Chapter 1 - The Military Escort
The heavy footsteps echoed like thunder through the narrow hallway outside the apartment.
Ryan backed away from the bed, his face draining of all color.
My father did not flinch, nor did he take his eyes off my abusive husband.
The apartment door suddenly swung open, hitting the wall with a loud crash.
Two large men wearing United States Army military police uniforms stepped into the living room.
They looked past Linda, completely ignoring her panicked gasp, and marched directly toward my bedroom.
My father had never come alone.
He had sensed something was wrong during our last phone call, and he had brought his most trusted men to wait downstairs just in case.
"Secure the perimeter," my father ordered in a voice that left absolutely no room for debate.
One of the soldiers stepped directly in front of Ryan, placing a heavy hand on his chest to push him against the wall.
The other soldier stood between the bed and my mother-in-law, blocking her view of me entirely.
"You can't do this!" Linda screamed, her hands shaking violently.
"This is private property, and you have no warrant to be inside our home!"
My father ignored her and gently placed the blue blanket back over my shivering body.
He took his phone from his pocket and dialed a number he knew by heart.
"I need an emergency medical transport team at my location immediately," he said into the receiver.
Ryan tried to push past the soldier pinning him to the wall, desperation flashing in his eyes.
"Emily, tell them to leave!" Ryan shouted.
"Tell them about the gambling debts, tell them what happens if you leave this apartment!"
My blood ran cold, and the monitors on my father's face shifted instantly from anger to pure lethal focus.
My father hung up the phone and walked slowly toward Ryan.
"What gambling debts?" my father asked, his voice dangerously quiet.
Ryan realized he had spoken too much, but it was already too late.
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Before Ryan could close his mouth, the front door burst open again.
Three men in dark suits pushed their way past the military police, drawing suppressed handguns from their jackets.
