Rising from the Ashes (Andrew) novel Chapter 1787

The sound of someone storming up the stairs echoed. Andrew pulled his cap lower, slipped out of the emergency stairwell, and opted to take the elevator instead.

Hank, charging up from behind, paused at the landing to check the floor. Then, he suddenly spun around and bolted back downstairs.

Inside the elevator, Andrew let out a cold chuckle.

Trying to play tracking and counter-tracking games with him? Hank might be a trained agent, but he was not even on his radar.

Before the elevator reached the lobby, Andrew got off on the third floor. He walked straight to a window, flipped over the ledge, and jumped, landing in the back parking lot behind the building.

Victoria was already waiting there with the engine running. Andrew grabbed the door handle, jumped in, and buckled his seatbelt. The whole sequence flowed seamlessly, like something out of an action movie.

Meanwhile, Hank was waiting on the ground floor when he noticed the elevator had stopped on the third floor. He cursed under his breath and sprinted upstairs in just two seconds.

Peering out the window, he caught just a glimpse of Andrew's back as he got into the car.

"Damn it, nobody escapes right under my nose," he growled.

He slammed his fist against the windowsill so hard it cracked. He was determined to find this killer because, first, he wanted to impress Scarlett, and second, he wanted to prove his own capabilities.

As an agent, letting someone slip away right under his nose was a major insult.

Later, Hank returned to the Driscoll Corporation across the street, where Scarlett was waiting.

"Ms. Driscoll, are you alright?" he asked with concern.

"We can confirm this man was the shooter. But Ms. Driscoll, with just this blurry figure in the surveillance footage, we'll never be able to identify the real culprit," a subordinate reported hesitantly.

Scarlett leaned back in her office chair, holding a wine glass in her good hand. She had expected this outcome, so she was not inclined to blame her subordinate.

Suddenly, Hank spoke up. "I've been studying this guy, and honestly… he looks kind of familiar."

Scarlett did not seem interested. "Oh? Who do you think it is?"

Hank did not sound fully confident, but said, "He kind of resembles someone named Andrew Lloyd. I have only met him once since I arrived in Gabo Creek, so I can't be completely sure. Ms. Driscoll, do you have any bad blood with him?"

Scarlett's eyes turned icy cold as she set her wineglass down. "I have no grudges against this Andrew, and he shouldn't even know I exist."