One thumb drive, two federal agents waiting five blocks away, and two armed enforcers blocking the only way down to the subway.
The Last Download
The standard end-of-day checklist was a ritual for Erik. Step one: computer off. The silent, instantaneous darkness was comforting. Step two: clean the desk surface, erasing any trace of the day’s stress. Step three: file the folders—some to the secure ‘out’ tray, others destined to stay overnight. He picked up his expensive, heavy silver pen, then let it “accidentally” roll. The clatter was louder than intended in the quiet office. As Erik knelt to retrieve it, the tiny plastic USB drive slipped perfectly into the cuff of his sock.
The pen was returned to its holder. Step four: light off. The office locked behind him.
He was heading to an unexpected appointment; his primary handlers, two FBI agents he knew only as Smith and Jones, were waiting five blocks south.
Erik stepped out into the cold 23rd Street evening. The air was crisp, tasting slightly metallic. The crowd was thin, and he felt like he was moving underwater. As he crossed towards the green glow of the subway entrance, he spotted them. There was no mistaking the deliberate gait, the way they moved around people rather than through them. Two men he didn’t know, but recognized instantly as trouble.
They adjusted their course, heading right for him. Erik looked to the stairs. They were ten steps away. He looked back at the agents approaching him. They were twenty.
Erik’s heart hammered against his ribs. The thumb drive was digging into his ankle. His handlers were five blocks south, too far to hear or help. The only question now was which way he would run—and if it would matter.
What happens next? Write your own conclusion in the comments below! Does Erik dive into the subway, or does the street offer him a chance?
