Chapter 5 - THE LIES WE BURIED
The night air was freezing, but Bennett didn’t feel it as he sped away from the estate. He dialed Vance on his secure line.
"They admitted it," Bennett said, the adrenaline still pounding in his ears. "My father threatened to kill Noah. We need to move them. Now."
"I'm already on it," Vance replied, his voice tense. "But Bennett, we have a situation at the hospital. The perimeter has been breached. Three men, heavily armed, dressed in scrub uniforms. They bypassed the front desk and are heading for the VIP elevator."
Bennett’s heart stopped. "Rachel. Are they near Rachel?"
"My men are engaging them in the stairwell, but it's a bloodbath. You need to get here. I've got a medevac chopper inbound to the roof in ten minutes."
Bennett slammed his foot on the gas, pushing the Range Rover to a hundred and twenty miles per hour down the winding country roads. The tires squealed as he drifted around corners, the engine roaring like a wounded beast. He had lost her once; he would burn the entire world to ash before he let them take her again.
When he arrived at Harlan Memorial, the lobby was in chaos. Alarms were blaring, and terrified staff were cowering under desks. Bennett didn't wait for the elevators. He sprinted up the emergency stairwell, taking the steps three at a time. On the fourth floor landing, he found one of Vance's security men bleeding from a shoulder wound, a dead assailant in fake scrubs lying beside him.
"Sixth floor!" the guard groaned. "They pushed through!"
Bennett grabbed the dead man's suppressed pistol and burst through the doors on the sixth floor. The VIP wing was a war zone. Bullet holes riddled the expensive artwork on the walls. At the far end of the hallway, outside Rachel's room, two men were trading fire with Vance, who was pinned behind a heavy marble nurse's station.
Bennett didn't hesitate. He raised the weapon and fired twice. The closest gunman dropped, clutching his leg. The second man spun around, aiming his rifle at Bennett, but Vance seized the distraction and put two rounds into the man's chest.
"Get in there!" Vance yelled, reloading his weapon. "Chopper is touching down now!"
Bennett kicked open the door to Rachel's room. She was huddled in the corner, clutching Noah to her chest. Noah was crying silently, his face buried in his mother's hospital gown. Rachel looked up, her eyes wide with terror, but when she saw Bennett, a flicker of profound relief washed over her.
"Come on," Bennett ordered, rushing forward and scooping Noah into his left arm while offering his right hand to Rachel. "We're leaving."
Rachel struggled to stand, her weakened legs trembling. Bennett wrapped his arm around her waist, practically carrying her weight as they hurried out of the room. They moved down the hallway, stepping over the debris and the fallen men, Vance covering their rear.
They reached the roof access doors just as the deafening roar of the helicopter blades washed over them. The wind whipped violently, tearing at their clothes. Bennett helped Rachel into the cabin, then handed Noah up to her. As Bennett climbed in, he looked down at the street below.
Parked directly outside the hospital entrance was a sleek black town car. Standing beside it, looking up at the roof, was Thomas Harlan. Even from this distance, Bennett could see the seething fury in his brother's posture.
The helicopter lifted off, banking sharply to the west, leaving the city of Louisville behind.
Inside the cabin, Noah clung to Rachel, who was weeping quietly into his hair. Bennett reached across and took her hand. It was cold and fragile, but her grip was surprisingly strong.
"Where are we going?" she asked over the noise of the rotors.
"A safe house in the Blue Ridge Mountains," Bennett replied. "A property I bought under a dummy corporation years ago. They don't know it exists."
Rachel looked at him, her eyes searching his face. "Bennett... the flash drive. The one they wanted. I didn't hide it at the estate."
Bennett leaned in closer. "Where is it, Rachel?"
"I mailed it to myself," she whispered, coughing violently as the effort drained her. "A safety deposit box in Cincinnati. Under my maiden name. The key... I swallowed the key before Thomas knocked me out. I hid it in the lining of my coat when I... when I passed it."
Bennett stared at her in awe. Even while being dragged into a living hell, she had outsmarted them. She had ensured they could never find the one thing that could destroy them.
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"We'll get it," Bennett promised, kissing her forehead. "We'll get the drive, and we'll end this."
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