Chapter 7 - The Private Hangar
The roar of the twin jet engines vibrated directly through the soles of Maya’s sneakers, drowning out any ambient sound as she sprinted across the open tarmac. She ducked low behind a massive red aviation fuel truck, her breath coming in ragged gasps in the chilling night wind.
Fifty feet ahead, Hangar Four loomed like a massive concrete cavern. The sliding steel doors were cracked open just enough to reveal the gleaming white fuselage of a twin-engine Gulfstream G650. Near the boarding steps, two figures stood arguing under the harsh glare of halogen floodlights.
Julian, still wearing his black jacket, was gesturing wildly with his hands, his face twisted in panic. Elena stood beside him, clutching her brown leather handbag tightly, her sharp eyes scanning the perimeter of the airfield.
"The feds raided the house twenty minutes ago," Julian shouted over the jet engine noise, his voice carrying clearly across the concrete. "Mark was right there! Why didn't your inside contact stop the warrant?"
"Because Victor went rogue, you idiot!" Elena snapped back, her calm composure finally cracking under the pressure. "I told you we should have cut him out completely before moving the funds offshore. Now he has the backup drive, and if he reaches the authorities, we're facing federal conspiracy charges!"
Maya crouched behind the fuel truck, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. Victor materialized silently beside her out of the shadows, moving with the practiced stealth of a predator.
"Listen to them panic," Victor murmured with a grim smile. "They think they're untouchable, but they're already standing on sinking sand."
"Where is the physical backup drive?" Maya whispered back, her eyes fixed on Elena’s leather handbag. "If that's what proves my dad's innocence, we need to get it before they board the plane."
Victor slipped a suppressed 9mm pistol from his waistband, checking the slide with a subtle, practiced click. "Leave them to me. You get inside the hangar, find the metal lockbox under the pilot's desk, and use your key. The physical transfer ledger is inside it."
Before Maya could argue about the weapon, Victor stepped out from behind the fuel truck into the open light of the hangar apron.
"Looking for something?" Victor called out smoothly, his voice cutting cleanly through the jet wash.
Julian froze mid-gesture, his face draining of all color as he spun around. Elena whipped her head toward the voice, her hand diving instantly into her leather bag.
May you like
Maya didn't hesitate. While their attention was entirely riveted on Victor, she darted from the cover of the fuel truck, slipped through the partially opened hangar door, and plunged into the dim, cavernous interior of the building.
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