Chapter 143: President is taken

  Through the haze, he saw the two guards sprawled motionless on the floor. The younger one’s vacant eyes stared at nothing, while the older guard groaned weakly, trying to move.   The rear doors of the van were pulled open. Dark figures appeared, only visible because of the glare of headlights and the slight flames of burning vehicles.   “Check them,” a gruff voice commanded in Italian. “Find the president.”   Immediately, rough hands seized him, dragging him out of the wreckage. Edward found himself face-to-face with a man in tactical gear, his face hidden under a mask.   “We got him,” the man said into a radio. “Package secured.”   Edward’s mind raced. This wasn’t a rescue, not one he had orchestrated. He was not stupid. It was not safe for him outside. The safest place for him was in government custody. If this was not a rescue, this meant... “Wait,” he gasped, his voice hoarse from the smoke. “You’re making a mistake. Whatever you want, I will give it to you. Please.”