Chapter 4 - THE POISONED GALA“Blackout at the Penthouse!”Red emergency backup lights flickered on, casting blood-colored shadows across the luxury penthouse.
"Alexander! Where is Chloe?!" Elena shrieked in absolute panic.
"Chloe!" Alexander yelled, drawing a concealed firearm from his desk drawer and sprinting toward the bedroom.
The door to the bedroom had been kicked open. The window leading to the private helicopter pad on the roof was shattered, letting in the howling wind and rain. On the bed lay Chloe’s plush teddy bear—and a trail of fresh wet footprints leading up the stairs to the helipad!
Alexander and Elena raced up the metal staircase to the roof.
Through the pouring storm, they saw a black helicopter idling on the pad. Holding seven-year-old Chloe by the arm was none other than Arthur Sterling, along with a mercenary armed with an assault rifle!
"Arthur!" Alexander roared over the thunderous roar of the helicopter blades. "Let her go!"
"It's too late, Kane!" Arthur shouted back, his voice amplified by a megaphone. "You thought throwing Valeria to the feds would save you? She was just my distraction! If I can't take your company, I'll take your legacy! This girl is worth tens of billions in ransom!"
"Daddy!" Chloe cried out, weeping in the freezing rain. "Mommy!"
"Please!" Elena fell to her knees on the wet concrete, begging. "Take me instead! Leave my baby alone!"
Arthur laughed maniacally, stepping toward the helicopter door with Chloe. "Say goodbye to your daughter, Alexander!"
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Suddenly, a blinding spotlight cut through the darkness from above. A second, massive armored police helicopter hovered directly over them, and sniper laser sights painted red dots across Arthur's chest.
CLIFFHANGER: A voice boomed from the police helicopter's loudspeaker: "Arthur Sterling, put the child down or you will be eliminated immediately!" But Arthur snapped, drawing his own gun and aiming it directly at little Chloe!
