Chapter 10 - Confrontation at the Gate
The cold rain hit us like a wall of ice as we burst through the heavy blast doors of the JOC into the sprawling concrete quad of the Norfolk naval base.
Sirens wailed in the distance, their red lights painting the wet asphalt in rhythmic, bleeding streaks. Across the central parade grounds, a black armored SUV with shattered front bumper grilles was careening recklessly toward the secure communications annex, ignoring the shouts and drawn weapons of the base military police.
“He’s making a run for the server annex!” Ryan yelled over the roar of the wind, pulling me behind the concrete barrier of a guard kiosk as the SUV slammed on its brakes, skidding sideways across the wet pavement.
The passenger door flew open, and Alan Brooks stumbled out into the rain. He wasn't wearing his tailored country club suit anymore; his tie was gone, his collar was soaked, and in his right hand, he clutched a heavy, black titanium data-recovery drive like a drowning man holding a life raft.
“Stay back!” Alan screamed hysterically, waving the drive at the approaching MPs, his eyes wild and bloodshot. “You don't understand what you’re messing with! The entire syndicate will bury us all!”
“Drop the drive, Alan!” I shouted, stepping out from behind the concrete barrier into the open rain, my voice cutting through the storm with absolute, unyielding authority.
Alan spun around, his gaze locking onto me. A twisted, desperate sneer crossed his pale face.
“Nora,” he spat, raising his left hand toward the door of the communications annex, where a blinking red keypad controlled the main building locks. “You always had to stick your nose where it didn't belong, didn't you? Well, you’re too late. The data packet is already uploading to the buyers in Beijing.”
With a maniacal laugh, Alan slammed his hand down onto the emergency lockdown button on the exterior wall.
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CLANG!
The massive steel blast shutters of the server annex began to slam downward with terrifying speed, threatening to seal off the primary mainframe forever.
