The Escape from the Manor
Chapter 04 - The Escape from the Manor
The high-pitched wail of police sirens grew deafening outside the grand gates of the Cole mansion. Bright red and blue strobes flashed through the tall glass windows, painting the kitchen walls in eerie, chaotic light.
Victoria backed out through the side entrance, escaping toward her father’s armored SUV parked near the stables, leaving Nathan, Grace, and Lily trapped inside the house.
“Mr. Cole!” Nathan’s chief security officer, Marcus, ran into the kitchen carrying three tactical duffel bags and an encrypted satellite phone. “The local police precinct is under Senator Vance’s direct control! They’ve surrounded the main front gate with eight patrol cars! They’re preparing to breach the front doors!”
“Is the subterranean service tunnel operational?” Nathan demanded, picking up Lily into his left arm while holding Grace securely with his right.
“Yes, sir,” Marcus nodded, unholstering his sidearm. “It leads directly to the old boat house on the river. I have an unmarked speed boat waiting there. But we only have four minutes before SWAT sets up a perimeter around the woods.”
“Move!” Nathan ordered.
They sprinted down the long marble corridor toward the basement stairs. Grace winced with every step, her shoulder throbbing from the blow of the hockey stick, but she kept her eyes fixed on her daughter, who was clinging tightly to Nathan’s neck.
“Daddy...” Lily whispered quietly, her tiny hands holding the collar of Nathan’s suit jacket. “Are the bad people coming?”
Nathan looked down into her innocent face, kissing her forehead gently as they ran down the concrete steps into the dark, narrow tunnel beneath the mansion.
“No, baby,” Nathan said softly, his voice full of fierce love. “Daddy’s never going to let anyone hurt you again. I promise.”
Behind them, a massive EXPLOSION rocked the house above as SWAT officers breached the front entry doors with heavy battering rams!
“CLEAR THE GROUND FLOOR! FIND THE CHILD!” voices shouted from above.
Nathan, Grace, and Marcus moved quickly through the damp, narrow tunnel. The air grew cold and thick with the scent of river water and wet stone. After three minutes of fast walking, they reached a heavy steel door at the far end of the passage.
Marcus pulled a heavy lever, pushing the steel door open.
They burst out into the misty night air inside the secluded boat house on the edge of the Hudson River. Moored against the wooden dock was a sleek, matte-black high-speed motorboat.
“Get in!” Marcus urged, helping Grace down into the passenger cabin.
Before Nathan could step onto the boat, a sharp, metallic click sounded from the shadow of the tall pine trees near the shoreline.
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A cold, arrogant voice echoed through the mist:
“Going somewhere, Nathan?”
