Chapter 14
Arthur ignored the command, pumping his long legs with desperate energy as he crossed the threshold of the airfield gate. The whining roar of the jet engines drowned out the shouts of the federal agents, creating an eerie, deafening soundtrack to the chase. He reached the base of the metal boarding ladder, his hand stretching out to grab the aluminum handrail, believing freedom was only three steps away.
Before his fingers could wrap around the metal, a heavy tackle hit him from the side. Marcus slammed into Arthur with bone-jarring force, sending both men crashing hard onto the cold, gritty asphalt of the runway.
Arthur grunted, the wind knocked completely out of his lungs as Marcus pinned him to the ground, pressing a knee firmly into the small of his back while snapping heavy steel handcuffs onto his wrists with practiced efficiency.
"It's over, Arthur," Marcus panted, his chest heaving as he pulled the struggling man to his feet. "You're under arrest for corporate fraud, conspiracy, and attempted murder."
Arthur didn't fight back anymore. The frantic energy that had sustained him drained away in an instant, leaving him slumped between two federal agents who rushed up to secure him. As they led him toward the waiting patrol transport, Arthur turned his head slightly, his cold eyes scanning the perimeter until they locked briefly on the federal SUV parked near the gate.
Inside the vehicle, through the tinted glass, Sarah and Leo watched the dramatic conclusion unfold. Leo didn't look away, his gaze steady and unblinking as the man who had tried to erase them was led away in irons. There was no triumph in his expression, only a profound, settling closure—the final period at the end of a very long, terrifying sentence.
Marcus walked back across the tarmac toward the SUV, opening the rear door with a tired, reassuring smile. "He's secured. The pilot has been detained for questioning, and the flight logs are being seized right now. It's truly over, Sarah."
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Sarah let out a breath she felt she had been holding since morning, her shoulders finally relaxing against the leather seat. She looked down at Leo, who offered a small, hopeful smile—the first real, untroubled smile she had seen on his face all day.
"Let's go home, Mom," Leo said softly.
