Chapter 8 - The Hospital Lockdown
Police reached Amelia’s floor within minutes.
Thomas was not there.
Neither were Amelia and Lily.
One guard had been drugged.
Another had been lured downstairs by a false emergency.
The man in scrubs had used stolen physician credentials.
Hospital cameras showed Amelia being pushed in a wheelchair toward a service elevator.
Lily walked beside her.
A man behind them held something beneath his jacket.
A weapon.
Ethan stared at the footage.
Amelia had not resisted.
She was protecting Lily.
Sarah expanded the search.
Every bridge.
Airport.
Private airfield.
Blackwood property.
Thomas had money.
Access.
People willing to help.
Then Samuel noticed the wheelchair.
“That’s a pulmonary transport chair.”
Sarah looked at him.
“So?”
“Those chairs have active location tags.”
The hospital used them to prevent equipment loss.
Within minutes, IT located the signal.
Not outside the hospital.
Below it.
Sublevel three.
An abandoned records floor.
Sarah stared at the map.
“Why stay in the building?”
Ethan understood first.
“Because Thomas knows every exit is covered.”
“He’s waiting.”
“For what?”
“The board.”
At 10:21 a.m., Blackwood Holdings’ share price began falling.
News had leaked about Victor’s arrest.
Rumors spread that Ethan was incapacitated.
Someone submitted a trading halt request.
Thomas was creating corporate panic.
If the board believed Ethan could not protect the company, they might accept emergency outside management.
Rebecca called from Blackwood Tower.
“Someone filed a motion appointing Thomas interim chairman.”
Ethan almost laughed.
“He kidnapped my family and still wants a board vote.”
“Not everyone knows that.”
“Tell them.”
“We need proof.”
Sarah nodded.
“We’re about to get it.”
The police tactical team entered sublevel three.
Ethan followed despite orders.
The hallway lights were off.
Emergency bulbs glowed every thirty feet.
They found Amelia’s wheelchair abandoned near the archive room.
Lily’s yellow pajama ribbon lay beside it.
Ethan picked it up.
Then a speaker crackled overhead.
Thomas’s voice filled the corridor.
“Ethan.”
Sarah signaled everyone to stop.
“You always were predictable.”
Ethan looked up.
“Where are they?”
“Safe.”
“Let them go.”
“I will.”
“When?”
“When you sign.”
A printer beside the archive desk suddenly activated.
Pages slid onto the tray.
A resignation agreement.
Ethan would step down as CEO.
Waive voting authority.
Transfer interim corporate control to Thomas Vale.
Ethan picked up the pages.
“You think this holds up?”
Thomas’s voice answered:
“It only needs to last seventy-two hours.”
“That’s enough to move assets.”
“Replace directors.”
“Destroy records.”
“And disappear.”
Ethan stared at the signature line.
Then Thomas added:
“You have ten minutes.”
“And Ethan?”
“Yes?”
“If police come any closer, Amelia loses the daughter she already lost once.”
Ethan looked at Sarah.
She shook her head.
Do not sign.
Ethan picked up the pen.
May you like
And signed.
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