Chapter 10 - The Bridge Collapse
Julian hit the wooden planks of the old logging bridge with bone-jarring force, sliding across the damp timber and crashing directly into Richard’s knees before his uncle could lay a hand on Clara. Richard let out a sharp cry as he went down hard, his head striking the wooden railing with a dull thud.
"Julian!" Clara gasped, running toward him with the baby carrier secured tightly against her chest.
Julian scrambled to his feet, grabbing Clara by the arm and pulling her behind him as Richard groaned and pushed himself up from the damp wood. Across the bridge, two more armed men emerged from the shadows of the tree line, raising their weapons toward Julian.
"Drop the briefcase, Julian, or we drop you both into the river," one of the thugs yelled, stepping onto the weathered planks of the bridge.
The ancient wooden structure groaned under the sudden combined weight of multiple people, a sickening crack echoing over the roar of the rapids below as one of the primary support beams splintered under the strain.
"The bridge is giving out!" Julian shouted, realizing the structural integrity had been compromised by decades of neglect and the heavy tactical gear of the operatives.
Richard scrambled backward, panic flashing across his face as he felt the wooden planks tilt dangerously toward the churning white water beneath them. "Don't cross! Stay back!" he screamed at his own men, but it was already too late.
The heavy operatives rushed forward anyway, throwing their weight onto the weakened span. With a deafening roar, the center section of the logging bridge gave way entirely, plunging downward into the dark river. Richard grabbed wildly at a stray rope dangling from the remaining pylon, dangling precariously over the rushing water while screaming for help.
Julian grabbed Clara’s hand, sprinting desperately toward the safe bank of the river just as the entire wooden platform collapsed into the abyss behind them. They tumbled onto the mossy ground, gasping for air as the cold spray of the river misted over them.
Clara rolled over instantly, checking the baby carrier with trembling hands. Leo was still crying, startled by the noise, but unharmed. Clara pulled him close, burying her face in his blanket as tears finally broke free, streaming down her cold cheeks.
Julian pulled them both into his arms, holding them as tightly as he could while listening to the distant shouts of Richard calling for rescue from the freezing river below.
"We made it," Julian whispered against Clara’s hair, his voice choked with emotion. "We're safe for now."
Arthur emerged from the tree line a moment later, flashlight in hand, looking down at the ruined bridge with a grim expression. "We may have survived the ambush, Julian, but your mother knows we have the original documents now. She’ll lock down every corporate asset globally by sunrise."
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Julian looked down at the dented steel briefcase still clutched firmly in Clara’s hand. "Then we don't wait for sunrise. We go straight to federal authorities in the city before she can erase our digital footprint."
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