Chapter 7 - the desperate rat bites back
Three days after the raid, the Ferguson empire was in a state of total collapse. The federal government had frozen all their assets. Gregory was being interrogated around the clock, and Patricia had been admitted to the hospital after suffering a panic-induced stroke.
Nicholas, however, had completely vanished. He had evaded local police, and his car was found abandoned near the city limits.
At 0100 hours, amidst a violent thunderstorm that battered Fort Liberty with torrential rain and roaring thunder, my personal phone rang.
"Rachel... you old monster," Nicholas’s voice crackled over the line, high-pitched, breathless, and completely manic. I could hear the heavy sound of rain in the background. "You think your little army fort can protect her forever?"
"Nicholas," I said coldly, signaling Vance to trace the call immediately. "Where are you? Give yourself up. It's the only way you survive this."
"Give myself up? To spend my life in a federal penitentiary? Never!" Nicholas laughed, a chilling, insane sound that clashed with the thunder. "If I'm going down, I'm taking her with me. Look out your window, Colonel!"
My heart seized. I bolted to the window of my office, looking across the dark courtyard toward the officers' residential quarters.
Through the sheeting rain, a bright orange glow erupted from the side of Abigail's apartment building. The fire quickly caught onto the wooden siding, fueled by the heavy wind.
"Abigail!" I screamed into the phone.
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"Hahaha! I bypassed your stupid contractors! I'm inside! She's going to burn, Rachel! You both are!" Nicholas shrieked before the line went dead.
"All units, code red! Arson at residential sector four! Mobilize fire teams and lock down the perimeter!" I roared at Vance as I sprinted out of the office into the torrential storm.
