Chapter 7 - The Franklin Rail Yard
The Apex Distribution rail yard on the outskirts of Franklin was an imposing, industrialized wasteland of rusted shipping containers, towering gantry cranes, and crisscrossing steel tracks. The heavy rain had returned, slicking the gravel pathways and creating deep puddles that reflected the harsh, orange sodium lights mounted on the perimeter fences.
I parked the SUV two hundred yards away behind an abandoned gravel depot, keeping our position dark.
In the front seat, I pulled up the encrypted files from the blue USB flash drive using my laptop. The drive contained hundreds of digitized bills of lading, international shipping manifests, and video files documenting the illegal transport of unregistered firearms and high-grade industrial narcotics through the state line, signed off by the CEO of Apex Distribution—a man named Victor Vance.
"This is enough to put Vance and his entire executive board away for life," I whispered, reviewing the financial ledger. "Jenna didn't just stumble on an accounting error—she uncovered an international smuggling cartel operating right out of Middle Tennessee."
Elise looked at the laptop screen, her face grim. "If they know she has this, they will never let her walk out of that rail yard alive, will they?"
"Not if we play by their rules," I said, shutting the laptop screen down. "Which is why we aren't going to."
I turned around to face Chloe in the back seat. She was sitting quietly, holding a plush bear we had retrieved from her room before leaving Green Hills.
I raised my hands, signing clearly and gently.
MOMMY IS INSIDE. I WILL BRING HER OUT. YOU STAY WITH ELISE. TRUST ME?
Chloe looked into my eyes for a long moment. She set the plush bear down, raised her tiny hands, and signed three words that made my heart swell with an overwhelming sense of duty.
YOU ARE BRAVE. BRING MOMMY HOME.
I smiled softly at her, then turned to Elise. "Marcus’s tactical team is surrounding the perimeter of the rail yard as we speak. They have snipers positioned on the water tower overlooking the main warehouse. The second I step inside with the fake drive, Marcus will cut the main power grid to the yard."
"Damian," Elise said, her voice shaking as she grabbed my hand, her fingers interlock with mine. "Please... don't get killed for people you just met tonight."
I looked into her eyes, feeling a profound, undeniable connection that went far beyond a single evening. "I’m not going to get killed, Elise. We have a second date to finish."
May you like
She let out a tearful, wet laugh, squeezing my hand tightly before letting go.
I checked the tactical handgun in my coat pocket, slipped the decoy USB drive into my breast pocket, and stepped out into the pouring rain, heading toward the towering metal doors of Warehouse 4.
