Chapter 4 - Nowhere to Run
Mark tackled me to the floor just as a hail of suppressed gunfire tore through our living room walls.
Wood splinters and shattered glass rained down on us in the dark.
I crawled frantically toward the sofa, grabbing Noah and shielding him with my own body.
Mark shouted for me to stay low as he army-crawled toward the back hallway.
We scrambled through the kitchen, slipping on broken plates and spilled coffee grounds.
The sound of the heavy front door being kicked off its hinges echoed through the house.
Mark grabbed his car keys from the counter and pushed me toward the door leading to the garage.
We burst into the dark garage, and Mark shoved me into the passenger seat of his sedan.
He jumped into the driver's seat, hitting the garage door opener as he started the engine.
The metal door had only risen halfway when Mark slammed his foot on the gas pedal.
The car tore through the remaining barrier, sending metal debris flying into the driveway.
He swerved violently onto the street, his tires smoking as we sped away into the early morning fog.
I looked back through the shattered rear window and saw three heavily armed men rushing out of our house.
I clutched Noah tightly, begging Mark to drive faster and get us out of the city.
He navigated the winding suburban streets at terrifying speeds, running every red light we encountered.
He told me to open the glove compartment and grab the burner phone he had hidden inside.
I found the cheap plastic phone and turned it on, waiting agonizingly for it to find a signal.
Mark explained that he had a contact at a federal agency who owed him a favor and could extract us safely.
I dialed the number Mark recited, holding the phone to my ear as it rang endlessly.
Finally, someone answered on the other end, but they did not say hello.
A calm, chillingly familiar voice echoed through the tiny speaker.
"Did you really think we wouldn't track the vehicle, Mark?"
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Suddenly, a massive black tactical truck violently rammed into the side of our sedan.
The world spun out of control as our car flipped over the guardrail and launched into the deep ravine below.
