Chapter 22 - The Kinetic Strike
Claire Harper did not hesitate.
Sitting in the driver’s seat of the heavy SUV, she had watched the confrontation through the rain-streaked windshield. When she saw the gun in Arthur’s hand, the man who had pretended to be their savior, every maternal and protective instinct in her body ignited into pure, blinding adrenaline.
She slammed her foot down on the accelerator.
The SUV surged forward like a multi-ton missile, tearing across the rusted pier.
Arthur spun around, his eyes going wide as the headlights bathed him in harsh, blinding white light. He raised the suppressed pistol, firing two rapid shots.
The bullets shattered the windshield, missing Claire by mere inches, burying themselves into the leather passenger seat.
Claire ducked below the dashboard, keeping the steering wheel locked perfectly straight, her foot pinned to the floorboard.
The massive vehicle slammed into the stack of wooden pallets Arthur was using for cover. The impact was deafening. Wood splintered into a thousand pieces, the metal front bumper of the SUV crumpling as it drove the debris directly into Arthur.
He was thrown violently to the side, tumbling across the wet concrete, the suppressed pistol skittering out of his hand and disappearing into the dark shadows of the warehouse.
The SUV crashed into a heavy steel support beam and finally ground to a violent halt, the airbags deploying with a sharp crack.
Nathan sprinted forward.
"Claire!" he screamed, ripping the driver’s side door open.
Claire pushed the deflated airbag away, coughing from the white powder, a small cut bleeding on her forehead.
"I'm okay," she gasped, grabbing Nathan’s arm. "I'm okay! Where is he?"
Nathan turned, scanning the dark, cavernous warehouse. The headlights of the wrecked SUV illuminated the swirling dust and rain, but Arthur was gone.
"He's hurt," Nathan said, seeing a trail of blood leading deeper into the labyrinth of rusted shipping containers stacked inside the building.
"Nathan, we need to leave," Claire urged, stepping out of the ruined car. "He might have another weapon. We need to call Sarah."
"If we leave, he disappears," Nathan said, his jaw locked in fierce determination. "He's the architect, Claire. If he gets away, he will hunt Ethan for the rest of his life. I am not living in fear again."
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Nathan walked over to the spot where Arthur had fallen. He found the suppressed pistol lying in a puddle of dirty water. He picked it up, checking the magazine with grim efficiency.
"Get behind the car, Claire," Nathan ordered softly. "Lock yourself in the back. I'm finishing this."
