Chapter 14 - The Final Transmission
They exploded out from behind the grain hopper car, their boots crunching frantically over the loose gravel as they sprinted along the narrow shadow cast by the towering shipping containers. Above them, the helicopter’s rotor wash battered the railway yard with gale-force winds, kicking up dust and loose debris that stung their faces.
"Almost there!" Williams yelled, pushing past Clara to take the lead.
He slammed his shoulder against the rotting wooden door of the railway maintenance shed, throwing it open with a loud splintering crack. They tumbled inside just as the helicopter’s powerful searchlight swept directly over the spot they had occupied two seconds prior.
Williams slammed the heavy wooden door shut, throwing a rusted iron slide-bolt into place and dragging a heavy workbench across the threshold to barricade the entrance.
Inside, the shed smelled of old grease, rotting wood, and damp iron. A dusty, battery-powered emergency terminal sat on an old oak desk in the corner—an archaic, analog radio system wired directly into the national emergency broadcast network.
"Look at that," Clara breathed, pointing excitedly at the heavy metal console. "It's an analog line. It bypasses the Department of Justice digital servers entirely."
Miller rushed to the console, flipping the heavy master power switch. A low, rhythmic hum filled the room as the old vacuum tubes warmed up, casting a dim, amber glow over the cluttered desk. She grabbed the heavy steel microphone, blowing the dust off the mesh grill.
"This is Federal Agent Miller, badge number 4082," Miller spoke clearly and firmly into the mic, tuning the frequency to the emergency override channel. "I am broadcasting an unencrypted priority distress signal to the Department of Defense Inspector General."
The static hissed loudly through the analog speaker, cutting in and out as the vacuum tubes struggled to lock onto a stable relay tower.
“Unidentified transmission. State your emergency, Agent,” a crisp, automated voice finally crackled back through the speaker.
"I have physical evidence of high-level treason, embezzlement, and systemic corruption involving Director Thomas Vance and Attorney General Marcus Sterling," Miller stated rapidly, her eyes darting toward the door as the distant sound of approaching tactical vehicles echoed outside the shed. "We have the original ledgers and financial manifests. We are currently pinned at the North Terminal rail yard. Send immediate independent military oversight."
“Transmission received, Agent Miller. Secure the package. Independent extraction team is being vectored to your coordinates now. ETA three minutes.”
Julian let out a long, shuddering breath of relief, leaning back against the wooden wall of the shed. "We actually did it."
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