Chapter 10 - The Ambush on Sheridan Road
(Three Months Later)
The winter snow had melted into the vibrant, lush greenery of spring. The Lake Forest estate was alive with preparations for the most anticipated society wedding of the decade.
Every morning was filled with laughter. Isabella was thriving in her private school, her voice vibrant, confident, and constantly chattering alongside Ellie, who had become her inseparable shadow. The two girls dressed alike, shared secrets, and called each other “sister” with fierce, unshakeable pride.
One sunny Thursday afternoon, I was returning from the bridal salon downtown with Isabella and Ellie in the back of the armored Mercedes Maybach. Marco was driving, accompanied by a secondary security vehicle following closely behind.
As we turned onto the winding, tree-lined stretch of Sheridan Road near the estate gates, a heavy commercial dump truck suddenly pulled out from a blind side street, blocking both lanes of traffic.
“Hold on!” Marco shouted, slamming on the brakes.
The Maybach screeched to a halt inches from the truck’s steel bumper.
Before Marco could shift into reverse, three black sedans boxed us in from behind, ramming our escort vehicle off the road into a ditch. A dozen masked operatives armed with tactical carbines leaped out of the vehicles, surrounding the Maybach.
“Get down on the floor, girls! Cover your heads!” I screamed, throwing my body over both Isabella and Ellie in the rear seat, shielding them with every ounce of my strength.
“Mommy!” Ellie cried out.
“Marco’s got us, baby, stay down!” Isabella shouted back, holding Ellie’s hand tightly.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
High-caliber bullets struck the armored glass of the Maybach, creating spiderweb cracks across the reinforced windows, but failing to penetrate the multi-layered ballistic protection.
Marco drew his weapon, firing through the vehicle’s tactical defense ports, dropping two attackers instantly. “Boss! We have an ambush on Sheridan Road! Lone remnants of the Leone syndicate attempting a grab on the family!”
“I’m two minutes out!” Vincent’s voice roared through the car’s intercom, filled with a terrifying, apocalyptic fury. “Hold the perimeter!”
The attackers knew the glass wouldn't hold forever. One of them stepped forward carrying a heavy magnetic breaching charge, aiming to blow the rear passenger door.
Seeing the explosive device, my maternal instinct ignited into pure fire.
“Marco! Unlock the center console defense!” I demanded.
“Clara, no—!”
“Unlock it!”
Marco hit the emergency dashboard toggle. The center console popped open, revealing a compact tactical submachine gun Vincent had trained me to use over the past two months.
I grabbed the weapon, racked the bolt just as Vincent had taught me, and the moment the attacker slapped the magnetic charge onto the window, Marco lowered the side firing port by two inches.
I aimed the barrel through the port and squeezed the trigger.
May you like
A sharp, controlled burst echoed through the cabin. The attacker with the breaching charge collapsed to the asphalt, the unprimed explosive rolling harmlessly into the grass.
And then, the cavalry arrived.
