Chapter 13 - On the Asphalt
The momentum carried Clara down onto the rough asphalt of the public road. She twisted her torso in mid-fall, taking the brunt of the impact on her shoulder and elbow to protect the child strapped to her chest. The infant let out a loud, piercing scream as they hit the ground, the sound cutting through the engine noise of the idling delivery van.
The driver, who had just shifted into reverse, slammed on his brakes. He looked in his wide side-mirror, his eyes going wide at the sight of a half-conscious woman lying across the lane behind his rear wheels. He threw the transmission into park, kicked open his door, and leapt down onto the pavement.
""Hey! What's going on back there?!"" the driver yelled, running toward her.
Behind the iron fence, the security guard seized the bars of the turnstile, trying to force his way through. But the emergency release had jammed the mechanism in the open position, blocking the gate frame. He glared through the metal pickets, his hand hovering near his belt, his eyes darting frantically between Clara and the delivery driver.
""Mister, help me,"" Clara managed to gasp, lifting one dust-caked arm toward the driver. ""My husband... locked me in. She's just born. Please. Drive.""
The driver took one look at Clara’s pale face, the newborn baby squirming against her blood-streaked shirt, and the armed security guard standing on private property behind the gate. He didn't ask questions. A veteran of six years on coastal delivery routes, he recognized real terror when he saw it.
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""Get in,"" the driver said, scooping Clara up by her uninjured arm and hoisting her toward the passenger side of the delivery truck.
Behind them, the guard pulled out his phone, his voice frantic as he dialed an international number. ""Julian? We have a catastrophic breach. She's outside the gates. And she isn't alone.""
