Chapter 10 - The Ambush in the Pines
The pale moonlight caught the glint of a silver badge pinned to the dark tactical vest of the man standing over them. He didn't look like a county marshal or a state social worker; his uniform was unmarked, his face half-hidden beneath the brim of a tactical cap, and his rifle held at a low, ready position.
"End of the line, kids," a gruff voice commanded, the man stepping closer and shining a tactical flashlight directly into Leo's eyes, blinding him temporarily. "Stay right where you are. Don't make a sound."
Leo scrambled backward on the wet grass, pulling Maya behind him. His heart hammered against his ribs like a trapped bird. "Who are you? Where's our dad? He's coming, you can't touch us!"
"Your 'dad' is currently pinned under three feet of concrete and muddy water back in that bunker," the operative replied coldly, tapping his earpiece as he spoke into a hidden mic. "Package secured at Sector Four drainage exit. Awaiting extraction transport."
Maya let out a choked cry, clutching the wet white ribbon so tightly her knuckles turned white. "No! You're lying! Dad said he would find us!"
"He's not finding anyone today, kid," a second voice muttered as a sleek, black unmarked SUV slid silently out from the dense tree line, its headlights off, blending seamlessly into the rainy night. The rear doors popped open automatically, revealing a sterile, dimly lit interior lined with restraints and medical monitors—not a rescue vehicle, but a transport cage.
Leo looked frantically around the ravine. There was no way back into the drainage pipe, the steep muddy banks were impossible to climb in the dark, and the armed operatives were closing in from both sides, cutting off any escape route.
"Run, Maya! Run into the woods!" Leo suddenly yelled, shoving his sister toward the dense pine thicket with all his remaining strength.
Maya didn't hesitate; she bolted toward the dark trees, her small legs pumping frantically, her torn pink dress catching on low-hanging blackberry brambles.
"Grab the girl! Don't let her get into the ravine drop-off!" the lead operative barked, lunging forward with astonishing speed.
Before Leo could follow his sister, a heavy hand grabbed him by the collar of his white button-down shirt, lifting him effortlessly off his feet and slamming him against the side of the black SUV. The impact knocked the wind entirely out of the boy's lungs, and darkness danced at the edges of his vision as the cold metal pressed against his back.
"Smart kids," a familiar voice purred from the passenger seat of the SUV as the window rolled down smoothly. Marcus leaned his head out into the rain, a cold, calculating smirk playing across his lips. "Too bad your father didn't teach you that running away from the state only makes the sentence longer."
Leo gasped for air, glaring up at Marcus with pure venom in his brown eyes. "You're a monster. You and Eleanor. You'll never get away with this."
"Watch me, kid," Marcus replied smoothly, signaling the operative to throw Leo into the back of the transport.
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As the heavy doors slammed shut, plunging Leo into darkness once more, a loud crash echoed from the direction of the mansion estate, followed by the blinding flash of an explosion that lit up the rainy night sky in a brilliant shade of orange.
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