Chapter 11: The Extraction Trap
The harsh white glare of portable floodlights cut through the falling rain, casting long, distorted shadows across the wet tarmac. Standing at the base of the airstairs were three men in heavy tactical rain gear, their faces half-hidden beneath black balaclavas. None of them wore corporate badges or law enforcement insignia. They were private contractors—mercenaries on Julian Vance’s private payroll, sent to secure the package.
Sarah paused at the top of the stairs, her blonde hair whipping slightly in the rotor wash of a nearby helicopter that had just touched down beyond the tree line. She turned back toward the cabin, her expression tense and unyielding.
“Marcus,” Sarah called out, her voice sharp. “The ground team says you and the girl need to disembark immediately. No luggage, no delays.”
Marcus stood protectively in front of Lily, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder. He could feel the fine tremble running through her cream-colored cable-knit sweater.
“Check credentials,” Marcus ordered, his voice cutting through the wind and rain. “I don’t see any local authorities or standard Vance security badges. Who hired these men?”
“That’s not our concern,” Sarah retorted, her patience completely worn through. “Our flight manifest terminates here. My responsibility ends the moment the door opens. Move them down the stairs, Marcus, or I’ll have the ground team come up and clear the cabin.”
Elena stepped out from the galley, her hands wringing the fabric of her beige blazer. She looked horrified. “Sarah, wait. Look at the child. This isn’t what we were told in New York. There are no lawyers here. Those men look like—symbolically or literally—a private extraction squad.”
“I don’t care what they look like,” Sarah snapped, her voice rising in panic. “I want off this plane. My contract is fulfilled.”
Before the argument could escalate, one of the masked operatives at the bottom of the stairs climbed halfway up, his heavy combat boots clanging loudly against the aluminum steps. He didn't wait for an invitation; he shoved past Sarah with brutal indifference and stepped directly into the cabin doorway.
May you like
The operative’s eyes swept the interior before landing squarely on Lily. He reached out a gloved hand toward her. “Package confirmed. Move it.”
Lily gasped, shrinking back against Marcus’s legs. She clutched the brown bunny so tightly against her chest that the stuffing inside seemed to compress. Her big expressive eyes filled with fresh tears, but she didn’t make a sound—she simply stared at the intruder with frozen terror.
