Chapter 17 - The Federal Raid
We desperately bound Julian completely with heavy plastic zip-ties and dragged his unconscious body entirely into a reinforced holding cell within the bunker.
Lucian quickly patched his bleeding shoulder using a sterile medical kit, his face an absolute mask of cold, calculating determination.
"The EMP completely fried our communication arrays, which means we are entirely blind to the outside world," Lucian stated grimly, racking the heavy slide of his tactical rifle.
"If Julian found this heavily hidden location, the federal marshals he manipulated will undoubtedly be arriving very shortly."
As if entirely on cue, the faint, rhythmic chopping of heavy helicopter blades echoed distantly through the solid rock ceiling above us.
The FBI had successfully tracked Julian’s aggressive electronic signature right before the EMP completely wiped the grid.
"We absolutely cannot fight a massive team of federal tactical agents, Lucian," I argued fiercely, terrified of a senseless bloodbath.
"If we surrender, they will throw me entirely into a maximum-security black site, and they will absolutely put Nico into the foster system," Lucian countered urgently.
He walked aggressively to the back wall of the armory and violently pulled a heavy, hidden lever disguised as a rusted water pipe.
A massive section of the concrete floor slowly slid open, entirely revealing a dark, incredibly narrow escape tunnel leading deep into the mountain.
"This tunnel leads completely out to a hidden glacial lake, where I keep a heavily fueled, stealth floatplane permanently stationed," Lucian explained rapidly.
I grabbed Nico securely against my chest, and we sprinted desperately down the dark, damp tunnel, leaving the ruined bunker entirely behind.
We could hear the deafening, explosive sound of heavy breaching charges violently destroying the main bunker entrance as the federal agents swarmed the facility.
We ran relentlessly for twenty agonizing minutes, the freezing mountain air violently whipping through the narrow stone corridor.
We finally emerged onto the rocky, snow-covered shore of a massive, breathtakingly clear glacial lake.
A sleek, black twin-engine floatplane was securely moored to a small wooden dock, completely hidden beneath a heavy camouflage net.
Lucian aggressively stripped the heavy netting away and helped me climb carefully into the small, freezing cabin with Nico.
He quickly fired up the powerful engines, the loud, roaring sound echoing violently across the quiet mountain valley.
As Lucian expertly maneuvered the plane away from the dock, the dense tree line surrounding the lake violently erupted with intense, blinding spotlights.
Three heavily armed FBI tactical helicopters aggressively crested the mountain ridge, instantly surrounding our small plane.
A booming, mechanical voice echoed heavily from a massive loudspeaker, entirely shattering the freezing night air.
"Lucian Moretti, shut down your engines immediately and surrender, or you will be aggressively shot out of the water."
We were completely cornered on the freezing lake, entirely outgunned by heavily armed federal helicopters.
May you like
Lucian looked at me with an expression of profound, absolute devastation, completely realizing that our final, desperate escape plan had totally failed.
He slowly reached for the throttle, fully prepared to shut down the powerful engines and surrender his absolute freedom to save our lives.
