Chapter 19 - The Fall of the Empire
"Derek, look at me!" Joanna called out, taking a step toward the metal stairs leading up to the catwalk. She needed to keep his focus entirely on her. "You don't want to do this. If you hurt those little girls, there is no escape for you. None."
"There is no escape anyway!" Derek shrieked, his hands shaking violently as he aimed the gun. "My bank accounts are frozen! The federal marshals are at my house in South Carolina! You destroyed everything!"
"You destroyed yourself!" Joanna shouted, her voice echoing with fierce authority. "The moment you put your hands on me, the moment you thought you could crush another human being to feel powerful—you signed your own warrant!"
Suddenly, red and blue strobe lights flashed through the cracked high windows of the mill, accompanied by the deafening wail of police sirens surrounding the building.
"Derek Montgomery! This is the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Virginia State Police!" a loud speaker boomed from outside. "Drop your weapon and step away from the children! The building is surrounded!"
Meredith panicked, dropping Maya to the floor. "Derek! The police! Do something!"
Maya screamed, running toward the edge of the railing.
"Maya!" Joanna shrieked.
Taking advantage of the sudden chaos, Joanna sprinted up the iron stairs. Derek turned, aiming his gun at Joanna as she reached the top platform.
BANG!
A gunshot echoed through the mill. But it wasn't Derek's gun.
A tactical team of FBI agents breached the upper windows, spotlights blinding the interior. Derek collapsed to his knees, struck in the shoulder by a sniper's bullet, dropping his weapon onto the metal catwalk.
Joanna didn't hesitate. She lunged forward, gathering Maya into her arms and snatching Lily’s car seat just as tactical officers swarmed the catwalk, tackling Derek to the ground and placing Meredith in heavy steel handcuffs.
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Meredith screamed profanities as she was dragged away, her diamond earrings catching the harsh light of tactical flashlights. Derek lay on the cold steel grid, bleeding and weeping as federal agents pulled his arms behind his back.
Joanna held her daughters tight against her chest, tears finally spilling down her cheeks—not of fear, but of pure, unadulterated relief.
