Chapter 5
The engine of the Maybach roared as the heavy vehicle surged forward onto the slick tarmac of Interstate 87.
Rain slammed against the windshield like tiny stones, blinding the driver as headlights flashed in the rear window.
One of the black sedans slammed into the Maybach’s rear bumper, sending a violent shockwave through the cabin.
Lily let out a terrified scream, burying her face into Sarah’s lap on the floorboards.
“Hold on!” Marcus shouted, grabbing the steering wheel and countering the skid with expert precision.
“They aren't trying to scare us, Ethan! They’re trying to run us off the road!”
Ethan looked out the rear window and saw the passenger of the lead sedan roll down his window.
The man was holding a heavy iron crowbar, preparing to shatter the limousine’s rear glass.
Suddenly, the wail of police sirens echoed through the storm from the southbound lane.
Two white state trooper cruisers cut across the grass median, their red and blue lights blinding in the rain.
The black sedans immediately slammed on their brakes, spinning out on the wet asphalt to escape.
“State troopers got them!” Marcus yelled, pulling the Maybach back into the center lane.
Ethan let out a long breath, reaching down to pull his trembling daughter back into his arms.
“It’s okay, baby. We’re safe now,” Ethan soothed, kissing Lily’s forehead.
Ten minutes later, the Maybach pulled into a lit gas station off Exit 14 to regroup.
Ethan stepped out into the cold air, taking a deep breath of the rain-scented night.
His phone buzzed in his pocket; it was an unknown number.
He answered it immediately. “Ethan Vance.”
“You think you’re so smart, don't you, Ethan?” Chloe’s voice rasped through the speaker, heavy with hatred.
“Where is Clara, Chloe?” Ethan demanded, his voice echoing off the concrete station canopy.
May you like
“You’ll never find her,” Chloe sneered, a delusional laugh escaping her lips.
“She’s somewhere you can’t reach, and if you don't drop the charges by midnight, she won't survive the night!”
