The truth about the Donovans and their dangerous connections had finally dawned on me. Mark had always known, but I had been blind to it, following his teaching to only focus on what concerned us directly.
My emotions were in turmoil. Deceived? No, I couldn't say that. Archer had been upfront about being a bad man, but the extent of his dealings remained a mystery.
Henry's knowledge of my place didn't surprise me; we had spent the day before searching for the perfect building for my pharmaceutical company. After settling on one, we bought office furniture and lab supplies. I was supposed to be preparing for a celebratory dinner with Archer, not caught up in this chaotic situation.
Feeling cold and shaken, I hugged myself as Henry parked his car in front of my house and opened the door for me. With a whispered "Thanks," I headed to the back of the house, Amidst the chaos, I had left my bag, phone, and house key in Archer's car. However, I had already changed the locks after losing my key during the PharmaMed explosion, and to be cautious, I had started keeping a spare key in a flower pot behind the house. In that tense moment, my hope was that Chad would soon return my bag to me.
Entering the house, I left the back door open for Henry and went upstairs, needing time to process my thoughts. In my room, I paced back and forth, desperately wishing I had my phone to call Archer. I needed to speak with him to clear my head.
Then I remembered he said he would come here and asked me to wait. So I paced some more, anxiety gnawing at me.
Suddenly, I heard a noise downstairs, and I sighed, thinking I should be more hospitable to Henry after all the situation was not his fault.
Just as I was about to call out to him, I saw four armed men rushing towards the front door through the window. Henry must have heard the creak of my feet on the wooden stairs, and his face jerked in my direction, mouthing the word "Hide!"
My heart pounded as a hail of bullets shattered the front door, hitting Henry, and making him shake like a rag doll before falling to the floor. I couldn't scream; it was as if my voice had disappeared. Four dark figures emerged from the shadows, their faces hidden behind masks, as they kicked down my front door, sending my survival instincts into overdrive.
I have guns but not inside the house, I never thought I would ever need them out here in Duport. But then I am a Chemist and I knew I had to act fast.
I dashed into my bedroom, my mind racing as I thought of a plan, and my knowledge became my weapon. I grabbed a few household items, including some cleaning chemicals and a bottle of rubbing alcohol, and hurriedly mixed them together in a glass container. I fashioned a makeshift fuse from a piece of cloth and carefully set the trap near my bedroom door. If all went well, it would give me enough time to escape.
Next, I tied my bed sheets around the sturdy bed pole, forming a makeshift rope. With trembling hands, I secured it to the window frame and quickly climbed down. My heart pounded in my ears as I dropped to the ground outside. I took one of the makeshift explosives with me, holding it tightly as I scurried to the shed at the side of the house.
Inside the shed, I found a spare car I kept for emergencies - something ingrained in me by my precious brother. I jumped into the driver's seat, and waited, my nerves on edge, as the seconds ticked away. Suddenly, a muffled explosion echoed through the night, followed by shouts of confusion and pain. They had fallen into my trap, buying me some time. "Bless you, Mark," I muttered to myself.
With a deep breath, I pressed the accelerator and sped away from the house. My heart pounded in my chest, Henry's dead body riddled with bullets flashed in my head but I knew I had to keep my wits about me something told me it would not be that easy to get away. They wouldn't give up that easily. As if on cue, another car appeared behind me, trying to intercept me.
I gripped the steering wheel tightly, my eyes scanning the road ahead. As the pursuing car drew closer, I swerved sharply, narrowly avoiding the collision. Without a moment's hesitation, I grabbed the other makeshift explosive and hurled it toward their windshield.
The explosion erupted, shattering their windshield and causing chaos within their vehicle. I didn't look back, focusing all my attention on getting away. Pressing the accelerator to the floor, I sped through the streets, my heart pounding with adrenaline.
As I put distance between myself and the danger, a sense of relief washed over me. My hands trembled on the wheel, but I knew I had made it out alive. I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions - fear, exhilaration, and determination.
I drove for what felt like an eternity, my heart pounding in my chest until I was sure I had evaded my pursuers. Finding a secluded spot, I parked the car and took a moment to catch my breath. Relief washed over me as I realized I had managed to outsmart my attackers. Being a survivor had always been in my nature, but my recent knowledge as a chemist had proven to be a valuable asset.
In the darkness, I couldn't help but feel conflicted. Part of me wanted to reach out to Archer, to seek comfort and assurance from the man I love. However, another part was angry with him for entangling me in his dangerous world yet again. This time, I was on my own, and I needed to be cautious and independent.