“You all thought I was the screw-up,” he said. “At least somebody finally saw my value.”
Daniel overturned the picnic table.
A black device sat taped beneath it. Military-grade. Compact. Professional.
Not homemade.
This operation was far bigger than Derek.
00:37
“Evacuate the property!” Daniel shouted.
I dropped beside the device immediately.
The wiring configuration told me everything.
Pressure trigger. Secondary detonation system. Encrypted lockout.
Whoever built it knew military protocols.
“Can you stop it?” Daniel demanded.
“Yes.”
“Can?”
“Maybe.”
00:30
My family rushed toward the street. My grandmother stumbled. My uncle carried her. Children cried hysterically.
And through all of it, Derek watched me with cold satisfaction.
“You spent your whole life acting superior,” he said quietly. “Now let’s see what your secrets are worth.”
I ignored him.
Focus narrowed. Breathing slowed.
Bomb disposal training returned automatically.
Red wire? No. Too obvious.
The trigger wasn’t mechanical. It was signal-based.
I traced the receiver. Found the bypass.
00:18
Daniel crouched beside me.
“You don’t have enough time.”
“I know.”
His voice lowered.
“Then we run.”
“No.”
“Harper.”
“If this detonates, the secondary fuel line under the grill ignites.”
