Chapter 15 - THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT
The hospital lost power at 1:13 a.m.
Backup generators activated within seconds.
But the pediatric wing remained dark.
Jonathan immediately knew.
“Get Emma.”
Security moved.
Rachel ran toward the NICU.
Two elevators stopped.
Fire doors closed automatically.
Someone had hacked the building system.
Emma was in a secure family room with Evelyn.
The lights went out.
Evelyn grabbed her.
“Stay beside me.”
Footsteps sounded outside.
Security shouted.
Then silence.
The door opened.
A man in hospital maintenance clothes stepped inside.
Evelyn recognized him.
Sheriff Mercer’s former deputy.
She threw a lamp.
Emma ran.
The man chased her into the hallway.
Emma knew hospitals now.
She remembered Laura showing her emergency exits.
She ran toward the stairwell.
Behind her, the man gained ground.
Then Emma saw a cleaning cart.
She shoved it sideways.
The man crashed into it.
Emma reached the stairs.
Below, someone shouted—
“Emma!”
Jonathan.
She screamed—
“Daddy!”
Jonathan ran upward.
The word hit him harder than anything.
Daddy.
For the first time.
He reached her as the attacker recovered.
Jonathan pushed Emma behind him.
The man lunged.
Jonathan fought him.
Two ribs still injured.
Movement painful.
But fathers do not calculate pain when their child is behind them.
Security arrived.
The attacker was arrested.
In the NICU, another intruder attempted to remove Noah.
Rachel saw him.
She struck the emergency alarm.
Doctors blocked the hallway.
Police captured him.
Charles’s attempt failed.
But Abigail remained missing.
Grant received a call.
Charles.
“Dad.”
“Bring me Emma.”
Grant’s face turned cold.
“Go to hell.”
“You buried one daughter.”
Grant stopped breathing.
Charles continued.
“Do not make me bury her twice.”
Then Abigail’s voice came through.
“Daddy?”
Grant collapsed to his knees.
“Abby?”
“Daddy, please.”
The line disconnected.
Grant cried openly.
Jonathan stood beside him.
For years the brothers had distrusted each other.
Now Jonathan extended his hand.
Grant looked at it.
Then took it.
“We get her back,” Jonathan said.
May you like
Grant nodded.
Together.
