Chapter 9 - THE TRAITOR IN THE NURSERY
Victor lowered his weapon.
Lily grabbed his arm.
“Don’t give them the box.”
“They have Ethan.”
“They have a video.”
Victor looked at the screen.
The child’s blanket moved with every breath.
The masked man stood beside the crib.
The clock on the wall showed 2:17 a.m.
Lily checked Victor’s watch.
It was 2:31.
“The feed is recorded.”
Adrian’s smile disappeared.
Lily pointed toward the tablet.
“The nursery clock is fourteen minutes behind.”
Victor raised his weapon again.
Adrian fired first.
The bullet struck the stone beside Victor.
Everyone moved at once.
Lily grabbed the metal box.
Victor fired toward the vehicle.
Serena screamed as the rear window shattered.
Adrian dragged her down and ordered the driver to move.
The vehicle reversed toward the trees.
Victor’s surviving guards shot at the tires.
The car disappeared into the darkness.
Victor called the estate.
No one answered.
He tried again.
Dr. Reeves finally picked up.
“Victor?”
“Is Ethan safe?”
A long silence followed.
“I thought he was with Lily.”
Victor’s face became colorless.
“What are you talking about?”
Dr. Reeves sounded confused.
“Your security chief came fifteen minutes ago.”
“He said you ordered Ethan moved to the underground shelter.”
Victor looked at Lily.
“I gave no such order.”
They raced back toward Chicago.
No one spoke during the drive.
Lily held Grace’s metal box against her chest.
Victor made call after call.
Every road leading from the estate was searched.
Every airport was watched.
Every private landing strip was closed.
When they reached the mansion, Dr. Reeves was waiting in the foyer.
The nursery was empty.
A small spot of blood marked the carpet.
Victor’s security chief, Marcus Kane, had disappeared.
He had served Victor for twelve years.
He had saved Victor’s life twice.
Now he had taken Ethan.
Lily walked toward the crib.
A stuffed bear lay on the floor.
She picked it up.
Something vibrated inside its stomach.
Victor looked at her.
“What is that?”
“A tracker.”
Lily tore the stitching open.
A small device blinked red.
“I put it in Ethan’s favorite bear after Serena threatened me.”
Victor stared at the screen.
The signal was moving south.
“Where?”
Lily enlarged the map.
The blinking light stopped near an abandoned meatpacking district.
Then a message appeared.
May you like
YOU HAVE ONE HOUR.
BRING LILY ALONE.
