Chapter 10 - THE SAFEHOUSE
Leo kicked furiously against the rising water, reaching down under Lily's seat.
His small fingers fumbled with the metal buckle mechanism.
Water completely submerged his head.
He pulled with all his remaining strength, clicking the emergency latch open.
Lily floated free.
Leo grabbed her hoodie collar and dragged her toward the shattered rear window.
He kicked out the remaining glass fragments, pulling Lily out into the freezing river current.
With his lungs burning for air, Leo swam frantically toward the surface, dragging Lily with him.
They broke through the surface of the rushing water, gasping violently for air.
"Uncle... Uncle Raymond!" Lily choked out, drifting down the violent river current.
Behind them, the submerged truck sank completely out of sight.
Leo managed to grab onto a large floating log, pulling Lily close to him.
They drifted for two miles down the raging river, battered by rocks and freezing rain.
Eventually, the current washed them up onto a muddy bank deep inside a thick forest.
Leo collapsed onto the mud, coughing up water and shivering uncontrollably.
Lily lay beside him, crying silently from extreme cold and exhaustion.
"We... we made it out..." Leo panted, his body shaking wildly.
"We have to... keep moving..." Lily whimpered, trying to push herself up.
Suddenly, two blinding flashlight beams snapped onto their faces from the darkness of the trees.
"Don't move a muscle, kids," a rough, gravelly voice barked from behind the light.
Leo shielded his eyes, expecting Victor's mercenaries to finally end his life.
Instead, an old woman in a heavy camo jacket stepped out from the bushes holding a hunting shotgun.
Beside her stood a giant German Shepherd dog, growling deeply.
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"You two look like you just crawled out of hell," the old woman said coldly.
"Who the hell are you, and why are Victor Sterling's helicopters flying over my forest?"
