Chapter 2 - The Kneeling Crowd
Ethan sat frozen inside the locked Porsche as the cold red light flashed on his dashboard.
Outside, Victoria’s fear had vanished, replaced by a sinister smirk.
She held a tiny black remote detonator between her manicured fingers.
The crowd of onlookers gasped, sensing that something was terribly wrong.
The two security guards took a step back, realizing the situation was no longer under their control.
"Did you really think this was just about pride, Ethan?" Victoria whispered against the glass.
Even through the heavy tint, Ethan could see her lips forming the words.
Underneath the car, a mechanical timer began to beep steadily.
Beep... Beep... Beep...
Ethan’s heart beat calmly despite the imminent danger.
He did not panic or frantically hit the windows.
Instead, his hands moved with surgical precision under the steering column.
He pulled a hidden lever tucked behind the leather trim.
A concealed mechanical override panel popped open near his knee.
He pulled out two thin copper wires and crossed them directly.
A sharp spark flew inside the cabin.
The central locking system clicked sharply, unlocking the driver's side door.
Ethan threw the heavy door open, slamming it hard against Victoria’s leg.
She stumbled backward with a shriek of pain, dropping the small remote onto the pavement.
The remote slid straight toward the front tire of the Porsche.
Ethan stepped out of the vehicle with calm, towering authority.
He crushed the remote under the heel of his leather boot before she could reach for it.
The plastic shattered into a dozen useless pieces.
The crowd went completely silent, terrified by the swift turn of events.
Victoria fell to her hands and knees on the ground, holding her bruised leg.
Her friend backed away into the crowd, completely abandoning her.
"Who sent you, Victoria?" Ethan asked, his voice dropping to a icy whisper.
"I... I don't know what you're talking about!" Victoria stammered, looking up in panic.
"The tracking device under my chassis was installed three minutes ago while you distracted me," Ethan said cold.
He reached down, grabbing her by the jacket collar, forcing her to look him in the eye.
"You have five seconds to tell me who paid you," Ethan commanded.
Before Victoria could answer, a dark SUV pulled up at the edge of the parking lot.
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The rear tinted window rolled down, revealing the barrel of a suppressed firearm.
A sharp thud echoed through the evening air.
