Chapter 3 - The Fugitive
I dove to the hardwood floor as the burning flare sailed over my head and struck the far wall.
The expensive wallpaper instantly erupted into a massive wall of blinding flames.
The mercenary drew his sidearm, but I fired two rapid shots that struck him squarely in the shoulder.
He collapsed backward into the hallway, bleeding heavily as he scrambled toward the elevators.
I did not chase him, knowing the fire was spreading rapidly toward the library walls.
I sprinted to the bookshelf, punched the security code into the hidden keypad, and pulled the heavy steel door open.
Catherine was clutching a crying Penelope, her face pale with absolute terror as smoke filled the room.
I wrapped them both in a heavy wool blanket and led them blindly through the burning suite.
We barely made it to the emergency exit before the penthouse windows shattered from the intense heat.
My federal contact, Agent Vance, was waiting for us in a black armored SUV in the back alley.
We threw ourselves into the backseat as Vance slammed on the gas pedal.
I told Vance that Daria was assassinating witnesses and trying to burn my family alive.
Vance looked at me through the rearview mirror with a grim, apologetic expression.
He said the situation was actually much worse than a simple assassination attempt.
He turned on the dashboard monitor to show a live breaking news broadcast.
Daria was on television, weeping and claiming that I had suffered a psychotic break.
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She showed the world a forged medical document stating I was violently schizophrenic.
The news anchor solemnly announced that a statewide manhunt had just been issued for my immediate arrest.
