Chapter 6 - The Woods and the Bear
Annie didn't hesitate or wait for my instructions.
She jerked the steering wheel hard to the right, driving the heavy SUV off the paved driveway.
We crashed through my perfectly manicured gardens and plunged directly into the dense, dark woods bordering the estate.
The heavy brush scraped violently against the armored windows as we tore through the trees.
The tactical vehicles followed us, their high beams cutting through the forest like searchlights.
I knew our heavy SUV would eventually get stuck in the deep mud near the ravine.
I told Annie to stop the car and grabbed the emergency survival bags from the trunk.
We abandoned the vehicle and ran on foot into the freezing darkness of the woods.
The twins were terrified, but they held Annie's hands tightly and refused to cry.
We navigated the treacherous terrain for hours, listening to the shouts of the mercenaries fading in the distance.
We finally reached a deserted gas station on the edge of the state highway just as the sun began to rise.
I checked my phone, only to discover that my entire network access had been completely disabled.
My corporate board had locked me out of my own life, rendering my billions entirely useless.
We hid behind the rusted dumpsters, shivering in the cold morning air.
Jordan finally looked up at me, tightly clutching the stuffed bear he had carried since the crash.
He whispered that his mommy had given him a special secret before she drove away that night.
He reached into the ripped seam of the bear's back and pulled out a small, silver safety deposit box key.
He said Lauren told him to give it to me only when the bad men came to the house.
I stared at the tiny key, realizing my wife had hidden the ultimate evidence in a bank vault.
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Before I could take the key from my son's hand, a shadow fell over the alleyway.
I looked up and saw the scarred man standing perfectly still at the edge of the brick wall, aiming his rifle directly at us.
