Chapter 11 - THREE MINUTES OF AIR
Emma’s legs felt heavy.
The chemical mist thickened.
Julian approached through it.
Syringe in hand.
“You should’ve stayed on your farm.”
Emma backed away.
“That farm never existed.”
“Neither will you.”
He lunged.
Emma moved late.
Too late.
The needle scraped her upper arm but didn’t penetrate.
She caught Julian’s wrist with both hands.
They struggled.
Not gracefully.
Not like a tournament.
Two exhausted people fighting over half an inch of steel.
Julian drove her against the wall.
“You ruined my name!”
“You did that.”
“My company!”
“You did that too.”
“My family!”
Emma shoved his wrist away.
“Your family ruined mine first.”
She slammed his forearm against the wall.
The syringe dropped.
Julian punched her across the cheek.
Emma stumbled.
For a moment, everything rang.
Julian stared at his own hand.
Then at her.
He had never hit her before.
Not because he was kind.
Because his control had always been quieter.
Emma touched her lip.
Julian whispered, “Look what you made me do.”
Something inside her went cold.
Sarah had written that exact sentence in an email.
Look what you made me do.
Emma straightened.
“No.”
Julian frowned.
“You don’t get to say that anymore.”
He swung again.
Emma ducked.
Stepped behind him.
Swept his leg.
He crashed to one knee.
She locked his arm behind him.
Julian shouted.
“LET GO!”
“Stop.”
“You think this makes you powerful?”
“No.”
She controlled his wrist.
“It keeps me alive.”
A door opened.
Dr. Warren stumbled back into the room.
Rachel was behind him holding a fire extinguisher.
“I found the ventilation override!”
Emma looked at her.
“Turn it off!”
“I did!”
Fresh air began pushing through the system.
Rachel coughed.
“Police?”
“Still delayed.”
Julian suddenly drove backward.
Emma hit the wall.
Her grip loosened.
He escaped.
Victoria shouted from inside the elevator.
“JULIAN!”
The doors were closing.
Julian ran.
Emma went after him.
Rachel grabbed Warren.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Warren raised his hands.
“I didn’t hurt anyone.”
Rachel laughed bitterly.
“You signed my commitment order.”
“I was following medical protocol.”
“You haven’t examined me!”
The elevator doors were almost shut.
Julian reached them.
Emma grabbed the back of his jacket.
He spun.
For one second they stood face-to-face.
Then Julian pulled something from his pocket.
The security remote.
He hit one button.
A heavy steel door dropped between Emma and Rachel.
Emma jumped backward.
The barrier slammed down.
Julian escaped into the elevator with Victoria.
Emma heard Rachel pounding from the other side.
“EMMA!”
“I’m okay!”
“Where are they going?”
Emma looked at the elevator indicator.
P3.
Private garage.
Then Julian’s voice came through the speaker one last time.
“Come find me.”
The elevator disappeared below.
Emma stared at the panel.
Rachel shouted through the steel barrier.
“Emma, don’t!”
But Emma was already running for the emergency stairs.
Because there was one thing Julian didn’t know.
Detective Ortiz had given Emma one final instruction before the wedding.
May you like
If Julian tried to flee…
Follow him.
