Chapter 16: One of Twenty
Twenty engines roared to life.
The sound echoed through the empty warehouse yard like thunder.
"They're splitting up!" I shouted.
The black cars shot out in different directions.
North.
South.
East.
West.
Within seconds, they had scattered across the industrial estate.
Samuel cursed under his breath.
"This was planned."
"How do we know which one has the evidence?"
"We don't."
He slammed on the brakes.
For a moment, we simply watched the cars disappear.
Then Daniel pointed through the windscreen.
"Wait."
One car hadn't moved.
It sat alone beneath a broken warehouse light.
Its headlights were off.
Its engine was silent.
"That's strange," Daniel said.
"If they wanted to escape, why stay behind?"
Samuel frowned.
"It's a decoy."
"Or a trap."
I reached for the door handle.
"We have to check."
"No!" Samuel grabbed my arm.
"That's exactly what they want."
Before either of us could move, the driver's door of the parked car slowly opened.
A little girl climbed out.
She couldn't have been older than ten.
She wore a faded blue dress and held a small teddy bear.
She looked around nervously.
Then her eyes met mine.
"Maya?" she asked softly.
I froze.
"How do you know my name?"
She walked closer.
"My brother told me to find you."
My heart skipped.
"Your brother?"
She nodded.
"He said you'd protect me."
Samuel stepped in front of me.
"Stay back."
The little girl stopped walking.
She reached into her teddy bear and pulled out a tiny flash drive.
"My brother said this belongs to you."
I stared at it.
"Who's your brother?"
The little girl's lips trembled.
"The man you call..."
She swallowed hard.
"...Professor Elias."
Before anyone could react—
BANG!
The rear window of our SUV exploded into thousands of pieces.
Someone was shooting at us.
"Down!" Samuel yelled.
Another shot rang out.
The little girl screamed and dropped the flash drive into the dirt.
A black sniper's laser danced across my chest.
For one terrifying second...
I couldn't move.
