Chapter 2 - THE WHISPER OF TREASON
The mahogany desk in the home office vibrated with an electric, suffocating tension as the American flag stood still in the corner.
Ethan’s knuckles turned bone-white as he clutched the black leather handbag, his eyes locked onto the small metallic drive resting inside.
Eldridge stood trembling near the bookshelf, her maroon blouse stained with sweat and her grey slacks wrinkled from the frantic struggle.
"You have no idea what you're holding in your hands, Ethan," Eldridge whispered, her voice cracking with sudden, desperate panic.
Ethan stared down at the device, his breath hitching as the horrifying realization of the conspiracy began to set in.
Seven-year-old Lily clung tightly to her father's left leg, her yellow t-shirt damp with tears as she buried her face in his trousers.
"She... she told me she would hurt you if I ever told anyone about the glowing blue files," Lily sobbed quietly.
Ethan knelt down, lifting his daughter into his arms and shielding her small frame against his olive green shirt.
"You're safe now, sweet girl, Daddy is right here," Ethan murmured, his voice thick with controlled, boiling rage.
He turned his fierce gaze back toward the older woman who had practically raised him like a son.
"You were head of domestic intelligence for twenty years, Eldridge," Ethan accused, his voice dropping into a dangerous register. "Why is a Pentagon kill-list in your bag?"
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Eldridge swallowed hard, her short brown hair framing a face etched with deep, irreversible regret.
"Because the kill-list isn't just targeting foreign threats, Ethan... it's targeting American citizens who discovered the black budget," Eldridge confessed softly.
