Chapter 5 - The Debt That Bound Two Families
Adrian's people tracked Silas to an abandoned shipping terminal.
But he was already gone.
Only three men remained.
They were terrified.
Sofia questioned the oldest.
“Where did Vane go?”
He shook his head.
“We don't know.”
“Where are the women?”
“We don't know.”
Adrian slammed his hands on the table.
“Then tell me something useful.”
The man swallowed.
“Silas doesn't trust anyone.”
“Clearly.”
“He has another place.”
“Where?”
“A church.”
“Which?”
“St. Catherine's.”
We arrived before dawn.
The church was empty.
But beneath it was a hidden room.
Inside were files dating back decades.
Sofia opened one.
“Look.”
The folder contained a photograph of my father.
But beside his name was a second name.
Daniel Russo.
Adrian's father.
I stared.
“They had the same first name?”
Adrian looked at the file.
“No.”
The second Daniel was an alias.
His father's real name had been Daniel Russo.
He had used Daniel Shaw for years.
My father had been Daniel Russo.
My mother had been Elena Bell.
Laura's birth records were false.
Our entire family history had been rewritten.
I sat down.
“Who am I?”
Adrian crouched in front of me.
“You're still Emma.”
“That isn't enough.”
“It is to me.”
I looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because I know what it feels like to find out your family wasn't what you thought.”
He took my hand.
“My father and your mother grew up together.”
“What?”
“They were promised to each other.”
I stared.
“And then?”
“They fell in love with different people.”
Adrian looked toward the old files.
“My father chose your mother.”
“And Silas?”
“Silas controlled her family.”
“So this is about revenge.”
“It is partly about revenge.”
“And the other part?”
“Power.”
We found a second message.
Silas wanted Adrian's territory in exchange for the women.
Adrian refused.
Silas responded with a photograph of Laura tied to a chair.
I nearly collapsed.
Adrian's jaw tightened.
“He wants us angry.”
“He wants us emotional.”
“Exactly.”
“So what do we do?”
“Give him what he thinks he wants.”
We created a fake ledger.
Fake access codes.
Fake financial records.
Silas demanded a meeting.
The location was an underground theater.
Only one entrance.
Hundreds of seats.
No audience.
Silas stood on stage.
My mother and Laura were beside him.
Adrian walked in carrying a briefcase.
I followed.
Silas smiled.
“You came.”
“You asked.”
“Put the case down.”
Adrian did.
“Let them go.”
Silas laughed.
“You still think you're in control.”
“No.”
Adrian looked around.
“You are.”
Silas frowned.
“Why would you say that?”
“Because you made the mistake of bringing everyone into one room.”
Gunfire erupted from the balcony.
Silas's men ducked.
Sofia's team moved in.
Chaos erupted.
I ran toward my mother.
Laura broke free.
Silas grabbed a gun.
He aimed at Adrian.
I shouted.
Adrian moved.
The shot missed.
Silas ran.
We chased him through backstage corridors.
He reached a steel door.
Adrian followed.
Inside was a tunnel.
Silas was already disappearing.
But he stopped.
He looked back.
“Do you know why your father gave you the key?”
I said nothing.
“He knew you would be the one strong enough to use it.”
Then Silas vanished.
We found the women alive.
But there was one problem.
The fake ledger had been stolen.
Someone had switched briefcases.
Adrian checked the lock.
“No.”
Sofia stared.
“What?”
“Someone knew.”
“Who?”
Adrian looked at the security footage.
A man appeared for less than three seconds.
He wore a hospital uniform.
I recognized him.
“Dr. Patel.”
Everyone turned.
“No.”
I backed away.
“He saved people at Mercy.”
Adrian looked at me.
“You trusted him.”
“Yes.”
“That is what makes him dangerous.”
We returned to Mercy General.
Dr. Patel was gone.
His office had been emptied.
On his desk sat one envelope.
Inside was a photograph of me as a child.
May you like
And one sentence.
YOUR FATHER KNEW WHO I WAS.
