Chapter 7 - The Master’s Gambit
Julian gestured to one of his mercenaries, who stepped forward with a ruggedized military laptop. The soldier opened it, connecting a high-security biometric scanner to the side port, and held it in front of Alexander’s face.
"No, Leo! Don't do it!" Rose cried out. "He’ll kill you the second he gets the money!"
"Silence her!" Julian ordered sharply. A mercenary stepped up, slapping a thick strip of duct tape over Rose’s mouth.
Alexander looked into the retinal scanner of the laptop. A soft green laser swept across his pupil.
BIOMETRIC SCAN COMPLETE, the laptop chimed in a synthetic voice. ACCESSING HIGH-PRIORITY EMERGENCY OVERRIDE PROTOCOL.
Julian leaned over the screen, his eyes practically bulging with greed as rows of financial data began to flash across the display. "Yes... yes! Look at those accounts!"
"Look closer, Julian," Alexander said softly, his voice devoid of any panic.
Julian frowned, staring at the screen.
Instead of a wire transfer screen, a red flashing map popped up on the monitor, accompanied by a rapid, high-pitched pulsing tone.
GEOLOCATION TRANSMISSION ACTIVE, the laptop chimed. EMERGENCY MAYDAY SIGNAL BROADCAST TO NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT, FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, AND COAST GUARD MARITIME STRIKE FORCE.
Julian’s face went instantly pale. "What... what did you do?!"
"That wasn't my bank account key, Uncle," Alexander smiled coldly, his eyes gleaming with deadly satisfaction. "That was my personal emergency distress beacon. Built into my ocular profile. The moment my retina was scanned under duress, my private security grid transmitted our exact GPS coordinates to every law enforcement agency within fifty miles."
Outside the warehouse, the night sky suddenly exploded with blinding searchlights.
The deafening roar of three heavy Sikorsky helicopters hovered directly over the metal roof, blowing water through the open bay doors in massive waves.
"THIS IS THE FBI AND NEW YORK SWAT!" a voice boomed through megaphones from the sky. "THE BUILDING IS SURROUNDED! DROP YOUR WEAPONS AND STEP AWAY FROM THE HOSTAGES IMMEDIATELY!"
"You fool!" Julian screamed, raising his gun to shoot Alexander.
BOOM!
The corrugated metal roof shattered as four SWAT tactical officers rappelled down on high-speed ropes, throwing flashbang grenades into the center of the warehouse.
Blinding white light and thunderous explosions filled the room. The mercenaries screamed, dropping their weapons as tactical smoke instantly filled the air.
Alexander didn't waste a second. Using the edge of a jagged piece of metal on his chair from his earlier thrashing, he sliced through his weakened zip-ties. His hands came free. He tore the ties off his ankles, threw himself over Rose, shielding her body with his own as gunfire erupted across the warehouse.
Julian, blinded by the flashbangs, fired wildly into the smoke, stumbling backward toward the open dock doors leading to the dark river.
"Cover!" Marcus’s voice roared through the smoke.
The bruised bodyguard, wearing a heavy tactical vest alongside SWAT officers, rushed forward, holding a ballistic shield over Alexander and Rose, cutting the remaining ties holding Rose to her chair.
"Get my mother out!" Alexander ordered, pulling Rose to her feet.
"Leo, no!" Rose screamed over the roar of the engines and gunfire.
"I have to finish this, Mother!" Alexander yelled back.
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Through the clearing smoke, Alexander saw Julian fleeing toward a high-speed speedboat moored to the edge of the dock, holding a heavy briefcase containing stolen offshore documents.
Alexander sprinted across the wet concrete, leaping over fallen debris, chasing his uncle into the torrential rain.
