Chapter 7 - The Confrontation at the Bedside
The heavy door swung open, and Hector Vance stepped into the room, flanked by three armed men.
He was wearing a dark raincoat, his eyes cold and calculating as he looked at Dr. Silva holding the syringe, then at Reyes, and finally at me and Sophie standing beside Leon’s bed.
"I must admit, Mariana," Hector said smoothly, stepping into the room and pulling off his leather gloves. "You are far more resourceful than a housemaid has any right to be."
Detective Reyes instantly drew his weapon, pointing it directly at Hector's chest. "Step back, Vance! The hospital is surrounded by federal agents!"
Hector chuckled softly—a dry, terrifying sound. "Don't lie to me, Detective. You brought them here alone on an unauthorized op. You don't have the warrant, and you don't have the clearance."
Hector looked at his men. "Kill the detective and the doctor. Make it look like an internal cartel dispute. Leave the maid and the kid for me."
Before his men could raise their weapons, a sudden, harsh electronic screech filled the room.
It wasn't a gunshot. It was the sound of Leon Montenegro’s heart monitor spiking wildly into a flatline alarm.
BEEEEEEEEEP!
Hector’s guards instinctively glanced toward the bed in shock.
That fraction of a second was all Reyes needed. He fired two swift shots, striking the two guards on the left before diving behind the heavy medical cart for cover. Return fire tore through the glass windows and medical equipment, filling the room with smoke and screaming alarms.
I threw myself over Sophie, protecting her body with my own as bullets shredded the drywall above us.
Amidst the roaring chaos, I felt a sudden, powerful grip tighten around my wrist.
May you like
I gasped and turned my head.
Leon Montenegro’s eyes were wide open.
