Chapter 7 - Race Against Time
At the Mercer Tower construction site, the atmosphere was chaotic yet focused.
Dozens of independent engineering teams, city inspectors, and news crews had gathered around the perimeter. Saurin, wearing his hard hat and high-visibility vest, stood near the main foundation pit alongside Sarah, who was directing a team of technicians assembling large pressurization tanks filled with her bio-polymer compound.
"We’re ready for the first injection trial on Column A-4," Sarah reported, pointing to a massive concrete pillar rising from the muddy depth of the pit.
Suddenly, Saurin’s personal phone buzzed with an incoming video call from an unknown, encrypted number.
He answered it, holding the screen up.
Senator Vance’s face appeared on the display, pale, disheveled, and smiling maniacally.
"Hello, Saurin," Vance said, his voice echoed by the background sound of wind blowing across his lakefront terrace. "I see you've brought your little science project to my construction site."
"Vance," Saurin said coldly. "The marshals are on their way to your house. Save whatever dignity you have left and surrender."
"Dignity?" Vance laughed hysterically. "Dignity doesn't pay for defense lawyers, Mercer. Look at your site’s central telemetry box. The bottom light."
Saurin glanced toward the main electrical junction box ten yards away. A small red LED light was flashing rapidly—a signal indicating an active external radio frequency override on the subterranean demolition grid.
"Thirty minutes, Saurin," Vance whispered into the phone. "Thirty minutes before four hundred pounds of commercial grade thermite disintegrates the main support arches in Sub-Level 3. You can run, save your own skin, and watch your legacy burn on the evening news... or you can try to disarm it."
The call went dead.
Tessa rushed over, her face white with panic. "Saurin! What did he say?!"
"Vance rigged Sub-Level 3 with demolition charges," Saurin said calmly, though his heart was pounding like a hammer. "Tessa, evacuate the site immediately! Get all city personnel, workers, and news crews past the two-block perimeter!"
"What about you?!" Sarah cried out, grabbing his arm.
May you like
"I built this tower," Saurin said, looking down into the dark, cavernous depths of the foundation pit. "And I’m not letting him destroy this city’s future."
He turned to Marcus. "Get the site blueprints. We have twenty-eight minutes to find those charges."
