Chapter 4 - The Men Who Came for the Babies
The attack came at 3:07 a.m.
The first alarm was silent.
That was why Matteo hated it.
Someone had bypassed the exterior system.
A guard found unconscious in the east wing.
Another outside the nursery.
Then the cameras died.
Matteo woke instantly.
He reached for the gun beside his bed.
Luca appeared.
“Boss.”
“What's happening?”
“Someone's inside.”
Matteo ran toward the nursery.
Norah was already awake.
She stood between the cribs.
Holding Noah.
Leon was beside her.
“Where's Eli?”
Norah pointed.
“There's a man.”
Matteo entered.
A stranger stood near the crib.
He turned.
Matteo shot the weapon from his hand.
The man dropped.
Security rushed in.
Matteo grabbed Noah.
“Get the children downstairs.”
Norah protested.
“Mom!”
“Your mother's safe.”
“Then I stay.”
“No.”
“I stay.”
Matteo stared.
She had the same stubborn eyes as Lucia.
“Fine.”
Leon stood beside her.
“I'll protect her.”
Matteo almost laughed.
“You're sixteen.”
“So?”
Matteo paused.
“So you're exactly old enough to be useful.”
Leon nodded.
They escaped through the hidden passage beneath the library.
The children entered a fortified room.
Grace was brought down too.
Minutes later, the house shook with gunfire.
Matteo locked the door.
Outside, his men fought.
Inside, Norah sat beside Grace.
“Mommy.”
Grace looked at her.
“I'm okay.”
“Are they bad?”
Grace hesitated.
“Yes.”
Leon looked at Matteo.
“Who?”
“Mercer's people.”
Leon frowned.
“Calvin?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Matteo looked at him.
“Because of what your mother left.”
“What is it?”
“A trust.”
Leon shook his head.
“Money?”
“More than money.”
“What?”
“Control.”
The room went silent.
Grace whispered:
“The family foundation.”
Matteo turned.
“What?”
“Lucia created a legal trust before she died.”
“How large?”
Grace gave a tired laugh.
“Large enough to buy everything Mercer wants.”
Matteo stared.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because the trust activates only when both children are identified.”
Norah looked up.
“Both?”
Grace nodded.
“Leon and Norah.”
Matteo understood.
The key.
LV 17.
“What's vault seventeen?”
Grace looked at him.
“You know?”
“The key says 17.”
“It opens Lucia's private vault.”
“Where?”
“In the old Vale building.”
“That building was demolished.”
“Not the basement.”
Matteo's phone rang.
Calvin.
He answered.
“You have the wrong children.”
“What?”
“Norah and Leon are worthless without the key.”
Matteo stared.
“You want the key.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because the trust belongs to the family.”
“Which family?”
Calvin laughed.
“Your father built it.”
Matteo's face changed.
“My father?”
“He knew Lucia was planning to expose him.”
“What did he do?”
“He killed her.”
Silence.
Grace closed her eyes.
Matteo gripped the phone.
“You admit it?”
“I wasn't there.”
“But you know.”
“Yes.”
“Then why are you still alive?”
Calvin laughed.
“Because the people who protected your father are still alive.”
Matteo looked at Grace.
She whispered:
“The council.”
Calvin continued.
“Bring me the key.”
“No.”
“Then I take the children.”
Matteo hung up.
Norah stood.
“He wants me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you have the key.”
She touched the silver chain.
“I don't know where it opens.”
“We'll find out.”
Leon spoke.
“I know.”
Everyone looked at him.
“I've seen the number before.”
“Where?”
“In Mom's old notebook.”
“Where is it?”
“At school.”
Matteo sighed.
“Of course it is.”
The next morning they went there.
The school was nearly empty.
Leon led them to the archives.
He found the notebook hidden behind a loose brick.
Inside was a map.
A tunnel.
A vault.
And a symbol.
The black lion.
Matteo touched it.
“This is the same symbol.”
Leon nodded.
“My mom said it was a promise.”
“What promise?”
Leon answered:
“To protect the children.”
Matteo looked at Norah.
Then the map.
Suddenly he realized something.
Lucia hadn't left the children money.
She had left them protection.
The trust was only the bait.
The real secret was hidden beneath it.
They entered the old Vale building that evening.
The basement was sealed.
The key fit.
A door opened.
Inside was a room filled with files.
Photographs.
Audio recordings.
Financial records.
And one giant wall with names.
At the center:
VALE FAMILY — INTERNAL BETRAYAL
Matteo stared.
His father's name.
Calvin's.
Three judges.
Two politicians.
And one final name.
His own.
Matteo froze.
“Why is my name here?”
Grace stepped forward.
“Because Lucia believed you were the only one who could survive the truth.”
Norah looked at the wall.
“What's that?”
She pointed to a photograph.
A young Matteo.
Lucia.
And another woman.
Matteo recognized her.
His mother.
Standing beside them was a baby.
Leon.
But Norah was not there.
At the bottom was a note.
One child will be hidden. One will be remembered. One will be used as the key.
Matteo's heart raced.
Grace whispered:
“Your sister knew someone would try to control the family through her children.”
Then they heard footsteps.
Someone had entered the basement.
Matteo drew his weapon.
“Stay behind me.”
A figure appeared.
It was Calvin Mercer.
He smiled.
“You finally found it.”
But he wasn't alone.
And behind him stood the person Matteo had least expected.
May you like
His mother.
Alive.
