Chapter 6: The Shattered Glass
Men in dark tactical jackets poured through the shattered front entrance of the diner, their weapons drawn and fitted with suppressors.
“Get down!” Marcus shouted, grabbing Lily and pulling Clara beneath the heavy wooden booth just as glass and wood splinters rained over them.
The late-night short-order cook yelled in terror before running out through the rear loading dock. The lead pursuer was Julian’s personal head of security—a scarred, towering man named Vance Keller.
“Marcus! Hand over the drive, and the girl walks away untouched!” Keller’s voice echoed off the greasy tile walls with chilling calm.
Clara didn't hesitate. Survival instinct took over. She grabbed a heavy glass ketchup bottle from the neighboring table and motioned toward Marcus. Marcus nodded, understanding the unspoken plan.
Marcus deliberately kicked over a metal trash can, drawing Keller’s attention toward the main corridor. As Keller stepped past the kitchen partition, Clara lunged from the shadows, swinging the heavy bottle against the side of his helmeted jaw with all her strength. The impact stunned the giant for a fraction of a second, causing him to drop his sidearm.
Marcus tackled Keller to the ground, pinning his arms. “Clara, take Lily and the laptop! The back alley, now!”
“I’m not leaving you!” Clara cried out.
“You have to decrypt the file! It’s the only way to end this!” Marcus shouted, struggling against Keller’s immense strength. “Go!”
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Clara scooped Lily into her arms, grabbed the laptop with her free hand, and burst through the heavy metal fire door into the pouring rain of the alleyway.
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