The Broadcast

Maya Chen's POV

Maya was still hiding behind her broken printing press when a child's voice suddenly filled her office through the emergency radio system.

"Hello, this is Emma Morrison speaking from City Hall. If anyone can hear this, please listen carefully."

Maya's heart jumped. Emma was living! The twelve-year-old girl was somehow transmitting to the entire town.

Marcus Webb and his men stopped trying to break down Maya's door. She could hear them talking in confused whispers outside.

"What the hell is that kid doing?" one of them asked.

"Shut up and listen," Marcus Webb's voice snapped angrily.

Maya grabbed her phone and kept recording everything while Emma's brave voice continued over the radio.

"My name is Emma Morrison. I'm twelve years old, and I'm trapped in City Hall with a man who says he's FBI Agent Webb. But he's not really FBI. He's been lying to our town for twenty years."

Maya felt tears in her eyes. This little girl was risking her life to tell everyone the truth. " Mr. Webb just told me he killed Sarah Martinez because she found out about his crimes. He also killed Jake Morrison's real father twenty years ago and took his place as Phoenix."

All over Millbrook, Maya knew that people were stopping what they were doing and listening to their radios. Emma's voice was clear and strong, like she wasn't afraid anymore.

"I found evidence in the City Hall basement," Emma continued. "Judge Brennan has been taking money to let guilty people go free. Sheriff Morrison has been helping him. So has my dad, but only because they threatened to hurt me and Mom."

Maya could hear Marcus Webb getting more angry outside her door.

"Find that broadcast system and shut it off!" Marcus yelled at his men.

But Emma wasn't finished.

"There are pictures showing Judge Brennan meeting with criminals and taking bags of money. There are bank records showing he has hidden accounts with millions of dollars. Tommy Whitfield and Danny Santos are innocent. They were framed to cover up the real crimes."

Maya heard car doors slamming outside her building. People were starting to drive toward City Hall.

Emma's voice got stronger and more bold.

" Mayor Whitfield helped burn down the textile plant to hide illegal chemicals that were making people sick. Sheriff Morrison helped frame Tommy and Danny because Marcus Webb told him to. And Agent Webb isn't really Agent Webb at all."

Through her office window, Maya could see lights coming on in houses all over town. People were waking up their neighbors, telling them to turn on their radios.

"The real Agent Webb died twenty years ago," Emma said clearly. "This man killed him and stole his name. He's been working for thieves called the Serpent Organization. They take over small towns by controlling crooked judges and police officers."

Maya felt goosebumps on her arms. Emma had figured out everything, and now she was telling the whole town.

"Marcus Webb told me tonight that he's killed lots of people to keep his lies. Sarah Martinez was just one of them. He said he would kill me too if I didn't help him find more proof."

That's when Maya heard something that made her heart stop.

Marcus Webb's voice came over the radio, angry and desperate.

"Emma, stop talking right now, or I will shoot you!"

The whole town could hear Marcus Webb threatening to kill a child.

But Emma Morrison wasn't backing down.

"Everyone in Millbrook needs to know the truth," Emma said, her voice shaky but still brave. "Judge Brennan, Sheriff Morrison, and Mayor Whitfield have been taking from our town and hurting innocent people for years. Marcus Webb has been their boss, telling them what to do."

Maya could hear car engines starting all over the neighborhood. People were driving toward downtown to help Emma.

"The evidence is hidden in City Hall basement, under the loose floorboard by the old table," Emma said quickly. "There are also copies at the newspaper office and—"

Emma's voice was suddenly cut off by the sound of a fight. Maya heard Emma crying out and Marcus Webb screaming.

"Get away from that microphone!" Marcus shouted.

But Emma had already said enough.

Maya's phone was ringing with calls from people all over town who had heard the show. She could see headlights moving through the streets as families got in their cars and drove toward City Hall.

That's when Maya heard something that gave her hope.

Sirens. Real police sirens, not the corrupt local cops, but state police and federal agents finally coming.

Maya looked out her window and saw something beautiful. Dozens of cars were stopped around City Hall, and people were getting out with flashlights and cell phones. The whole town was gathering to save Emma Morrison.

But her hope turned to fear when she heard Marcus Webb's voice come back over the radio system.

He wasn't talking to Emma anymore. He was talking to his guys through his radio, and the whole town could hear him.

"All units, listen carefully," Marcus said, his voice cold and dangerous. "The plan is blown. Execute emergency plan seven immediately."

Maya's blood turned to ice. She'd heard that phrase before in her studies. Emergency protocol seven meant kill everyone and destroy all proof.

"Sir, what about the civilians gathering outside?" came another voice over the radio.

"I don't care about civilians," Marcus responded. "Kill them all. Make it look like a terrorist act. Blame it on the Morrison family."

Maya understood with horror that Marcus Webb was about to order the murder of hundreds of innocent people who had come to help Emma.

She grabbed her phone and tried to call her sister Sarah, but there was no answer. The federal marshals were meant to be here by now, but Maya couldn't see any sign of them.

The people gathered at City Hall had no idea they were walking into a death trap.

"Snipers, take your positions," Marcus continued over the radio. "When I give the signal, start shooting into the crowd. Make sure there are no survivors to tell what really happened here tonight."

Maya could see families with children getting out of their cars near City Hall. Brave people who had heard Emma's message and come to help save a little girl.

They were all about to be killed.

Maya made a desperate choice. She grabbed her backup radio and switched to the emergency broadcast channel.

"Everyone at City Hall, get away now!" Maya shouted into the radio. "This is Maya Chen. Marcus Webb has shooters ready to shoot you! It's a trap! Get your kids away from there!"

But as Maya tried to tell the crowd, she heard something that made her realize how hopeless their situation really was.

Marcus Webb was laughing.

"Too late, Miss Chen," his voice came over the radio. "My snipers have been in place for an hour. Every person in that crowd is already in their sights."

Maya watched in fear as more families arrived at City Hall, not knowing they were about to die.

"You have thirty seconds to enjoy your victory," Marcus continued. "Then everyone dies. Starting with little Emma Morrison."

Through her window, Maya could see muzzle flashes showing in windows around City Hall.

The shooting was about to begin.