Chapter 10 - Don’t Fall in Love With Me
“Let her go.”
Voss smiled.
“There he is.”
Beatrice glared at Bastion.
“You idiot.”
His eyes stayed on Voss.
“Helpful.”
“I had a plan.”
“So did I.”
“Yours was worse.”
“Debatable.”
Even with a gun against her, she couldn't stop herself.
Maybe fear simply made her more argumentative.
Voss laughed.
“I understand the attraction.”
“There is no attraction,” Beatrice said.
Bastion looked at her.
Wrong moment.
Very wrong moment.
“Don't.”
Voss ordered Bastion into the SUV.
Beatrice and Evelyn followed.
They were taken to an abandoned financial building near the river.
Inside, Meridian maintained servers containing years of transactions.
The evidence they needed was everywhere.
Unfortunately, so were armed men.
Voss wanted Bastion to sign control of Mercer Logistics to a holding company.
Bastion refused.
Voss pointed the gun at Beatrice.
Bastion signed.
Her anger became incandescent.
“You cannot possibly be that stupid.”
“You're alive.”
“For now.”
“That's the relevant part.”
Voss left.
Evelyn whispered, “He's buying time.”
Beatrice knew.
Bastion's signature wasn't valid without biometric confirmation from his corporate token.
The missing ring.
Adrian had it.
Bastion had deliberately allowed Adrian to take it.
A contingency.
“You planned that?”
“Yes.”
Beatrice stared.
“You could have told me.”
“You're a terrible actress.”
“I am offended.”
“You should be.”
An alarm suddenly sounded.
Adrian had entered the network.
Every server began copying data to federal authorities.
Voss returned furious.
“What did you do?”
Bastion smiled.
“Accounting.”
Beatrice almost laughed.
Gunfire erupted downstairs.
Adrian's team entered.
Evelyn ducked.
Bastion grabbed Beatrice and pulled her behind a concrete pillar.
“You hurt?”
“No.”
“Stay here.”
“Stop saying that.”
He kissed her.
One second.
Maybe two.
Unexpected.
Quiet.
Then he pulled away.
Beatrice stared.
“That was inappropriate.”
“Probably.”
“We're being shot at.”
“I noticed.”
“Your timing is appalling.”
“I've been told.”
She grabbed his vest and kissed him back.
“That's for balance.”
A bullet struck the pillar.
“Now move.”
They escaped through a service corridor.
Outside, police and federal agents surrounded the building.
Howard had delivered Alexander's ledger.
Meridian's server copy was transmitting.
For one moment, victory seemed possible.
Then Adrian called.
“Bastion.”
“What?”
“The server transfer stopped.”
Beatrice checked her phone.
Only sixty-two percent had uploaded.
“Why?”
“Someone inside Mercer revoked my credentials.”
Bastion looked at Beatrice.
Only someone with executive-level authority could do that.
Victor.
Marcus.
Evelyn.
Or Bastion.
Evelyn stood beside them.
Marcus was in Manhattan.
Victor—
Bastion called him.
No answer.
Beatrice's phone buzzed.
A message from Victor.
I'M SORRY.
Then another.
HE HAS MY DAUGHTER.
A final photograph arrived.
Victor stood inside Mercer headquarters with a gun against his head.
May you like
Behind him was Marcus Vale.
And Marcus was smiling.
