Chapter 13 - The Midnight Escape
The sleek black sedan parked directly beneath the emergency entrance, and two men in matching dark suits stepped out, striding purposefully through the automatic sliding doors into the hospital lobby. Arthur watched them from the second-story recovery room window, his pulse hammering against his ribs. Victoria Sterling’s enforcers were already inside the building, systematically searching the upper floors to find him.
"Dad? What’s wrong? You look pale," Clara asked softly, noticing the tense stiffness in his posture as she cradled the sleeping baby against her chest.
"Nothing, sweetheart. I just... I need to step outside for some fresh air for a few minutes," Arthur lied smoothly, forcing a gentle, reassuring smile to his face as he kissed Clara’s forehead. "You rest. The nurse is going to stay right here with you and the baby."
Clara nodded sleepily, exhausted from the harrowing day, and closed her eyes. Arthur turned away, slipping quietly out into the hallway just as the elevator bell chimed down the corridor, announcing the arrival of the corporate security team on the second floor.
Moving with quiet urgency, Arthur bypassed the elevators and slipped into the stairwell, descending rapidly into the bowels of the hospital toward the subterranean service loading dock. Every footstep echoed hollowly against the concrete walls, heightening his sense of vulnerability. He patted his coat pocket, reassuring himself that the flash drive containing the truth about the land grab and the roadside extortion was still securely hidden inside.
When Arthur pushed open the heavy metal door leading to the loading dock, the cool night air hit his face. Parked near the industrial dumpsters was an empty laundry service van with its keys left conveniently in the ignition—a stroke of unexpected luck arranged by Leo, who was covering all exit routes. Arthur didn’t hesitate. He scrambled into the driver’s seat, turned the key, and put the vehicle into drive, rolling quietly out of the bay without turning on his headlights until he reached the perimeter fence.
He merged onto the empty interstate, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles ached. The digital dashboard clock ticked steadily toward midnight. Twenty minutes until his rendezvous with Leo at the diner off Interstate 40.
Suddenly, twin beams of blinding high-beam headlights illuminated his rearview mirror. A heavy black SUV surged out from an off-ramp behind him, accelerating aggressively and pulling up directly onto his rear bumper, tapping his back fender with a sharp, jarring thud.
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Arthur’s heart leapt into his throat. He pressed his foot flat on the gas pedal, the old laundry van whining loudly as it struggled to pick up speed on the dark, deserted highway. The SUV swerved into the passing lane, matching his speed step-for-step, rolling down its passenger window to reveal a cold, menacing face staring right at him.
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