Chapter 5 - The Private Jet
I dropped the gun, the heavy metal clattering against the basement floor.
If Daniel's plane took off, he would disappear into a country without an extradition treaty, and I would never see Lily again.
Carter shoved Patricia into the nearby closet and wedged a heavy wooden chair under the door handle to trap her.
He grabbed my arm and pulled me up the stairs, moving faster than I ever thought possible.
We sprinted out of the house and threw ourselves into the stolen government SUV.
Carter slammed his foot on the gas pedal, tearing out of the suburban driveway and tearing through the manicured lawns.
He handed me his encrypted phone, ordering me to call the local air traffic control tower immediately.
I dialed the emergency frequency he provided, my fingers slipping on the glowing screen.
A confused controller answered, and Carter shouted over the speakerphone, identifying himself as federal military intelligence.
He demanded the immediate grounding of a Gulfstream jet registered to Whitaker Logistics.
The controller hesitated, stating the plane had already been cleared for takeoff on runway four.
Carter did not wait to argue with bureaucratic red tape.
He drove the SUV directly through the chain-link perimeter fence of the county airport, metal sparking against the windshield.
We sped across the dark tarmac, the headlights illuminating the sleek white body of the private jet moving toward the runway.
Carter accelerated, ignoring the blaring sirens of airport security vehicles rushing toward us.
He swerved the heavy SUV directly into the path of the massive jet, slamming on the brakes.
The pilot of the Gulfstream panicked, locking the wheels and skidding to a violent halt just inches from our bumper.
Carter kicked his door open and drew his service weapon, sprinting up the mobile stairs toward the cabin door.
I followed right behind him, my heart hammering so hard I thought my chest would crack open.
Carter blew the electronic lock off the cabin door with a single, precise gunshot.
We burst into the luxurious interior of the private jet, our weapons raised and ready for a bloodbath.
Daniel was sitting calmly in a leather recliner, sipping a glass of expensive champagne.
He did not look surprised to see us, nor did he look particularly frightened.
I screamed Lily's name, frantically tearing through the small bedroom and bathroom at the back of the plane.
The cabin was completely empty except for my smirking husband.
I ran back to Daniel and grabbed him by the lapels of his tailored suit, shaking him violently.
I demanded to know what he had done with my beautiful daughter.
Daniel took a slow sip of his champagne and smiled directly into my terrified eyes.
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He told me Lily had never been at the airport at all.
He laughed as he revealed he was just the decoy, and Patricia had lied to us to buy the real kidnapper more time.
