Chapter 6 - The Leap into the Dark
The harsh Chicago wind whipped through the open bathroom window, carrying the biting chill of the December snow straight into the small, sterile room.
Behind me, the medical chart stand groaned under the relentless assault as the intruder threw his weight against the wood once more. The heavy lock cracked, splintering the frame and pushing the door inward another critical inch.
I didn't hesitate. I grabbed the edge of the window sill, swung my legs over the metal ledge, and dropped three stories into the thick, unpacked snowbank cushioning the hospital courtyard below.
The impact knocked the wind violently from my chest, sending a jolt of sharp pain through my knees and lower back. I rolled instantly, burying my coat in the freezing white slush, and scrambled to my feet. Looking up through the falling snowflakes, I saw a gloved hand shove the hospital window wide open, followed by the dark silhouette of the scar-faced man peering down into the courtyard.
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I didn't wait to see if he intended to follow. I sprinted across the snow-draped lawn, ducked behind a row of frosted evergreen hedges, and slipped through the side exit of the employee parking garage.
My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird. My lungs burned with every gulp of freezing air. But as I pulled my phone from my coat pocket and dialed my private security detail, a grim resolve hardened inside me. They weren't just after a data drive anymore. They were hunting a child. And I was going to find out why before they ever got near Norah again.
