Chapter 12 - The False Flag
Julian stared at Elise, stunned by the fierce, protective fire in her eyes. The terrified school teacher was gone, replaced by a mother willing to burn the world down to protect her unborn child.
"How?" Julian asked. "We don't have weapons, we don't have backup."
"We have Silas's phone," Elise pointed to the device on the table. "And we know Marcus is controlling the narrative. What if Silas texts Marcus? Tells him he captured us and is holding us for Victoria to finish the job."
Silas let out a weak laugh. "It's a bold play. Victoria is arrogant enough to want to pull the trigger herself. She'll demand Marcus bring her to the location."
Julian nodded slowly. "We lure them to the abandoned textile mill on the edge of town. It’s rigged with Vance’s old security traps. If we can get them inside, we can lock them in and call the FBI. My mother has the police in her pocket, but the Feds would love to take down Victoria’s father."
Silas unlocked his phone and handed it to Julian. "Type it out. Make it sound desperate. Tell Marcus you want your payout in exchange for handing over Julian and the girl."
Julian typed the message quickly, sending the coordinates of the textile mill.
Five minutes later, the phone buzzed. A reply from Marcus.
May you like
We are on our way. Keep them tied up. Victoria wants to see her face when it happens.
Julian looked at Elise. The trap was set. Now, they just had to survive springing it.
