Chapter 9 - The Missing Heir
"We have breaking news regarding the Vance Medical scandal," the solemn news anchor announced.
"Ethan Vance, the disgraced CEO arrested just hours ago, has mysteriously vanished from federal custody," the anchor stated.
My eyes flew open, and my heart hammered violently against my ribs.
"Authorities report that a sophisticated cyberattack disabled the jail's security grid for exactly three minutes," the reporter continued.
I grabbed the TV remote, turning up the volume as a cold sweat broke out across my forehead.
Sarah burst into my room, her phone pressed tightly to her ear, looking completely panicked.
"They cannot find him anywhere, the entire transport van was found empty under an overpass," Sarah gasped.
Julian walked in right behind her, his FBI badge glowing ominously under the harsh hospital lights.
"We are moving you to a secure safehouse immediately," Julian ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"He doesn't have a passport, his assets are frozen, how could he possibly escape?" I asked frantically.
"He has offshore contingency funds that we didn't find in time," Julian admitted, looking grim.
I held my daughter tighter, terrified that Ethan was coming back to finish what he started in the NICU.
We were escorted out of the hospital through a subterranean utility tunnel surrounded by heavily armed agents.
The drive to the safehouse was a blur of flashing sirens and tense, suffocating silence.
We arrived at a fortified compound in the mountains, surrounded by high walls and security cameras.
"You are safe here, nobody knows this location exists," Julian promised, setting up a command center in the living room.
I laid my baby in a heavy wooden crib, praying that this nightmare would soon truly end.
As I walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water, I noticed a strange shadow on the patio.
May you like
I slowly pulled back the heavy blackout curtains, expecting to see a guard on patrol.
Instead, pressed against the glass, was a bloody handprint and a terrifyingly familiar gold cufflink.
