Chapter 6 - The Enemy in the Light
Before I could plan my next move, my phone buzzed in my pocket.
It was an unknown number with a restricted caller ID.
I looked at Detective Vance, who immediately pulled out a trace recording device from his pocket and attached it to my phone. He gave me a sharp nod.
I pressed speaker and brought the phone to my ear.
“Hello?”
“Mr. Vance,” a smooth, deep voice with a thick Eastern European accent echoed into the quiet room. “Or should I call you the oblivious husband?”
My blood boiled, but I forced my tone to remain dead and steady. “Where is my wife, Rostov?”
A low, sinister laugh came through the speaker.
“She is alive, Mr. Vance. Painfully alive. She was quite clever, locking your little cubs away in that hidden bunker. We searched the house thoroughly after we took her, but we found no trace of the children or the ledger. Imagine my surprise when my surveillance feeds showed you breaking down that heavy oak door tonight.”
“If you touch her again, I swear to God—”
“Save your threats, architect,” Rostov cut in, his voice turning to steel. “You have something that belongs to me. The micro-SD card Elena hid in that house. I know you have it. And here are my terms: bring the card to the old iron foundry on 4th Street in two hours. Alone. No police, no federal agents.”
“How do I know she’s still alive?” I demanded.
A moment of silence passed, followed by the muffled sound of a struggle and a sharp gasp of pain over the line.
“Mark… don't come!” Sarah’s voice screamed frantically. “It’s a trap! He’ll kill you both!”
A heavy strike echoed through the phone, followed by Sarah’s groan as she was silenced.
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“Two hours, Mark,” Rostov said cold-bloodedly. “Come alone, or your children will grow up as orphans.”
The line went dead.
