Chapter 10 - The Rescue and The Hook
The helicopter pilot completely panicked, immediately pulling back on the throttle to escape the FBI blockade.
The massive aircraft began to aggressively lift off the ground with my son still trapped inside the cabin.
I handed Justin to an armored agent and sprinted toward the rising chopper with everything I had left in me.
I leaped off the hood of a tactical vehicle, my fingers barely catching the landing skid as the helicopter ascended.
The freezing wind completely battered my face as I dangled twenty feet in the air.
With a massive surge of adrenaline, I pulled myself up and smashed my elbow through the glass of the side door.
I reached inside, grabbed Jordan tightly by the collar of his jacket, and pulled him out into my arms.
We fell together, landing heavily on an inflatable rescue cushion the tactical team had quickly deployed on the tarmac.
The helicopter didn't make it far before military drones forced it to land violently in a nearby field.
Marcus was immediately arrested, bleeding and screaming curses as they dragged him away in heavy iron chains.
The FBI completely dismantled his criminal empire by morning, using the evidence from Lauren's hidden flash drive.
All the charges against me were immediately dropped, and the corporate board publicly begged me to return as CEO.
I politely declined, choosing instead to step down and focus entirely on the only thing that actually mattered.
Life in our home finally returned to a state of absolute peace and quiet.
Annie stayed with us, slowly transitioning from a brave protector into a permanent, deeply loved member of our family.
My boys finally slept through the night, their nightmares completely erased by the safety and warmth she brought to our lives.
One sunny Saturday morning, I walked down to the edge of the driveway to check the mail.
Among the bills and magazines was a plain, unmarked white envelope with absolutely no return address.
I tore it open, my breath catching in my throat as I pulled out a single, perfectly clear photograph.
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It was a picture of Lauren, looking completely healthy, standing in front of a famous monument in Paris.
In her hands, she was holding yesterday's edition of an international newspaper.
