Chapter 12 - The Escape from St. Jude
"Marcus! Get them to the elevator shaft!" Grant yelled, releasing Julian’s ruined suit jacket and letting the man collapse onto the floor.
"What about you, Mr. Callahan?" Marcus shouted back, providing covering fire as two more security guards appeared down the far hallway.
"I’m right behind you! Move!"
They sprinted down the corridor toward the emergency exit shaft. Sirens were blaring at maximum volume, accompanied by flashing red strobe lights. The ceiling shook as small explosions detonated in the upper sub-levels, sending concrete dust pouring down like heavy snow.
Clara carried Lily, while Emma provided rear security alongside Marcus. They reached the heavy steel door marked Emergency Shaft. Marcus threw his weight against the bar, shoving the door open to reveal a metal industrial staircase winding upward toward the surface level.
"Go! Go! Go!" Marcus urged.
They scrambled up the stairs, the metallic steps vibrating wildly beneath their boots. Below them, a series of muffled detonations ripped through Sub-level 4. The concrete structure began to groan under immense pressure.
"The roof is giving out!" Emma warned, looking down into the darkness as the floor below them completely collapsed in a cloud of debris and fire.
They reached the surface level door just as a massive shockwave rattled the stairwell. Marcus kicked the door open, blowing out into the freezing air of the Swiss mountain ridge.
Outside, the storm was still raging, but twenty yards away sat an armored transport helicopter belonging to the facility’s evacuation team—its rotors already spinning slowly as the pilot prepared for emergency takeoff.
Grant sprinted toward the helicopter, drawing his sidearm and aiming it directly through the cockpit windshield. "Out! Now!" he commanded the pilot.
The terrified pilot threw his hands up, unbuckled his harness, and scrambled out of the aircraft, disappearing into the whiteout conditions of the blizzard.
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"Marcus, can you fly this thing?" Grant yelled over the deafening roar of the rotors.
"I flew Blackhawks in the military, sir!" Marcus shouted back, leaping into the pilot's seat and grabbing the controls. "Get everyone inside!"
