Chapter 10 - The Safe House
Evie was discharged from the hospital late that evening under the cover of absolute darkness. The media had already caught wind of the spectacular downfall of the wealthy Vance family, and news vans were swarming the hospital's main entrances. Thorne bypassed the circus entirely, sneaking Evie out through the subterranean loading docks and into an unmarked, heavily armored police SUV.
"We are moving you to a federal safe house on the outskirts of the city," Thorne explained, navigating the chaotic city traffic with practiced ease. "Until we have this arsonist, Silas, in custody, your life is in severe, imminent danger. Vanguard won't let an eight-million-dollar payout slip through their fingers just because their first attempt failed."
Evie sat in the back seat, staring out the tinted windows at the blurred city lights. "If they want the trust money, they have to kill me before midnight. Once I turn twenty-one, the trust officially vests. I can transfer the funds, lock the accounts, or change the beneficiaries. If I survive past tonight, killing me doesn't give Richard the money."
Thorne glanced at her in the rearview mirror, impressed by her cold, analytical logic. "Exactly. Which means Silas has a strict, midnight deadline to finish the job. The safe house is a heavily fortified bunker. We have six tactical officers stationed around the perimeter. You are going to walk inside, lock the steel door, and wait for the sun to rise. Understand?"
"I understand," Evie replied, though her heart was pounding a frantic rhythm against her ribs.
They arrived at a nondescript, brutalist concrete building hidden deep within an industrial park. It looked like an abandoned water treatment facility, completely devoid of windows or identifying markers. Thorne escorted her inside, navigating a labyrinth of thick steel doors and biometric security scanners.
The interior was stark and highly functional. A small cot, a secure communication terminal, and a tiny kitchenette. Four heavily armed tactical officers were patrolling the interior corridors, their faces obscured by dark helmets.
"I'll be stationed in the command center across town, monitoring the perimeter feeds," Thorne said, handing Evie a secure, encrypted radio. "If you hear anything, if you see anything, you press that red button. Do not hesitate."
"Thank you, Detective," Evie said, gripping the radio tightly.
May you like
Thorne offered a grim, reassuring nod before turning and leaving the room. The heavy steel door locked behind him with a resounding, metallic clack.
Evie was entirely alone in the bunker. She sat on the edge of the stiff cot, watching the digital clock on the wall. It was 10:15 PM. She had one hundred and five minutes left until her birthday. One hundred and five minutes to survive.
