Chapter 9 - The Ultimate Sacrifice
I stood frozen in the steel vault, the holographic image of Ethan smiling sadly at me.
The man who had bled to death in the alley just hours ago was my real dad.
Arthur Miller was simply a monster who had stolen my mother and my life.
"I hid you in the foster system to protect you from Arthur and the corporation," Ethan's recording explained.
"The twins are your siblings, and you are the only one who can legally claim my assets to stop him."
Before Ethan could finish his instructions, a deafening explosion shook the underground vault.
The reinforced concrete ceiling above us cracked, showering the room in dust.
"Arthur's strike team found us!" Evelyn yelled, drawing both of her pistols.
Armed mercenaries in black tactical gear began repelling down the elevator shaft outside the vault.
"Harper, there is an emergency escape tunnel behind that pedestal!" Evelyn ordered.
"Take the babies and run to the armored truck parked three blocks east!"
I grabbed the silver key, shoved it in my pocket, and secured the babies in my arms.
"What about you?" I cried, terrified of losing the only family I had left.
"I am going to buy you some time," Evelyn said, offering me a brave, sad smile.
She turned around and began firing rapidly at the descending mercenaries.
I ran toward the hidden tunnel just as a hail of bullets tore into the vault.
I heard Evelyn scream in pain as she took a hit to her side, but she kept firing.
I didn't look back.
I crawled through the narrow, dark tunnel, the sounds of gunfire echoing terribly behind me.
I emerged from a grated manhole cover three blocks away, exactly where Evelyn had promised.
A heavy, reinforced transport truck was idling quietly in the shadows.
I threw the passenger door open and placed the crying babies safely onto the seat.
I was eleven years old, my sneakers were ruined, and my real father was dead.
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I climbed into the driver's seat, pulled myself up by the steering wheel, and slammed the gearshift into drive.
I stomped on the gas pedal with all my might, tearing away from the bank just as helicopters swarmed the sky.
