Chapter 35 - The Interrogation
Carter sat shivering in the chair, surrounded by my father, Vivian, Reynolds, and me. He was barely twenty-five, a rookie contractor who had clearly gotten in far over his head with people he didn't understand.
"I didn't want to do it, Mr. Vance! I swear!" Carter pleaded, tears streaming down his face as he looked at my father. "They approached me three days ago. They showed me pictures of my little sister walking to her elementary school. They said if I didn't plant bugs in the shelter and feed them your operational plans, they would take her."
My father’s expression did not soften. "You compromised the lives of seventy vulnerable women to save your own skin. You are a traitor, Carter."
"Please," Carter begged, looking at me. "I haven't told them about the evacuation yet! I just sent them the audio of the guard rotations. I swear!"
"What exactly is Julian Cross planning?" I demanded, stepping closer to the trembling guard. "He wouldn't just rely on a threat of fire. He wants the money. How is he planning to enforce the deadline?"
"He has a strike team," Carter confessed rapidly, eager to trade information for his life. "A heavily armed, elite mercenary squad. They are waiting for my signal. If you don't initiate the wire transfer by midnight, they are going to breach this shelter, slaughter the guards, and burn the building to the foundation."
Vivian adjusted her glasses, looking at the young man with utter contempt. "And how were you supposed to signal them?"
"I have a dead-man's app on my phone," Carter explained. "I have to send a specific clear-code every hour. If I miss a check-in, they assume I am compromised, and they initiate the assault protocol immediately."
My father looked at me, a dark, brilliant tactical plan forming in his eyes.
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"Reynolds," my father ordered, "secure this traitor in the basement vault. Do not let him near a phone."
My father turned to me, a predatory smile crossing his face. "We aren't going to miss the check-in. We are going to use Carter’s phone to feed Julian exactly the lie he needs to hear."
