Chapter 7 - The Clock Runs Down
The sedan tore through the suburban highway, the speedometer needle hovering well past ninety miles per hour. Behind them, the city skyline shrank into a cluster of flickering embers, but the danger only deepened with every mile. The baby’s breathing had grown increasingly labored; each inhalation sounded like dry leaves rustling under a heavy boot.
Elena looked down, tears finally spilling over her lashes, pooling on the infant's grey blanket. "His lips are turning blue again, Ethan. He isn't getting enough air. The tank... the pressure gauge is dropping."
Ethan leaned over the seat, tapping the brass dial on the portable canister. The needle was dipping dangerously into the red sector. The regulator had a hairline fracture, likely sustained when he forced open the heavy fire doors. They had less than twenty minutes of medical-grade oxygen remaining.
"Clara, how far is the facility?" Ethan shouted over the roar of the engine.
"At this speed? At least forty-five minutes," Clara said, her eyes constantly checking the rearview mirror. "And there's another issue. Look back there."
Ethan peered through the tinted rear window. Three miles behind them, two pairs of xenon headlights were cutting through the gloom, moving with a synchronized, mechanical precision that could only belong to professional trackers. Arthur Mercer was using the conglomerate’s private fleet, outfitted with satellite telemetry that Clara’s sedan had likely pinged the moment they crossed the county perimeter.
"They're tracking the onboard navigation system," Ethan realized with sudden dread. "Clara, this car has a commercial transponder registered to your father’s corporation."
Clara cursed violently, striking the steering wheel with her palm. "If I pull the fuse, the entire electrical system dies—including the headlights and fuel injection."
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"Then we make them believe we went somewhere else," Elena murmured, her voice shockingly steady despite her physical agony. She pulled a worn silver locket from beneath her hospital gown and held it out to Ethan. "Your father gave this to me when he tried to buy me off. It has a micro-tracker hidden inside the casing. He told me it was an insurance policy to ensure I never returned to the city."
Ethan took the locket, his eyes widening. He looked out the window and saw the looming concrete structure of an abandoned quarry access bridge coming into view.
