42 will kick in, but there will be a thirty-second blackout. That’s your cue.”
Nora nodded once. She didn't thank him. Trust was a luxury neither of them could afford.
“If I find the ledger,” Nora said, resting her hand on the door handle, “and I find your name written inside those dirty transactions, Dominic... I won't hesitate.”
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Dominic turned his head, holding her gaze in the dim interior of the van. “If my name is in that book, Captain, you won’t even have to pull the trigger. I’ll hand you the gun myself.”
Without another word, Nora pushed the door open and slipped out into the freezing rain, vanishing into the industrial shadows like smoke.
