Chapter 9 - The Confrontation
The blinding light from the helicopter paralyzed Douglas, his weapon trembling as the red laser dotted his expensive coat.
Loudspeakers echoed across the tarmac, commanding him to drop the weapon and surrender immediately.
Instead of complying, Douglas lunged forward, grabbing Gwen by the hair and pulling her in front of him as a human shield.
He screamed maniacally at the circling chopper, threatening to kill her right there if they didn't clear the airspace.
Gwen could feel the cold steel of the gun barrel pressing ruthlessly against her temple.
She looked down and saw Gideon bleeding heavily on the tarmac, yet he was subtly sliding a heavy wrench across the concrete toward her.
Douglas gloated in her ear, whispering that even if he went down, Sarah had already liquidated the offshore accounts.
He claimed that the children were locked in a holding room that only he had the code to, meaning they would starve if he died.
Gwen's maternal instinct overrode her paralyzing fear, giving her a sudden surge of adrenaline.
She stomped violently on Douglas's instep, simultaneously dropping her weight and grabbing the heavy wrench from the ground.
With a fierce, primal scream, she swung the steel tool backward, striking Douglas squarely in the kneecap.
He howled in agony, his leg buckling as the gun discharged harmlessly into the dark sky.
FBI tactical teams swarmed the runway, tackling Douglas to the ground and ripping the weapon from his hands.
Paramedics rushed to Gideon's side, applying pressure to his shoulder wound while he weakly smiled at Gwen.
Gwen didn't wait for the officers; she demanded the location of the holding room and sprinted toward the terminal.
She shattered the electronic keypad of the locked VIP lounge with the wrench and kicked the door open.
Toby and Maisie were huddled in the corner, unharmed, and they ran into their mother's arms sobbing with relief.
As they walked out of the terminal surrounded by federal agents, they saw Sarah being dragged out of the jet in handcuffs.
Sarah screamed curses at Douglas, blaming him for everything in a desperate attempt to save herself.
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Douglas looked at Gwen with pure hatred, swearing that he would destroy her the moment he made bail.
The lead FBI agent simply smiled, informing Douglas that the shadow syndicate had just been tipped off about his location, and they were waiting for him in federal lockup.
