Chapter 16 - The Mountain Church**
Deep in the woods, Ethan carried Maya into a small, white-steepled country church sitting near a mountain crossroad.
The church was empty, the morning sun filtering through stained-glass windows onto polished wooden pews.
Ethan set Maya down on a pew, wrapping his charcoal hoodie around her small, shivering frame.
An old pastor walked out from the back sacristy, holding a tray with two warm mugs of cocoa and a bowl of soup.
"You look like a man carrying the weight of the world, son," the pastor said gently, setting the tray down.
"I'm just trying to keep my daughter safe, sir," Ethan replied, his voice hoarse with exhaustion.
The pastor looked at the bruise on Maya's cheek, his gentle eyes filling with immediate understanding and deep sympathy.
"There's a federal marshal who lives two miles down this road," the pastor offered, reaching for a desk phone.
"He's a good man, Ethan. He won't let the Senator's people touch this child."
May you like
Ethan nodded slowly, letting out a long, shuddering breath as Maya drank her warm cocoa beside him.
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