Chapter 12
The hours ticked past slowly inside the old printing warehouse. Outside, the rain finally began to taper off, replaced by the pale, gray light of dawn breaking over the desolate industrial waterfront. Inside the office, the wood stove had burned down to glowing embers, filling the room with a gentle, persistent warmth.
Lily stirred on the cot, stretching her arms before opening her dark eyes. She sat up, looking around the unfamiliar room with a momentary flash of confusion before her gaze landed on Elena, who sat beside her with a cup of water.
"Mom?" Lily mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "Where are we?"
"We're safe, sweetie," Elena said softly, smoothing the girl’s dark hair back into a neat ponytail. "We sent the proof to people who can help us. Help us get your baby sister back."
Before Lily could respond, the encrypted satellite phone on the desk emitted a sharp, double-beep. Marcus lunged forward, grabbing the receiver and pressing it to his ear.
"Reed," he barked into the secure line.
A tense silence filled the room as Marcus listened to the voice on the other end. His weathered face broke into a grim, victorious smile.
"Understood, Agent Vance. We'll be standing by," Marcus said before disconnecting the call. He looked up at Elena and Lily, his eyes shining with triumph.
"That was federal prosecutor Vance," Marcus announced, his voice ringing with authority. "She authenticated the files within minutes of receiving them. A federal warrant has been issued for Dr. Harrison's arrest, and a tactical unit of federal marshals is currently descending on Saint Jude Memorial Hospital."
Elena felt a wave of profound relief wash over her, followed immediately by a sharp spike of adrenaline. "And my baby?"
"The hospital nursery is being secured as we speak," Marcus replied, standing up and grabbing his heavy canvas jacket. "Agent Vance wants us to meet her task force at the downtown federal courthouse to officially sign the custody affidavits and testify before the grand jury. But first, we need to get out of here. Victor’s corporate security network will have flagged the federal activity by now, and they'll be sweeping every known hideout in the district."
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"Let's move," Elena said, gently helping Lily off the cot.
They packed the remaining gear into Marcus's Ford sedan, the engine roaring to life with a reassuring rumble as they pulled out of the warehouse bay and headed toward the heart of the city. The final confrontation was approaching, and Victor Sterling’s house of cards was about to collapse.
