Chapter 6 - The Ghost
Nathan kept his weapon aimed squarely at the older woman, his mind reeling from the impossible encounter.
Helena remained completely calm, slowly turning the silver server drive over in her elegant hands.
"I faked my death thirty years ago to escape the absolute tyranny of the Ashford family," Helena explained softly.
She revealed that she had watched from the shadows as Victoria grew into a ruthless, bloodthirsty monster.
"I do not want my daughter to succeed, Nathan, because she will eventually destroy everything she touches."
Helena slowly stood up and tossed the incredibly valuable server drive directly into Nathan's hands.
"That drive contains the raw footage proving Grace is completely innocent, and it also contains Victoria's offshore embezzlement ledgers."
Nathan stared at the drive, realizing he finally had the ultimate weapon to clear his name and save his family.
"Why are you helping me instead of stopping her yourself?" Nathan asked suspiciously.
"Because I am a coward, but you are a father fighting for his child," Helena replied with a sad smile.
Suddenly, the deafening blare of the building's security alarms echoed violently through the server room.
Victoria's private mercenaries had detected the unauthorized breach and were rapidly storming the floor.
"Run to the roof!" Helena shouted, pulling a heavy pistol from her tailored coat.
Nathan sprinted toward the emergency stairwell as heavy gunfire erupted in the server room behind him.
He burst through the roof access doors, feeling the aggressive, freezing wind whip across his face.
He knew the entire building was surrounded, leaving him with only one desperate route of escape.
He ran to the edge of the skyscraper and grabbed the heavy maintenance zipline that connected to the adjacent building.
Nathan clipped his heavy leather belt over the steel cable and threw himself bravely off the ledge.
He slid rapidly across the terrifying gap above the city streets, the wind howling violently in his ears.
He crashed heavily onto the concrete roof of the neighboring building, rolling to absorb the massive impact.
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As he stood up to run, a deafening crack echoed from a sniper rifle on a distant rooftop.
Nathan gasped in pure agony as a high-caliber bullet tore violently straight through his side.
