Chapter 19 - The Final Choice
Detective Vance instantly returned fire, forcing Arthur to duck behind a heavy stone pillar.
"Take the kids and keep running to the river exit!" Marcus yelled at Clara and Julianne.
"I'll hold him off here!"
Clara hesitated, looking between her brother and the dark path leading to freedom.
"Go, Clara!" Marcus shouted, firing two more shots down the dark corridor.
Julianne grabbed Clara's arm, pulling her frantically toward the iron grate at the end of the tunnel.
They pushed through the rusted iron doors and burst out into the cool midnight air near the riverbank.
Behind them, the grand Morrison mansion on the hilltop was completely engulfed in massive, towering flames.
Two final gunshots echoed from inside the underground drainage tunnel, followed by a deafening collapse of stone.
Silence settled over the riverbank, save for the crackling fire above and the gentle rushing of water.
Clara fell to her knees in the wet grass, hugging Toby and Leo tightly in her arms.
A moment later, a heavy shadow stepped out from the dark mouth of the drainage tunnel.
May you like
It was Marcus, holding his injured shoulder, his gun hanging limply by his side.
"It's over," Marcus whispered, staggering into the moonlight toward them. "Arthur won't be following us."
