Chapter 209: Even at the cost of his life
The weight of the situation loomed heavily over Nathaniel Horace. He had made his decisions, each one calculated, but the unease in his chest never dissipated. The black ledger had been sent to the trusted prosecutor, Maxwell Moore, while Athan was tasked with delivering the fake ledger to Rage Del Valle.
Nathaniel displayed a grim expression. His son-in-law’s life is at stake no matter which of the two went to whoever. But having him deliver the fake to Rage still results in a graver one. That is, if Rage found out.
The real fight was yet to begin. Nathaniel knew it. Everyone did.
On the night of the handoff, Athan stood in front of the meeting place, his face impassive but his heart pounding. Sandro, Luis, and Kayla’s security team were with him, each alert and prepared for anything, but the tension never left their system.
"Everything’s set," Sandro whispered to Athan, casting a sideways glance at Montgomery’s back-ups, who remained silent, staring at the safehouse ahead. It was a secluded area, the perfect place for an ambush, but they had no choice.
This was the plan, and Rage wasn’t a man to negotiate outside of his terms.
Athan nodded, his jaw clenched. "This better work. If Rage realizes we’ve sent a decoy, all hell is going to break loose. Before he knows it, we need to get Azrael out of here."
Luis, hearing them, turned slightly, his voice low but filled with determination. "It’ll work. We have no other option. It must work."
Sandro mumbled, "Let’s pray he won’t check the content."
They entered the safehouse cautiously, surprised at the state of it. The façade looked attractive, yet the inside was no different to a warehouse.
The air was thick with the smell of rust and thick dust; the furniture was old and dusty, and the floor had cracks, ashes and cigarettes were scattered. The eerie silence that greeted them set everyone on edge.