Chapter 5 - THE ESCAPE“They’re bluffing!” Elizabeth said, stepping in front of the door. “This is a medical facility! They can’t enforce an ex-parte order in an ICU unit without a chief medical clearance!”
“They don’t care about legalities anymore, Liz!” Marcus yelled, pulling the window blinds shut. “Camille knows we’re onto her! She’s moving fast because she knows if Darian stays free for another twelve hours, our forensic team will uncover the Dupont paper trail!”
Darian looked at his little girl. Layla had dropped her crayon. She was trembling, staring at the door as the heavy boots outside grew louder.
“Daddy...” Layla whispered, tears streaming down her pale cheeks. “Are the bad people coming?”
Darian’s fear vanished, burned away by an overwhelming wave of paternal instinct. He grabbed the yellow envelope from Elizabeth, stuffed it inside his coat, and scooped Layla into his arms.
“Nobody touches my daughter,” Darian said, his voice dropping into a deadly whisper. “Liz, is there a back way out of this floor?”
“The service elevator at the end of the pediatric lounge,” Elizabeth said without hesitation, grabbing a master keycard from her coat pocket and pressing it into Darian’s hand. “It leads directly to the subterranean laundry facilities. From there, you can exit into the loading dock on 4th Street.”
“I’ll buy you time,” Marcus said, turning toward the main hallway door. “I’ll step out and distract the Sheriff with a motion for stay.”
“Marcus, they might arrest you too,” Darian said, holding his brother-in-law’s shoulder.
Marcus looked Darian straight in the eye, a cold smirk touching his lips. “I’m a defense attorney, Darian. Arresting me is the biggest mistake they’ll ever make. Now go! Save Sophia’s baby!”
Marcus unlocked the main door and stepped into the corridor, raising his hands and shouting loudly at the approaching officers to draw their attention.
Darian didn’t waste a fraction of a second. He dashed out the side door into the pediatric lounge, clutching Layla to his chest.
“Hold on tight, baby,” Darian whispered as he swiped Elizabeth’s keycard into the service elevator panel.
The heavy steel doors slid shut just as the sound of yelling and running feet echoed into the lounge. The elevator began its rapid descent down to the basement.
Inside the quiet elevator, Layla wrapped her arms tightly around Darian’s neck. “Daddy... where are we going?”
“We’re going to find the truth, Layla,” Darian said softly, kissing her cheek. “We’re going to finish what Mommy started.”
DING.
The elevator doors opened onto the vast, dimly lit laundry cavern of the hospital. Huge industrial washers roared, and steam hung thick in the air.
Darian moved quickly through the maze of metal rolling carts toward the loading dock exit. But as he pushed open the heavy push-bar exit door into the rainy afternoon, a shadow stepped out from behind a parked delivery van.
It wasn’t a police officer.
It was a tall, burly man in a rain jacket, his hand resting inside his pocket on the outline of a heavy firearm.
“Mr. Vance,” the man said in a flat, ruthless tone. “Ms. Dupont figured you’d use the utility exits. She’s very thorough.”
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Darian stepped back, shielding Layla behind his back. “Who are you?”
“The guy who gets paid to make sure you don’t reach the press,” the man said, pulling a silenced pistol from his coat. “Hand the kid over, Vance. Ms. Dupont wants her in a private car to Switzerland by tonight. You... you don't need to worry about tomorrow.”
