Chapter 4: Into the Lion’s Den
The door clicked open. A man in tactical gear entered, his suppressor-equipped pistol raised. Maya lunged, not away from him, but into his space. She used the metal casing to deflect the barrel, then drove her knee into his gut with the desperation of someone who had spent three years fighting for survival.
She grabbed his radio. "Elias! They’re inside the precinct!"
She didn't wait for a response. She bolted. She knew the station’s layout; she had analyzed it during her transfer days earlier. She navigated the ventilation shafts, moving with the agility of someone who had nothing left to lose.
She reached the evidence locker, the place where Elias kept the physical files. She needed to copy the logs. Just as she finished, the room exploded in light.
Elias stood there, gun drawn—not at her, but at the door.
"I got the records," Elias said, his voice urgent. "You were right. The transfer was made by Marcus. He’s also linked to the lab where your partner was killed. You’re innocent, Maya."
"He’s coming for me, Elias. He’s cleaning house."
"He's not coming for you," Elias said, stepping aside. "He's already in the building. He's trying to get to Isabella's hospital file to scrub the evidence of the toxin."
Maya’s eyes narrowed. "He’s not just scrubbing records. He’s going to finish the job. If she’s alive, he’s going to make sure she dies for real."
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"Then we go to the hospital," Elias said, handing her a spare jacket to cover her jumpsuit. "And we make sure she's the one who signs his death warrant."
They moved out, a strange pair—the disgraced prisoner and the rogue detective. The city outside was dark, the rain washing away the grime, hiding them as they sped toward the hospital. Maya felt the adrenaline, the sharp, cold clarity of a scientist working under pressure. She wasn't just saving a friend; she was saving her life.
