Chapter 7
My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might burst out of my chest as the guard’s flashlight swept over the inside of the car.
“Papers please,” the guard barked again, hist voice sharp and authorative.
Daniel didn’t flinch. He leaned casually across the driver’s seat, pulling a neatly folded set of documents from the glove compartment. “Here you go, officer,” he said, his tone calm.
I clenched my hands in my lap, trying to keep my face impassive as the guard. scanned the papers. Every second felt like an eternity.
The guard squinted at the documents, then back at Daniel. “You’re Andrew Grant?”
“That s me,” Daniel said with a faint
smile. “Taking my team on a fishing trip. Long night ahead.”
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The guard glanced at the rest of us, his eyes lingering on me for a fraction of a second longer than I liked. I resisted the urge to look away, keeping my expression neutral.
Finally, after what felt like forever, he nodded and handed the papers back.
“You‘ re clear. Next time, make sure you
have everything ready before you get to the gate.”
“Will do,” Daniel replied, starting the engine.
As the car pulled away, I exhaled a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
“That was close,” Sue muttered from the backseat.
Daniel smirked. “Relax. They bought it, didn’t they?”
We parked near the docks and quickly made our way to the yacht Daniel had arranged. The night was still heavy, with only the faintest glow on the horizon hinting at the approaching dawn.
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“We need to move fast,” Daniel said as we boarded. “Morning‘ s coming, and we don’t want to be out in the open when it does.”
The yacht was small but sturdy, equipped with enough supplies for a journey across the bay. Once we were all aboard, Calix and Chlyrus worked to untie the boat while Sue started the engine.
As we drifted into the open water, the tension in the air began to ease. For the first time in what felt like days, I let myself breathe. But relief was short–lived.
“How are we supposed to get into the Netherlands without getting caught?” Sue asked, breaking the silence.
“Good question,” I said, standing near the navigation panel. “Luckily, I might have a solution.”
Daniel raised an eyebrow. “I’m listening.”
I pulled their laptop and began typing furiously. “If we’re going to make it
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through security, we need fake
identifications–ones that won’t raise any red flags. Give me a few minutes, and I’ll have IDs for all of us.”
The team watched in silence as I worked, my fingers flying across the keyboard. It wasn’t long before I had created convincing documents for myself, Daniel, Sue, Calix, Chlyrus, and Blake.
“There,” I said, spinning the laptop around to show them. “New names, new faces. These will hold up under most basic scrutiny.”
“Impressive,” Daniel said, a hint of admiration in his voice.
“It’s what I do,” I replied, shutting the laptop. “Now, about this mission of yours- what exactly are we getting into?”
Daniel leaned against the railing, his gaze distant. “Our main target is a man known only as Mr. M. He’s the one pulling the strings behind Victor Salvani and his entire
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operation.”
“And what’s his deal?” I asked, crossing
my arms.
Sue’s voice cut through the night. “He’s a monster. Runs one of the largest illegal. operations in the world. Exploits the vulnerable, profits off suffering. Healthcare scams, human trafficking–you name it.”
Daniel s jaw tightened. “He’s the reason my father’s dead. Took everything from us.”
I stared at him, the weight of his words sinking in. For the first time, I saw the pain behind his stoic exterior.
“That’s why you‘ re doing this,” I said softly.
He nodded. “It’s personal. But it’s bigger than that. Someone has to stop him.”
Silence fell over the group as the yacht continued its journey across the bay.
Hours later, the faint lights of the
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Netherlands appeared on the horizon. The tension returned, thicker than before.
“Almost there,” Calix said, his voice low.
But as we approached the docks, a new problem arose. Guards were stationed at every entrance, their flashlights cutting through the darkness.
“There’s no way we’re getting past them.” Sue muttered, her voice laced with frustration. “They’ll check us all, and our faces are plastered across every wanted list by now.”
“We need another option,” I said, scanning the shoreline for an alternative.
Daniel frowned. “We don‘ t have time for
detours. The longer we wait, the riskier it
gets.”
I squinted at the far end of the bay, where the shoreline dipped into a secluded cove. “What about over there? It’s out of sight, and we can dock without drawing
attention.”
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Sue followed my gaze and nodded. “It‘ s risky, but it might work.”
“Then let’s do it,” Daniel said, taking the wheel.
As the yacht veered toward the cove, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being watched. My unease grew with every passing second, but I kept it to myself.
When we finally reached the cove, we disembarked quickly, moving with practiced efficiency. But just as we stepped onto the shore, a spotlight swept over us.
“Freeze!” a voice shouted, cutting through the darkness.
I turned to see a group of armed men emerging from the shadows, their faces hidden beneath dark masks.
“Looks like we‘ ve been expected,” Daniel muttered.
And just like that, the fragile hope of escape shattered.
