Chapter 12 Hunted by Her Own Country
"They flipped the narrative," Sarah gasped, staring at Chloe in absolute horror. "She reported you as the kidnapper of your own child."
"That cunning witch," Chloe hissed, her knuckles turning white as she clutched the envelope. "She's using the entire state police force as her personal hit squad."
"If we get pulled on the interstate right now, local troopers won't hesitate to shoot first and ask questions later," Mark warned, his eyes scanning the rearview mirrors anxiously. "We need to get off this highway immediately."
"Is there an alternate route?" Chloe asked urgently, shifting her baby closer to her chest to provide maximum protection.
"Old Route 40, through the state forest," Mark replied, signaling a sharp right lane change. "No cameras, no tolls, but it'll add two hours to our trip."
The massive semi-truck swerved across two lanes of traffic, taking the upcoming exit ramp at breakneck speed. The tires screeched in protest as they transitioned onto the winding, tree-lined backcountry road.
The canopy of towering oak trees blocked out the fading twilight, plunging the road into deep, suffocating shadows. The headlights cut through the fog like twin white swords.
"Hold on back there, this road gets rough," Mark shouted over the rattling dashboard.
Chloe braced herself against the padded bulkhead, using her own body as a cushion for the newborn. Every bump and pothole rattled the frame of the old truck.
Back on the interstate, a pair of unmarked state trooper cruisers sped past the exit ramp, their sirens wailing into the night. They had missed the turnoff by mere seconds.
"We lost their immediate tail," Sarah breathed a sigh of relief, wiping sweat from her forehead. "That was entirely too close."
"Don't celebrate yet," Chloe warned quietly. "Eleanor has eyes everywhere, including the state police dispatch network."
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They drove deeper into the densely wooded mountains, the isolation wrapping around them like a heavy wool blanket. The silence of the forest felt vastly different from the sterile chaos of the hospital.
Chloe looked down at her sleeping baby, whispering a silent prayer for strength and safe passage. They were refugees in their own land, hunted by the very system meant to protect them.
