Chapter 9 - The Trial in the Woods
When I dragged myself back to consciousness, I was tied tightly to a wooden chair in the center of the ruined cabin. The smoke had cleared, replaced by the cold morning light filtering through the broken windows.
Marcus was tied to a chair next to me, barely conscious.
Standing in front of us, looking immaculate despite the surrounding destruction, was Senator Thomas Sterling, flanked by Arthur Vance and three surviving soldiers. Vance was holding the silver USB drive.
"A tragic state of affairs," Senator Sterling sighed, shaking his head. "Tessa was always too smart for her own good. If she had just looked the other way, she would be a partner at her firm today, and you two would be enjoying a nice Sunday brunch."
"You're a monster," I spat, tasting blood in my mouth. "You murdered innocent people for profit."
"I advanced medical science, Ethan. Sacrifices must be made for the greater good," Sterling replied smoothly. "Vance, clear the cellar. Bring out the wife and the boy. We'll finish this here, burn the cabin down, and blame it on a faulty gas line. A tragic family annihilation."
Vance smiled, walking toward the kitchen hatch.
"Leave them alone!" I screamed, straining against my bonds until the ropes cut deep into my wrists, drawing blood.
Vance pried open the hatch, aiming his gun into the darkness. "Come on out, Mrs. Whitford. Don't make me shoot the boy first."
A tense silence followed. Then, instead of a weeping woman, a low, metallic click echoed from inside the hatch.
"I don't think so, Vance," Tessa's voice rang out, steady and cold.
She didn't come out. But she didn't need to.
Suddenly, the entire perimeter of the cabin erupted with the deafening wail of police sirens. Loudspeakers boomed from the woods: "This is the Federal Bureau of Investigation! Drop your weapons and put your hands in the air immediately! This area is completely surrounded!"
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Sterling froze, his face draining of all color. "What... what did you do?"
Tessa stepped out of the hatch, holding my old cell phone. "Marcus’s cabin has an automated, independent satellite uplink, Senator. While you were busy giving your villain speech, I broadcasted the entire contents of the flash drive, along with a live audio feed of your confession just now, directly to every major news outlet and the Department of Justice. The whole world is watching."
