Chapter 9 - The Three Minutes
Thomas stood in the doorway, rain washing the blood off his chin.
He looked like a monster straight out of a nightmare.
He raised his silenced pistol and pointed it directly at Maria’s chest.
“End of the line, sweetheart,” Thomas said with a cruel, twisted smile.
Maria instinctively pushed Leo behind her, shielding him once again.
“If you kill us, Vance will have you hunted down like an animal,” Maria threatened boldly.
Thomas laughed, a dark, raspy sound that barely rose over the pouring rain.
“Vance is a corporate lawyer in a custom suit,” Thomas mocked.
“He doesn’t have the stomach to stop a man like me.”
“Now, hand over that yellow envelope, kid, and I might make this quick.”
Leo stepped out from behind Maria, clutching the soggy envelope tightly.
“You can’t have it,” Leo shouted defiantly over the storm.
Thomas sighed, his patience completely exhausted.
“Suit yourself,” Thomas growled, pulling back the hammer of the gun.
Suddenly, a blinding spotlight cut through the dark, stormy sky.
The roaring sound of heavy rotor blades drowned out the thunder.
A massive, black tactical helicopter rose up from behind the edge of the parking garage.
The powerful wind from the blades nearly knocked Thomas off his feet.
“Drop your weapon immediately!” a voice boomed through a high-powered megaphone.
Thomas stared at the heavily armed men leaning out of the helicopter in sheer terror.
He realized in an instant that he had severely underestimated Mr. Vance.
Panic overtook his greed.
Thomas turned to run back into the stairwell to escape.
But as he moved, his wet boot slipped violently on the slick concrete edge of the roof.
He dropped his gun, waving his arms wildly in a desperate attempt to catch his balance.
Maria watched in horror as Thomas tumbled backward over the short concrete wall.
He let out a blood-curdling scream that was instantly swallowed by the storm.
Then, there was nothing but the sound of the rain and the helicopter.
A tactical team repelled down onto the roof seconds later.
They quickly secured the area and wrapped thick thermal blankets around Maria and Leo.
A tall man in a tailored trench coat stepped out of the helicopter.
It was Jonathan Vance, the Sterling family’s most trusted attorney.
He walked over to Leo and knelt down in the puddle.
“You did a brave thing tonight, Leo,” Vance said, his eyes filled with profound sorrow.
“Your father would be incredibly proud of you.”
Leo unzipped his jacket and pulled out the dry yellow envelope.
“He told me to give this to you,” Leo said, holding it out.
Vance took the envelope as if he were holding a sacred artifact.
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“Let’s get you both somewhere safe,” Vance said gently.
“It is time to finish what your father started.”
