Chapter 6 - THE NIGHT OF THE HUNT
The hospital went into lockdown.
Security guards blocked every entrance.
Police surrounded the building.
Ethan stood beside Lily's bed.
She was still asleep.
Vanessa sat nearby.
“You should rest,” Ethan said.
“I can't.”
“I know.”
He sat beside her.
For several minutes, neither spoke.
Then Lily opened her eyes.
“Mom?”
Vanessa immediately took her hand.
“I'm here.”
“Is Dad here too?”
Ethan leaned closer.
“I'm right here.”
Lily looked between them.
“Is the bad lady coming back?”
Ethan swallowed.
“No one is going to hurt you.”
Lily looked at him.
“You promise?”
“Yes.”
This time, Ethan understood the weight of that word.
A loud crash came from the hallway.
Everyone froze.
Security shouted.
The lights went out.
Emergency lighting activated seconds later.
Vanessa pulled Lily close.
Ethan stood.
“Stay here.”
A shadow moved beyond the glass.
Then the door opened.
It wasn't Rebecca.
It was Daniel.
“It's me.”
Ethan exhaled.
“What happened?”
“Power failure.”
Marcus appeared behind him.
“She's inside.”
Ethan turned.
“How do you know?”
Marcus pointed toward the floor.
A tiny black device was attached beneath the bed.
“A tracker.”
Vanessa's eyes widened.
“She tracked us.”
Marcus nodded.
A scream echoed from the hallway.
Security guards rushed past.
Then Rebecca's voice came through the darkness.
“Ethan!”
He stepped toward the door.
Rebecca stood at the end of the corridor.
She wasn't holding a weapon.
She didn't need one.
She held a photograph.
Ethan recognized it.
It was Lily.
Taken that morning.
His stomach dropped.
Rebecca smiled.
“You should have listened to me.”
Ethan stepped forward.
“You're finished.”
“No.”
She held up the photograph.
“You are.”
Vanessa moved beside Ethan.
Rebecca looked at her.
“You always win, don't you?”
Vanessa stared back.
“No.”
Her voice was calm.
“I survived.”
Rebecca's smile disappeared.
Police surrounded her.
She had nowhere to run.
But then Rebecca laughed.
“You still haven't opened the drive.”
Ethan looked at Marcus.
Marcus's expression changed.
May you like
Rebecca whispered,
“Because if you do, you'll discover what your father did to your mother.”
