Chapter 5 - Blood in the High-Rise
VIRAL HOOK: "The stepmother returned from the dead with a heavy assault team! 'Did you really think a cliff could stop me?'"
"Did you really think a silly little fall into the ocean would end this, Sarah?"
Evelyn’s voice echoed through the acrid smoke inside the container. She looked manic, her tactical gear splashed with mud and blood. Behind her, heavy mercenary gunfire forced the FBI team to take cover outside.
Daniel immediately tackled Sarah and Lily to the ground as bullets riddled the container walls. He drew his concealed sidearm, firing three quick rounds through the smoke, dropping one of Evelyn's mercenaries instantly.
"Evelyn!" Sarah yelled over the roar of gunfire. "My father is using you! He’s going to execute you the moment the money transfers!"
"Shut up, you ungrateful little brat!" Evelyn shrieked, firing a burst from her submachine gun into the floor near Sarah’s feet. "Arthur and I are taking that four billion, and we are leaving this country behind! Grab the child!"
A massive mercenary lunged forward, snatching three-year-old Lily from Sarah’s arms!
"LILY!" Sarah screamed hysterically, clawing at the mercenary's face.
The mercenary backhanded Sarah, sending her spinning onto the dirt. Daniel roared in rage, sprinting forward, tackling the giant guard out of the container door. They crashed onto the gravel outside. Daniel delivered a lightning-fast combination of brutal military strikes to the man's throat and jaw, knocking him unconscious, and scooped Lily back into his arms.
He tossed Lily into the arms of Agent Vance, who was ducked behind a burning SUV.
"Get her to safety! NOW!" Daniel barked.
"Daniel, no! Don't leave me!" Lily cried out.
Before Daniel could turn back, Evelyn grabbed Sarah by her hair, pressing a loaded pistol against her temple, dragging her backwards toward an awaiting helicopter.
"Step back, Agent Vance!" Evelyn screamed maniacally. "Or I blow her brains out right here!"
Daniel stood in the middle of the rain-slicked shipyard, his gun raised, eyes locked on Evelyn. "Put the gun down, Evelyn. It's over."
"It's far from over!" Evelyn cackled. "If you want your precious little wife alive, come to the 80th floor of Sterling Tower before midnight! Let's see if your FBI training can save her when Arthur detonates the entire building!"
Evelyn pulled Sarah into the helicopter. The doors slammed shut, and the heavy bird lifted into the dark, storm-filled night sky, speeding off toward the glowing skyline of the city.
Daniel sprinted toward an intact tactical vehicle, hopping into the driver's seat.
Agent Vance ran up to the window, clutching Lily tight. "Daniel, stop! It’s a trap! Arthur has rigged Sterling Tower with thermite explosives! If you go in there without full backup, you’re walking into a slaughterhouse!"
Daniel looked at his sister, then looked at his crying daughter through the glass.
"I lied about who I was," Daniel said softly, his hands gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. "But I never lied about loving her. I’m bringing my wife home."
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He slammed his foot on the accelerator, roaring out of the shipyard, chasing the helicopter into the heart of the city.
Chapter 5 Cliffhanger: Inside the helicopter, Sarah looked out the window at the receding ground. Evelyn leaned in and whispered in her ear: "You think Daniel was sent by the FBI to save you? Check his file, Sarah. He isn't an agent. He's Arthur's real son."
