Chapter 11 - The Cell Block Confrontation and the Traitor's Trap
The heavy steel doors of cell block C stood wide open as inmates and guards rushed toward the designated stairwells in response to the fire alarms.
I pushed my way against the human tide, my lungs burning from the stale air as I searched for cell number 412, where my father was being held in isolation.
When I finally rounded the corner, my heart plummeted into my stomach.
The reinforced glass of cell 412 was shattered inward, the heavy electronic lock blown apart by a localized thermal charge.
My father was gone.
"Dad!" I screamed, my voice echoing down the empty, strobe-lit corridor.
A slow, mocking clap echoed from the shadows near the end of the cell block, and Arthur Sterling stepped into the harsh red glare of the emergency lights.
He held a small detonator in one hand and a smoking sidearm in the other, a smug, triumphant grin spread across his face.
"You’re entirely too persistent, Maya, just like your mother," Arthur said, taking a slow, deliberate step toward me.
"Where is my father?" I demanded, my hands balling into tight fists at my sides as I stood my ground.
"Julian is currently enjoying a private ride to the heliport on the roof," Arthur replied smoothly.
"And once we get his retinal scan to finalize the foundation liquidation, he won't be needing a return trip."
Arthur raised the pistol slightly, aiming it squarely at my chest.
"Drop the network tap right now, or I'll save your father the trouble of dying old," Arthur threatened, his finger tightening against the trigger.
Before I could move, a dark shadow dropped silently from the ceiling ventilation grate directly behind Arthur, landing with cat-like precision.
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With a swift, practiced motion, Elizabeth struck the back of Arthur’s neck with the heavy butt of a suppressed pistol, sending him crashing unconscious to the concrete floor.
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