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Chapter 8
The yacht rocked steadily beneath us as the armed men in masks closed in, their
flashlights cutting through the pitch–black night. My heart hammered in my chest, but I kept my face blank, my body still, even as their orders rang out loud and clear.
“Hands where we can see them!” one barked, his flashlight blinding me momentarily.
Daniel stepped in front of us, his posture loose, his expression calm. “Don’t panic,” he whispered over his shoulder. “Follow my lead.”
I glanced at Sue, who clenched her fists, ready for anything. The others stood rigid, their unease palpable.
Daniel raised his hands in mock surrender, his face splitting into a wide, disarming grin. “Gentlemen!” he said, his voice filled with mock cheer. “We‘ re a bit lost.
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Navigating these waters is tricky, you know?”
The leader of the group tilted his head, clearly unimpressed. “Lost, huh? You‘ re far from the usual routes. What are you really doing here?”
Daniel chuckled lightly, waving his hand dismissively. “Just sightseeing. My friends and I thought we‘ d explore. Didn’t realize we were trespassing.”
The man s eyes narrowed. He muttered. something to his team, and one of them stepped forward. “Search the boat. Check
them all.”
My pulse quickened as one of the men moved toward me, his flashlight too close for comfort. I stiffened as he began patting me down, his hands lingering longer than
necessary.
“That’s enough,” I snapped, pulling back.
He smirked, leaning in closer. “What’s the problem? Got something to hide?”
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I felt a surge of anger boil over. Without thinking, I drove my fist into his jaw with an uppercut. He staggered back, cursing, and the tension erupted into chaos.
“Daphne!” Daniel shouted, but it was too late.
Blake and Calix lunged at two other men, their movements sharp and practiced. Suet swung a heavy flashlight she’d snatched. up, striking one in the shoulder. Chlyrus tackled another to the deck, his sheer size overwhelming the man.
I ducked as one of the men swung at me, retaliating with a quick elbow to his ribs. The sounds of grunts, yells, and scuffling feet filled the air. Adrenaline coursed through me as I grabbed one of the masked men by his collar, twisting him around until I had his neck in the crook of my arm.
“Call them off!” I shouted, tightening my hold. “Or he’s not leaving this boat in one piece.”
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The leader paused, his flashlight aimed at my face. His men stopped in their tracks, unsure of their next move.
Daniel stepped forward, his voice steady. “We don’t want this to go any further. Let us go, and we’ll do the same for you.”
The man hesitated, his eyes darting between me and Daniel. “What do you want?”
“The yacht,” one of his men said. “We’ll take it. They can have something else.”
Daniel nodded slowly. “Fine. Take the yacht. But we need a vehicle–something that can get us far from here.”
The man grunted, clearly unhappy, but he gestured toward the docks. “There’s a truck. Take it. But if I see you again…”
“We won’t cross paths,” Daniel promised.
Once we were off the yacht and safely inside the large trailer truck, the silence was deafening. I leaned back in the seat,
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feeling the adrenaline crash all at once. That’s when the sharp sting in my arm made itself known.
“You‘ re hurt,” Daniel said, his voice low
but firm.
“It’s nothing,” I muttered, brushing him.
off.
“Let me see,” he insisted, reaching for a first–aid kit on his bag. His hands were gentle as he cleaned the cut, and for a moment, the truck’s rumble was the only sound between us.
From the corner of my eye, I caught Sue
watching us. Her expression was
unreadable, but something about her posture screamed tension.
“Something wrong, Sue?” I asked, my voice sharp enough to cut through the quiet.
She turned away, muttering, “Nothing.”
I wasn’t convinced. My gaze shifted back kto Daniel. “What‘ s her problem?”
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Daniel hesitated, his jaw tightening slightly. “It’s complicated.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Complicated how?”
He sighed, finally meeting my eyes. “Sue and I… we used to be together. A long time ago.”
“Exes?” I asked, incredulous. “And you thought working together would be a good idea?”
“We’ve moved past it,” Daniel said firmly, though his glance at Sue told me it wasn’t that simple.
Sue scoffed, crossing her arms. “Yeah, sure.
Past it.”
I rolled my eyes, focusing instead on the dark road ahead. The truck’s headlights barely pierced through the thick fog rolling in. We were out of immediate danger, but something told me this wasn‘ t over.
The sound of an engine roaring behind us confirmed my suspicion.
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“Is that the police?” Blake started, craning his neck to look out the window.
Daniel checked the side mirror, his face hardening. “We’ve got company.”
My stomach dropped as I saw the
headlights gaining on us.
“They re not giving up,” Daniel muttered, accelerating.
I gripped the seat as the truck swerved slightly. “What’s the plan?”
Daniel’s jaw tightened. “Hold on. Things are about to get messy.”
And as the roaring engines closed in, I realized he wasn‘ t exaggerating.
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