Chapter 15 - The Highway
Claire lunged for Ward.
Adrian caught her around the waist before a guard could shoot.
“We need out!” he shouted.
“They have Noah!”
“I know!”
He fired through the glass door, clearing a path.
Lucas finally broke the chair apart and grabbed a fallen handgun.
“This way!”
They ran through a research corridor while alarms flashed red.
Shaw’s voice echoed over the speakers.
“Lock the north wing.”
Steel doors began dropping.
Lucas slid under one.
Adrian pushed Claire through next.
The door slammed between Adrian and them.
Claire spun. “Adrian!”
“I’ll find another way!”
Gunfire erupted behind him.
Lucas grabbed Claire’s arm. “If you stay, Noah dies.”
She hated him for being right.
They ran.
Outside, Lucas hot-wired a security SUV in under twenty seconds.
Claire climbed in.
“You do this often?”
“Bad parenting requires diverse skills.”
She looked at him sharply.
He stared ahead. “Yes. I’m his father. Biologically. Not in any way that counts.”
Claire didn’t have time to answer.
They tore out of the campus.
Cross’s phone location pulsed twelve miles away.
Lucas drove ninety through the snow.
Claire called Lena.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Then Mia answered.
“Claire?”
Her small voice shook.
“Mia, where’s your mom?”
“She’s hurt.”
Claire’s blood turned cold.
“Where’s Noah?”
“He’s crying.”
“Put the phone by him.”
She heard Noah wailing.
Alive.
Claire nearly sobbed from relief.
“Mia, listen carefully. Is Mr. Cross awake?”
“No.”
“Can you see the road?”
“Yes.”
“Any signs?”
Mia whispered, “Pine Ridge Bridge.”
Lucas swore.
“That’s three minutes.”
Claire said, “Mia, get low. Stay with Noah. Do not open the door for anyone except me, Adrian, your mom, or Cross.”
“What about the police?”
Claire looked at Lucas.
“No police.”
They reached Pine Ridge Bridge.
Cross’s car was sideways against the rail.
The black SUV sat twenty yards behind it.
Two armed men approached the wreck.
Lucas didn’t slow down.
“What are you doing?” Claire shouted.
“Making an entrance.”
He rammed the black SUV broadside.
Metal exploded.
Claire’s airbag fired.
For several seconds, she heard nothing but ringing.
Then she crawled out.
One attacker raised a pistol.
A shot cracked.
The man dropped.
Claire turned.
Adrian stood on the far side of the bridge, bleeding from the forehead, rifle in hand.
“How did you—”
“Later!”
They reached Cross’s car.
Lena was conscious but bleeding.
Cross was out cold.
Mia had curled herself around Noah’s carrier.
Claire opened the door.
Mia looked up.
“I kept him safe.”
Claire pulled both children into her arms.
Then Adrian saw something on the baby carrier.
A tiny red light.
May you like
Tracker.
And across the bridge, more headlights appeared.
