Chapter 6
They bolted across the polished concrete of the loading bay like shadows fleeing the dawn. Elena’s bare feet slapped against the cold floor, the sound swallowed by the rumbling diesel engine of the delivery van. She flung open the heavy rear rolling door of the truck, hoisted Lily up into the dark, scent-filled interior of the cargo hold, and scrambled in right behind her, pulling the door down until it latched with a heavy, muffled click.
Inside, it was pitch black, smelling of cardboard boxes, industrial cleaning supplies, and gasoline. They huddled between two high pallets stacked with medical sanitizer bottles. Moments later, the gearshift ground audibly, and the van lurched backward, throwing Elena and Lily against a stack of boxes.
The vehicle rolled out of the hospital loading dock, turning sharply onto the wet asphalt of the city streets. Through the small gap between the rear doors, slivers of neon light cut through the darkness, painting the interior in flashing ribbons of red and blue.
"Where are we going, Mom?" Lily whispered, her voice trembling slightly now that the immediate physical danger had paused.
"Away from them, baby. As far away as we need to go to keep safe," Elena answered, wrapping her arms around Lily and pulling her close.
She reached into her trench coat pocket and pulled out the crumpled file she had stolen from Dr. Harrison’s office. In the dim amber light filtering through the back doors, she unfolded the papers. The names on the documents were damning. Saint Jude Memorial wasn't just a hospital; it was a human trafficking front masquerading as a medical facility, catering to wealthy elites who bought and sold parental rights with impunity. Victor Sterling was at the center of it, using his corporate empire to launder the transactions.
The birth certificate of the baby born tonight lay before her. The infant was a girl, healthy and full of life, traded away to cement a fraudulent custody claim that would grant Victor total control over Elena’s family estate. But the document also contained a fatal flaw for Victor: a ledger of wire transfers bearing his personal signature, linking him directly to the hospital's illegal adoption ring.
Elena folded the papers carefully, slipping them into the secure inner pocket of her coat. This evidence was their only leverage, their only ticket to true freedom. But holding it meant putting a target on their backs that would never disappear. Victor would hunt them to the ends of the earth to get those papers back.
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The van slowed down, stopping at a red traffic light on the outskirts of the city. Through the back doors, Elena recognized the familiar neon sign of an all-night diner—The Silver Spoon—located in a quiet district far from the hospital zone. It was a place where they could blend in, find a phone, and plan their next move.
"When the van stops at the next light, we're getting out," Elena whispered to Lily.
