Chapter 4 - The Corrupt Officer
The fake police officer unholstered his weapon and aimed it directly at Adrian's chest.
"Put the children down and step back, sir," the man ordered in a deceptively professional tone.
Adrian held his kids tighter, feeling Noah's heartbeat slowing down against his own chest.
He knew that if he handed his children over to this man, they would never survive the night.
Vanessa casually walked out through the broken window, stepping over the shattered glass with a cruel smile.
"Thank goodness you arrived, Officer," Vanessa lied perfectly. "My husband has lost his mind and poisoned our baby."
Adrian calculated his options in a fraction of a second.
He was standing right next to his vintage sports car, which he always left unlocked in the private driveway.
He gently tossed his heavy keyring onto the grass a few feet away.
"You win," Adrian said loudly, raising his empty hands in fake surrender. "The keys are right there on the ground."
The fake officer lowered his gun for just one second to look down at the keys in the grass.
That single second was all Adrian needed.
He threw the heavy blanket over the officer's head and shoved him hard against the side of the SUV.
Adrian yanked open the door of his sports car, pushed Lily and Noah into the passenger seat, and jumped behind the wheel.
He slammed his foot onto the gas pedal, burning rubber as the car tore down the long driveway.
A bullet shattered his rearview mirror, but Adrian kept his head down and merged wildly onto the highway.
He drove furiously toward the nearest pediatric hospital, praying to a God he hadn't spoken to in years.
He burst through the emergency room doors carrying Noah, screaming for a doctor.
A team of nurses rushed forward, snatching the pale baby from his arms and rushing him into the trauma bay.
Adrian fell to his knees in the waiting room, pulling Lily into a desperate hug as they waited for news.
Hours passed like years before a stern-looking doctor finally walked out to meet him.
"We managed to stabilize your son just in time," the doctor said.
Adrian closed his eyes and let out a massive breath of pure gratitude.
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"But there is a serious problem," the doctor continued, pulling a small object from his pocket.
"We found this microscopic tracking chip injected directly into your son's shoulder."
