Chapter 9 - The Courtyard Toss
The small microchip arched through the air in slow motion, slipping through the crack in the stained-glass window before disappearing into the dark, rainy courtyard far below. Miller cursed loudly, his gun instantly swinging away from Beatrice and aiming directly down at little Lily.
"You stupid little brat!" Miller roared, his composure cracking under the sudden loss of his multi-million-dollar insurance policy.
Beatrice didn't hesitate. With a sharp crack, the vintage revolver in her hand fired, the deafening gunshot echoing violently within the wood-paneled walls of the study. The bullet missed Miller's chest by inches, slamming into the mahogany bookshelf behind him and sending a shower of splinters raining down across the Persian rug.
Miller returned fire instantly, the blast of his service pistol deafening in the enclosed space. The bullet struck Beatrice in the shoulder, and the older woman gasped, dropping the revolver as she collapsed backward against the heavy oak desk, clutching her green evening gown as dark red blood began to seep through the fabric.
"Beatrice!" Eleanor screamed, dropping the paperweight and rushing to the older woman's side.
Miller lunged forward, grabbing Lily by the collar of her white dress and jerking the crying child up off the floor. He pressed the cold steel barrel of his pistol against her temple, his face twisted in desperate rage.
"Get away from her, Eleanor, or the next bullet goes right through the kid's head!" Miller shouted, his breathing ragged and frantic. "You're going to walk down to that courtyard right now, find that microchip, and hand it to me, or everyone in this room dies tonight!"
Eleanor pressed her hands against Beatrice's bleeding shoulder, trying to stem the flow of blood while her eyes locked onto Miller with pure venom. "You'll never get away with this. The real federal marshals are already outside."
"The real marshals are currently tied up in the security basement thanks to Arthur's inside access," Miller sneered, tightening his grip on Lily. "Now move! Walk!"
As Eleanor slowly stood up, preparing to comply to save the little girl, the study window suddenly shattered inward in a shower of glass and rain. A dark figure vaulted through the broken window frame, tackling Miller to the floor with incredible force and sending his pistol skidding across the wooden boards.
May you like
It was Detective Vance, blood dripping from a cut on his forehead, pinning the rogue agent to the ground with a vicious, controlled fury.
---
