Chapter 4 - SAFE HOUSE IN LINCOLN PARK
Twenty minutes later, a black armored SUV pulled into the underground garage of a secure brownstone building in Lincoln Park.
Maya sat in the leather back seat, wrapped in a heavy wool blanket Daniel had handed her. Her hands were still cold, but the trembling had stopped.
Daniel walked her up a private elevator directly into a spacious, penthouse-style apartment. The interior was minimalist—dark hardwood floors, soft cream furniture, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the misty skyline.
"Drink this," Daniel said, setting a glass of warm tea mixed with honey on the counter.
Maya looked at the tea, then up at Daniel. "Why are you doing this, Mr. Cross?"
Daniel poured himself a short glass of bourbon. "Because Gregory Vance is trying to buy three container docks in my port district to ship unregistered bio-chemical compounds. He's been an annoyance for two years. Knowing that he's trying to murder his niece makes him a liability."
"I'm not his niece," Maya corrected him sharply. "Arthur Vance adopted me when I was nine after my parents died in a lab accident. Arthur was a good man. He built Vanguard Bio-Tech to cure rare blood diseases."
"And Gregory?" Daniel asked, sitting across from her.
"Gregory wanted profit," Maya said, her voice hardening with memories. "Three years ago, Gregory started secretly funding a secondary research wing—developing synthetic neural-toxins for private military contractors. My father found out a week before his plane went down."
She reached into her uniform apron pocket, pulling out a small, old-fashioned brass key attached to a worn leather strap.
"My father knew Gregory was sabotage-testing his plane," Maya whispered, tears glistening in her eyes. "He couldn't stop the takeoff without raising alarms. So he put this key in my locker at the university."
Daniel stared at the key. "What does it open?"
"A safe-deposit box in the vault beneath the First National Bank of Chicago," Maya said. "Inside is a hard drive containing every transaction between Gregory Vance and three international arms dealers. It proves Gregory murdered my father and framed me for the missing millions."
"Then why haven't you opened the box?" Daniel asked.
"Because the moment I walk into First National Bank, my retina scan will trigger an automated alert to the federal marshals—and to Gregory's private security firm," Maya said softly. "I needed time to figure out how to bypass the system. That's why I took the job at Belladonna. The bank's head technician dines there every Thursday night."
Daniel leaned back, looking at her with a mix of surprise and dark admiration.
"You weren't just hiding," Daniel murmured, a faint smile touching his lips. "You were hunting."
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"I spent six months learning his routine," Maya said, her chin lifting defiantly. "I don't need your pity, Mr. Cross."
"Pity?" Daniel laughed softly, setting his glass down. "Dr. Lin, I don't give pity. But I do give resources. And tomorrow morning... we are going to open that vault."
