Chapter 4 - The Sister's Betrayal
I instinctively turned my body to shield Mia from the barrel of the loaded gun.
"Cassandra, what are you doing?" Jackson screamed, jumping to his feet and stepping in front of us.
"They have people at my house, Jackson!" Cassandra cried out, her hands shaking violently on the steering wheel.
She explained that the syndicate had intercepted her on her way to work and gave her a horrific ultimatum.
She had to deliver me and the child to them, or they would murder her husband and her children.
"I am so sorry, Emily, but I have to protect my own kids," Cassandra pleaded, gesturing with the gun.
I looked over at the two police officers standing near the porch, wondering why they had not reacted to a woman waving a gun in broad daylight.
The older officer casually walked down the driveway, his hand resting lazily on his duty belt.
"Officers, she has a gun!" Jackson yelled, waving his arms frantically to get their attention.
The younger officer joined his partner, but neither of them drew their weapons.
Instead, the older officer smiled warmly at Cassandra and gave her a subtle nod of approval.
My stomach dropped into a bottomless pit of absolute terror as I finally understood the situation.
The police officers were not here to help us or investigate a crime scene.
They worked directly for the very same syndicate that Jackson had been helping.
"You really should get in the car, Emily," the older officer said, his tone entirely conversational.
"You are cops," I whispered, feeling the world tilt dangerously on its axis.
"We are practical men who like to supplement our modest state salaries," the older cop replied with a shrug.
He stepped closer, and I saw the cold, dead look in his eyes that told me he had killed before.
I squeezed Mia tighter and slowly began backing away toward the neighbor's dense hedge.
"If you run, we will shoot the husband right here on the lawn," the younger officer warned, placing his hand on his holster.
Jackson held his hands up in surrender, pleading with them to just take him instead of us.
"We don't need you, Jackson, we need the leverage," the older cop stated plainly.
I knew that if I got into that black SUV, Mia and I would never be seen alive again.
I had to create a distraction, something loud and chaotic enough to buy me a few precious seconds.
I looked at the heavy, ceramic flowerpot resting precariously on the edge of Lorraine's retaining wall.
With a sudden, violent kick, I sent the massive pot crashing down onto the concrete driveway.
The ceramic shattered with a sound like a small explosion, sending dirt and sharp shards flying into the air.
The sudden noise caused the younger officer to flinch and instinctively reach for his face.
I did not wait to see what happened next.
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I turned on my heel and sprinted into the narrow alleyway between the houses as fast as my legs could carry me.
Behind me, I heard the deafening crack of a gunshot tear through the suburban silence.
