Chapter 17 - The Siege
The firefight was brief but intensely violent. The federal detail Reynolds had stationed around the perimeter had anticipated a strike, engaging Thorne’s mercenaries the moment they breached the property line.
Mark stood his ground at the top of the stairs, weapon trained on the darkness, but the heavy boots never made it up the steps. Below, the shouting subsided, replaced by the sharp, authoritative commands of law enforcement securing the scene.
"Clear!" Reynolds’ voice echoed up the stairwell. "Mark, Sarah, we're secure."
Sarah emerged from the closet, her knees shaking so badly she could barely stand. Mark lowered his weapon, pulling her and the baby into a crushing embrace. When they cautiously made their way downstairs, the living room was a war zone. Shattered glass covered the floor, and three men in tactical gear were zip-tied face down on the rug.
"They were highly trained, off-the-books contractors," Reynolds explained, his face smeared with soot. "Thorne hired them to silence you, permanently. But they made a mistake. One of them had a burn phone with an active GPS link."
Chloe, who had arrived with the backup tactical team, held up the recovered device. "The phone is pinging a private, unregistered helipad on the roof of a high-rise in the financial district. Thorne isn't trying to hide. He’s trying to fly out under the radar."
"We have to stop him," Sarah said, the terror evaporating into a cold, hard resolve. "If he leaves the country, he’ll set up shop somewhere else. He’ll never stop hunting us."
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Reynolds nodded, racking the slide of his service weapon. "The airspace is locked down, but a rogue chopper could still make a run for international waters. We are moving out now. Mark, stay here with your family. We have a fifty-man perimeter."
"No," Sarah said, her voice leaving no room for argument. "This ends tonight. I need to see him in handcuffs."
