Chapter 12 - The Roadblock Ambush
The masked gunman racked the slide of his weapon with a loud, metallic clack, stepping into the back of the ambulance and pointing the barrel directly at the lead paramedic's chest.
"Hands where I can see them! Nobody moves!" the gunman barked, his voice altered by a digital modulator that made it sound harsh and inhuman.
Eleanor instinctively threw her arms around Lily, shielding the child's head as she pressed herself flat against the metal wall of the vehicle. The paramedics raised their hands slowly, their eyes wide with sheer terror.
"We have a critical patient in cardiac arrest! You can't be here!" the lead paramedic shouted over the blaring sound of the heart monitor.
"I don't care about her pulse, I care about the key," the gunman said, his glowing digital eyes scanning the interior of the ambulance before locking directly onto Eleanor. "Hand it over, Eleanor. The brass key from the green dress. Now."
Eleanor's breath caught in her throat. How did he know about the key? The only people present when Beatrice revealed its location were the paramedics, Detective Vance, and herself.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Eleanor lied smoothly, her hand closing tightly around the cold metal key in her pocket.
The gunman chuckled darkly, stepping closer and raising the barrel of his submachine gun until it hovered just inches from Lily's face. "You're a brave woman, Eleanor. But let's see how brave you are when I start with the kid."
Lily whimpered softly, tears welling up in her eyes again as she pressed her face into Eleanor's shoulder. Eleanor's resolve shattered; she couldn't risk the little girl's life. She slowly pulled her hand out of her pocket, the brass key gleaming under the harsh interior lights of the ambulance.
"Here. Take it," Eleanor said, her voice shaking with suppressed rage as she extended her palm toward the masked man.
Before the gunman could grab the key, a deafening explosion shattered the quiet night. A flash grenade detonated just outside the open back doors of the ambulance, filling the vehicle with blinding white light and a deafening roar that sent the gunman staggering backward onto the pavement.
Detective Vance leaped through the smoke, tackling the masked assailant to the ground with brutal efficiency.
May you like
As the smoke cleared and the ringing in her ears subsided, Eleanor looked down at the key in her hand, only to notice that the serial numbers engraved on the metal had been completely scratched off by acid.
---
