Chapter 18 - Hospital Standoff
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Elena coughed violently as thick, suffocating smoke filled her lungs. Guided only by memory, she stumbled through the scorching hallway of the second floor, ignoring the intense heat radiating from the wooden walls.
She kicked open the nursery door. The curtains were ablaze, but the baby’s crib remained untouched by the flames.
Little Leo was crying hysterically, coughing from the smoke.
"I'm here, baby! I'm here!" Elena cried, scooping the child into her arms, wrapping him tightly inside her wet blanket.
As she turned back toward the door, a heavy wooden beam crashed down from the ceiling, blocking the doorway with a wall of fire.
"Elena!" Marcus’s voice bellowed through the smoke.
Using an emergency fire extinguisher, Marcus blasted through the flames, clearing a path. He grabbed Elena and Leo, pulling them through the smoke and down the back stairs into the fresh night air.
Paramedics immediately rushed over, placing an oxygen mask over Leo’s face while another team treated Elena for minor smoke inhalation.
"He's stable! The baby is going to be okay!" the paramedic announced after checking Leo's oxygen levels.
Relief washed over Elena as she sank onto the grass, holding the baby close to her chest.
Two hours later, at the city pediatric hospital, Leo was resting safely inside a private room under continuous monitoring.
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Outside the door, Marcus stood beside two federal agents.
"Mr. Vance," Agent Reynolds stated firmly. "We found remnants of military-grade thermite accelerant at the fire scene. This was arson with intent to commit murder. Julian Carter and Victoria Vance are now officially wanted by federal authorities."
