Chapter 7 - The Breakout
The pure adrenaline hit my bloodstream like a violent lightning strike.
My vision cleared instantly, and my heart hammered furiously against my ribs.
I lay perfectly still on the floor, pretending to be completely unconscious.
The hissing sound of the gas stopped, and the heavy steel door finally buzzed open.
Two massive men in tactical gear stepped into the room to drag my body away.
"Grab her legs, the boss wants her in the incinerator room," the first man grunted.
As he leaned over me, I gripped the heavy tire iron hidden beneath my body.
I swung the metal bar upward with explosive force, striking him directly in the jaw.
He collapsed in a heap without making a single sound.
The second man reached for his sidearm, but I was already moving.
I swept his legs out from under him and kicked the gun far across the room.
I brought the tire iron down on his helmet, knocking him out cold.
Harrison watched me in absolute awe as he struggled against his remaining chains.
I swiped the stolen keycard against the electronic padlock securing his right ankle.
The heavy lock clicked open, and Harrison finally stood up on shaky legs.
"We have to stop Liam before he reaches the car," I urged as I handed him one of the dropped handguns.
We sprinted out of the infirmary and navigated the dark, winding corridors of the prison.
The adrenaline began to wear off, leaving a dull throbbing pain in my temples.
We burst through the main utility door and ran into the dense, foggy woods.
I frantically retraced my steps, searching for the specific pine grove where I hid the car.
We burst into the clearing and found the station wagon exactly where I left it.
The doors were wide open, and the windows were completely shattered.
I ran to the backseat, but Chloe was entirely gone.
A single, torn piece of her pink jacket was caught on a broken piece of glass.
I screamed her name into the empty woods, my voice cracking with pure maternal devastation.
"Look at the mud," Harrison said, pointing to fresh tire tracks leading away from our vehicle.
The tracks belonged to a heavy, military-style SUV that was heading toward the main highway.
A cell phone suddenly began to ring from inside the glove compartment of my ruined car.
May you like
I answered the unfamiliar phone, my hands shaking violently.
"If you ever want to see your daughter again, you will bring Harrison to the abandoned pier in Santa Monica," Liam's voice demanded.
