PART 12 – THE SIEGE OF THE WAREHOUSE
The calm in the warehouse was abruptly torn apart by the sound of heavy boots on the external steel stairs. They had reached the first floor.
“There's no escape through the front door,” Victor whispered hurriedly as he led us to the back of the warehouse. “The freight crane will take you down to the canal. There's a small boat moored there.”
“And you?” my brother asked.
“I'll hold them off,” Victor said coolly, keeping the door to the hallway open only a crack with his weapon raised. “Make sure you get away with the red box. If this evidence is lost, they win.”
We didn't hesitate another second. My brother grabbed the bag with the red box, and we climbed over the rusty ladder to the hatch leading out onto the quay wall. The fog outside was now so dense we could barely make out the opposite bank of the water.
Down below lay a small motorboat rocking gently on the waves. We jumped down and landed awkwardly on the deck. My brother yanked the starter cord of the engine. With a loud roar, the boat surged forward, away from the warehouse.
At that moment, the first shot was fired.
Bang!
A bullet ricocheted off the metal railing of the quay. I ducked and looked up at the warehouse. Through the broken upper-floor window, I saw muzzle flashes and shapes moving through the smoke.
Victor held his ground, but we both knew he couldn't win against these numbers.
The boat accelerated and cut through the dark water of the harbor. The fog enveloped us like a protective blanket, and soon after, the sounds of the shootout faded away in the distance.
Yet we weren't at our destination yet. We had the evidence, we had the truth... but the hunt wasn't over.
