Chapter 9 - The Skyscraper Siege
"You are an assassin," I whispered, my finger trembling on the trigger. "I was," Claire corrected me, completely ignoring the gun pointed at her chest. "But then I saw how much you loved those little girls, and I refused to pull the trigger." "I stayed to protect them from the monster who hired me." I stared into her eyes and saw nothing but absolute, genuine truth. I slowly lowered my weapon, deciding to trust the woman who had saved my daughters three times tonight. We left the girls in the hidden clinic vault, guarded by Vance under the strict threat of death. Claire and I drove to the Vale Tower, gearing up with the heavy weapons stolen from the Russians. We breached the service elevator, ascending rapidly toward the penthouse level. "When the doors open, do not stop firing," I instructed, racking the bolt of my rifle. The elevator chimed, and the doors slid apart to reveal a small army of mercenaries. We unleashed a devastating storm of bullets, fighting our way through the luxurious lobby. Claire moved with brutal efficiency, taking down men twice her size with terrifying grace. We kicked open the double doors to the executive office, covered in blood and completely out of breath. Thomas was sitting comfortably in my leather chair, sipping an expensive glass of whiskey. He was completely alone in the massive room. "You put up a wonderful fight, little brother," Thomas smiled slowly. I aimed my rifle directly at his smug face. "It is over, Thomas," I declared. He just laughed and pressed a button on his desk remote. A massive television screen dropped down from the ceiling, displaying a live video feed. My heart shattered into a million pieces. The screen showed my three daughters locked inside the clinic vault, with a masked man holding a gun directly to little Emma's head.
