Chapter 5 - Poison in the Veins
Sarah pushed through the ground-floor exit into the cold autumn night, guiding Mark toward the employee parking structure. The crisp wind whipped their hair, but Lily was shivering uncontrollably, burning with a sudden, violent fever.
"We can't take my car," Sarah breathed, fumbling with her key fob as they ducked between two parked maintenance vans. "They’ll track plates instantly. What was on that bag, Mark? What was your wife involved in before she died?"
Mark froze beneath the sodium vapor lamps. "Claire? Claire was an accountant for a regional logistics firm. She died in a hit-and-run two years ago. This has nothing to do with her!"
"Look at the ring, Mark!" Sarah snapped, holding up the silver signet she had snatched from the tray during the scuffle. "That’s the crest of the Iron Vane syndicate. Claire didn't die in an accident. She took something from them. And they’ve been waiting for it to surface."
Lily groaned, her eyelids fluttering erratically. A thin trail of black foam bubbled at the corner of her lips.
"She's going into neurogenic shock," Sarah whispered, checking Lily’s neck pulse. Her fingers came away trembling. "It’s a contact neurotoxin. Synthetic ricin or an organophosphate derivative used for dead drops. If we don't get an atropine injector into her bloodstream within thirty minutes, her lungs will paralyze."
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Around the corner of the garage, the low rumble of a heavily modified SUV engine purred through the concrete columns.
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