Chapter 53 The Ambush
Lara's pov
Within thirty minutes, our house was full of police.
Federal agents. SWAT teams. Unmarked cars blocking the street.
Neighbors were staring. They all brought their phones out and started taking pictures.
Do I care? No, I didn't care.
I just needed Ethan to be safe.
"Where's my son?" I asked the lead agent.
"Being pulled from school right now. Armed escort bringing him here."
"Is he safe?"
"Yes, ma'am. Four agents are with him. No one's getting close to him at all, you don't have to worry."
I sat down before my legs gave out.
Damien was on the phone with Marcus. With Margaret and some other people.
The lead agent sat across from me.
"Mrs. Montgomery, I need you to tell me everything Lucas said when you visited him."
I told him about the threats. About wanting to see Ethan. About everything that happens."
"He was planning this. The whole time."
"Looks that way. The ambush was professional. Military-grade weapons. Smoke grenades. They knew exactly what they were doing."
"His sisters paid for it. The two hundred thousand dollars."
"We're bringing them in for questioning now."
"They'll just deny it."
"Probably. But we'll freeze all their accounts. Track every transaction."
Ethan arrived twenty minutes later.
Four agents surrounded him as they brought him inside.
He saw all the police and started crying.
"Mommy!"
I ran to him and pulled him into my arms.
"It's okay, baby. You're safe."
"Why are all these people here? What's happening?"
How do you tell a seven-year-old that a monster escaped and is coming for him?
"Remember Lucas? He got away from the police. But all these people are here to keep us safe."
His eyes got wide. "Is he coming here?"
An agent answered before I could. "We won't let anyone hurt you. That's a promise."
But promises don't stop bullets. Don't stop desperate men.
They set up a command center in our living room.
Computers, radios, monitors showing security cameras.
Our home looked like a war zone.
The lead agent gathered us.
"Lucas Ward is now the FBI's most wanted. Every agency in the country is looking for him."
"How did this happen?" Damien demanded.
"The accident was staged. Professional crew. They blocked the road, rammed the van, killed the guards, and took him."
"In broad daylight?"
"Took less than three minutes. They knew exactly what they were doing."
"Where is he now?"
"We don't know. But we have roadblocks on every highway. Helicopters searching. He can't have gotten far."
But Lucas had money. Resources. And he had nothing to lose.
That evening, the news was everywhere.
Every channel showing Lucas's face.
"Armed and dangerous fugitive."
"Killed two police officers during escape."
"If you see this man, do not approach."
My phone wouldn't stop. Reporters. Friends asking if we were okay.
I turned it off.
We were trapped in our own house.
Agents were everywhere. We can't go outside. We can't go to work or school.
This was our life now.
I put Ethan to bed around 8pm.
Two armed agents stood outside his door.
"Mommy, I'm scared."
"I know, baby. But you're safe. All these people are here to protect you."
"What if Lucas finds us?"
"He won't. The police are looking everywhere for him."
But I was lying. And I think Ethan knew it.
I stayed with him until he fell asleep.
Then went downstairs where Damien was talking to agents.
"Any updates?"
"They found the van they used. Burned. Abandoned. No evidence."
"What about the sisters?"
"Released. Their lawyers got them out in two hours."
"So we have nothing."
"We have every agent in the country looking for him. He'll make a mistake."
But what if he didn't?
Around 11pm, I tried to sleep.Every sound I heard made me jump.
Was that footsteps? A door? Lucas breaking in?
My phone buzzed.
I'd turned it back on for police updates.
New message. Unknown number.
My hands shook as I opened it.
Photo attached.
Of our house.
Taken from across the street.
Tonight.He was here.Right now and watching us again.
I screamed.
Damien bolted upright. "What? What is it?"
Agents rushed in.
I showed them the photo.
"He's outside! Right now!"
They ran out. Searched everywhere. The street. The yards. The woods behind the house.
Came back empty-handed.
"No one's out there."
"But the photo says it all"
"He could have taken it and left. Or sent someone to take it."
Either way, he knew where we were.
The lead agent made a decision.
"We're moving you. Tonight. You won't be able to stay here."
"Where?"
"Safe house. I can't tell you the location until we arrive."
"We need to pack."
"No time, you don't need that. I'm giving you five minutes to take the essential things."
Chaos.
I ran upstairs. Threw clothes in a bag.
Woke Ethan. "Baby, we're going somewhere safe."
"Why?"
"Because we have to. Grab your elephant."
He was crying but he grabbed his stuffed animal.
Damien packed our important papers. Passports. Documents.
Five minutes later we were in an armored SUV.
Three vehicles total. Agents in each one.
I looked back at our house as we drove away.
All the lights on. Police everywhere.
Would we ever come back?
We drove for over an hour.
No one would tell us where we were going.
Just that it was secure.
Ethan fell asleep against me.
I kept checking my phone.
No new messages.
But I knew Lucas was out there. Somewhere.
Planning his next move.
Finally we turned onto a dirt road.
Middle of nowhere. Just trees and darkness.
We pulled up to a small house.One story. Surrounded by woods.Armed agents were already there waiting.
"This is it," the lead agent said.
"For how long?"
"Until we catch Lucas Ward."
"And if you don't?"
He didn't answer me.We went inside. It was a small house with two bedrooms and basic furniture. It was clean but safe.
Guards posted outside every entrance.
"Try to get some rest. We'll have updates in the morning."
Rest. Like that was possible.
I put Ethan to bed in the smaller bedroom.
"Where are we, Mommy?"
"Somewhere safe." We are safe here okay?”
"When can we go home?"
"Soon, baby." That's another lie . I lied again.I didn't know when we could go home.
Or if we ever could.
Damien and I lay in the other bedroom.
Neither of us sleeping.
"This is insane," he whispered.
"I know."
"We're hiding from him like he's some kind of... I don't know. Monster."
"He is a monster."
"How long can we do this?"
I didn't have an answer.
Days? Weeks? Months?
How long until Lucas was caught?
Or until he found us?
My phone buzzed.
Another message.
"You can run. But you can't hide forever. -L"
I showed Damien.
His face went white.
"How does he keep getting your number?"
"I don't know."
"Should we tell the agents?"
"Tomorrow. I'm too tired to deal with more tonight."
But I couldn't sleep. I just lay there in the dark. Listening to every sound and wating for Lucas to find us.
Because I knew he would.
It was only a matter of time.