Chapter 14 - The Edge Of The Blade
The cold steel of the hunting knife pressed firmly against Victor’s neck, halting the laughter in his throat instantly. His two enforcers instantly raised their weapons, taking a menacing step forward to defend their boss.
“Back off! Drop your weapons right now, or I swear to God I’ll open his throat!” Clara screamed, her voice echoing off the wooden walls of the cabin with absolute, unwavering conviction.
Victor raised a single hand, signaling his men to hold their fire. He stared at Clara, his eyes wide with a mix of shock and reluctant respect. He hadn't expected the quiet suburban mother to have the nerve to pull a blade.
“You’ve got spirit, Clara,” Victor said, his voice strained as he tried to keep his neck away from the sharp edge of the blade. “I’ll give you that. But killing me won't save your husband. Even if I die right here, my men have orders to finish the job the second the clock strikes midnight.”
Mark groaned from the floor, pushing himself up onto his knees. “Clara, don't do it. Drop the knife. It’s not worth becoming like them.”
“I’m not letting them hurt you, Mark,” Clara said, tears streaming down her face as she kept the pressure on the knife. She looked over at David, who was standing quietly in the doorway, having slipped inside unnoticed during the standoff.
David caught Clara’s eye and gave a subtle, decisive nod.
Before Victor’s enforcers could react, David lunged forward, sweeping the legs out from under the closest guard and sending him crashing into the heavy wooden table. The cardboard box and the flash drive went flying through the air, clattering across the floorboards.
Victor tried to elbow Clara away, but she dug the tip of the knife deeper into his skin, drawing a single drop of bright red blood.
“Move, and you die,” Clara whispered fiercely.
At that exact moment, the old analog clock hanging on the cabin wall began to chime loudly, signaling the arrival of midnight.
A series of harsh electronic beeps began to emit from the flash drive lying on the floor, indicating that the dead-man’s switch timer had just activated its final thirty-second countdown.
“The override!” Mark shouted, crawling frantically across the floor toward the flashing device. “If we don't plug it into the rotary phone right now, the money—and all of us—are gone!”
Victor shoved Clara back with all his might, breaking free from the blade, and lunged across the floor to grab the flash drive before Mark could reach it.
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As Victor’s fingers brushed against the metal casing of the drive, Clara dove across the room, tackling him hard against the wall just as the countdown reached its final three seconds.
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