Chapter 14 - The Eavesdropper
|
“Make sure they use suppressed weapons,” Julian continued, his voice trembling with dark excitement. “I don’t want a panic in the ballroom until Victor is already dead. Once it’s done, you trigger the fire alarm to cover the escape.”
The fake caterer nodded sharply. “Understood, Mr. Blackwood. Midnight on the balcony.”
The man slipped into the service elevator, and Julian turned to walk back toward the ballroom, smoothing his white tuxedo jacket.
Emma pressed herself flat against the velvet-lined wall, holding her breath as Julian walked past her hiding spot. He didn't even glance her way. She was just a shadow in an apron.
The moment Julian was out of sight, Emma tapped her earpiece.
“Marco,” she whispered urgently. “I have the plan. The hitmen are coming up the service tunnels at midnight. They’re going to ambush Victor on the balcony when he goes out for his cigar.”
Static crackled in her ear, followed by a heavy silence.
“Marco?” Emma repeated, panic rising in her throat. “Do you copy?”
Nothing.
Emma pulled the radio receiver from her pocket. The green light was dead. A localized signal jammer. Julian hadn't just paid off Harold; he had brought someone in to scramble the internal security comms before the strike.
She was completely cut off from Marco, and it was 11:45 PM.
Emma peeked back into the ballroom. Victor was currently walking away from the politicians, heading toward the heavy glass doors that led to the secluded north balcony. He was following his nightly routine, completely unaware that his radio connection to Marco was severed.
He was walking into a trap.
Emma abandoned all protocol. She dropped her serving tray onto a nearby table, ignoring the shattering glass, and broke into a run.
She pushed through the crowd of wealthy guests, ignoring the offended gasps of socialites as she shoved past them.
“Mr. Blackwood!” Emma shouted, but the jazz band drowned out her voice.
May you like
Victor pushed the glass doors open and stepped out into the cool, dark night air of the balcony.
Emma sprinted across the final stretch of the ballroom and burst through the doors right behind him.
