Chapter 11 - The Escape Plan
Ethan looked at Marcus, then down at the innocent baby sleeping peacefully in his arms despite the chaos.
A sudden, intense clarity settled over Ethan's mind; he knew no one in this room was going to save them.
He had to rely entirely on his own wits and the ruthless survival instincts his father had secretly passed down to him.
"You want the chip, Cole?" Ethan asked calmly, taking a slow step toward the shattered balcony doors behind him.
"It's surgically tied to the infant's main artery," Ethan lied, keeping his voice completely steady and convincing.
"If you shoot me or cause trauma to the child, the chip's internal sensor will rupture and destroy the encrypted data instantly."
Marcus paused, his eyes narrowing as he evaluated the potential truth behind Ethan's sharp claim.
"You're bluffing," Marcus sneered, though his finger hesitated slightly on the curved trigger of his submachine gun.
"Try me," Ethan challenged, taking another step backward onto the rain-slicked balcony outside.
"Victoria, throw the lantern at his feet!" Ethan suddenly barked out with absolute authority.
Victoria, acting on pure panic and lingering instinct, grabbed the brass lantern and threw it hard against Marcus's boots.
The glass casing shattered on impact, spilling burning kerosene across the rug and igniting a burst of bright flame.
Marcus reflexively jumped backward to avoid the fire, cursing loudly as flames licked at his tactical boots.
Ethan didn't hesitate for a single second; he turned and jumped straight off the second-story balcony into the dark rain.
He landed heavily on the soft manicured lawn below, rolling onto his shoulder to absorb the force of the fall.
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He kept his body wrapped firmly around his son, protecting the child from any impact against the damp earth.
Gasping for air, Ethan pushed himself up from the mud and sprinted toward the dark woods bordering the estate.
