Chapter 7 - The Midnight Flight
Julian didn't hesitate.
He dropped the phone, ran into the master bedroom, and pulled a soft duffel bag from the closet. He stuffed it with warm clothes, Lily’s medicine, water bottles, and every dollar of cash he had in his safe—fifteen thousand dollars in hundred-dollar bills.
"Lily," Julian whispered softly, shaking her small shoulder. "Lily, wake up sweetie. We have to go."
Lily rubbed her eyes sleepily, clutching her teddy bear. "Is it morning?"
"No, sweetie. We're going on a little adventure," Julian said, his voice calm despite the adrenaline surging through his veins like liquid fire. He scooped her up, wrapping her in a heavy winter jacket, and pulled the duffel bag over his shoulder.
He didn't take the main elevator. He knew the marshals would be waiting in the lobby.
Instead, Julian slipped through the service door at the end of the hallway, taking the concrete fire stairs down twelve flights to the basement parking garage.
The garage was cold, echoing with the distant hum of ventilation fans. Julian sprinted toward his black Audi SUV parked in the corner bay.
Just as he set Lily into the back seat and clicked her seatbelt shut, the heavy steel security doors of the garage burst open.
Three city marshals in tactical vests, flanked by Mara’s personal security chief, Vance’s deputy, rushed into the garage with flashlights drawn.
"Julian Ellison!" the lead marshal shouted, his voice echoing off the concrete pillars. "Step away from the vehicle! We have an execution order for the immediate recovery of the minor child!"
Julian leaped into the driver’s seat, slammed the door, and pressed the engine start button. The V8 engine roared to life with a deep, furious rumble.
"Julian, don't do this!" Mara’s voice suddenly echoed through the garage speaker system.
Julian looked at the security camera mounted on the wall above his car. Mara was sitting in her limousine outside the garage, watching the live feed on a monitor, using the building’s intercom system to speak to him.
"Julian, listen to me!" Mara’s voice sobbed through the static. "You are ruining your life! You will be disbarred! You will be arrested for felony interference! Hand the girl over to the officers!"
Julian grabbed the garage transmitter on his visor, pressing the button, his voice cutting through the intercom like a broadsword.
"You left Leo to die, Mom," Julian snarled, shifting the transmission into reverse. "You are never touching his daughter!"
Julian slammed his foot onto the accelerator.
The tires shrieked against the slick concrete floor, white smoke billowing as the Audi smashed backward through the wooden security gate, spinning 180 degrees into the main exit lane.
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The marshals scrambled out of the way as Julian slammed the shifter into drive, flooring the pedal. The heavy SUV launched forward, shattering the glass exit barrier, and burst out into the raging white snowstorm on 5th Avenue.
Behind him, police cruisers turned on their red and blue lights, their sirens wailing into the freezing winter night.
