Chapter 5 - The Boy in the Black Car
The attack started before anyone finished speaking.
Windows shattered.
Security alarms screamed.
Damon pulled Sophia behind him.
“Basement.”
Rosa grabbed her daughter.
“Go.”
They ran.
Nolan sealed the doors.
Gunfire echoed above.
Sophia stayed strangely calm.
“Mommy.”
“Yes?”
“Daddy is scared.”
Rosa looked at Damon.
He was.
Not for himself.
For them.
They reached the underground chamber.
Damon locked the door.
“They won't get in.”
Sophia sat beside Zeus.
The dog rested his head on her lap.
Then a voice came through the speakers.
“Damon.”
His father's voice.
Damon stared upward.
“Father.”
“You always were my disappointment.”
Rosa saw Damon tremble.
“What do you want?”
“My granddaughter.”
“No.”
“And the key.”
“No.”
“You're going to make this difficult.”
“You taught me well.”
His father laughed.
“Bring me Sophia, and I'll give you the boy.”
Damon froze.
Rosa understood immediately.
The other child.
His grandson.
“Who is the boy?”
Serena answered.
“Elias.”
Damon looked at her.
“Your son?”
She nodded through tears.
“He took him from me six years ago.”
Rosa's heart tightened.
This family had been living inside secrets stacked on secrets.
Damon looked at her.
“You don't have to do this.”
Rosa shook her head.
“No.”
She touched Sophia's hair.
“We're staying together.”
Damon gave a small smile.
“Good.”
He turned to Nolan.
“Get me the old blueprints.”
Nolan pulled them up.
“The tunnel has three exits.”
“Only one?”
“Two.”
“Then we use the third.”
“That doesn't exist.”
Damon pointed.
“It does.”
Nolan studied the map.
A narrow line ran beneath the estate toward the greenhouse.
“That's an old drainage route.”
Damon nodded.
“My father built it.”
Rosa stared.
“You knew?”
“I knew the house.”
“Not everything.”
“No.”
He looked at her.
“That's the problem.”
They crawled through the tunnel.
Zeus followed.
For once, the dog was silent.
They emerged beneath the greenhouse.
Outside, men were everywhere.
Damon watched.
“Thirty seconds.”
They moved.
Nolan took out two guards.
Rosa ran with Sophia.
Then a door opened.
Serena stepped inside.
She was holding her hands up.
“I want Elias.”
Damon raised his gun.
“Where is he?”
“He's in the east wing.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“Because he's my son.”
Damon lowered the weapon.
“Take us to him.”
They crossed the estate.
Serena led them through an old nursery.
A six-year-old boy sat on the floor building a wooden train.
He looked up.
“Mom?”
Serena ran to him.
Elias smiled.
Then his gaze moved to Sophia.
The children stared at one another.
“Are you my cousin?”
Sophia nodded.
“Yes.”
Elias stood.
“I thought you were dead.”
Sophia frowned.
“Why?”
“My grandfather said you were.”
Rosa looked at Damon.
His face was unreadable.
Then a voice came from the doorway.
“Family reunion.”
Victor Cain.
Damon's father.
He looked older than the photographs but still powerful.
His gaze settled on Rosa.
“You.”
Rosa stepped forward.
“You caused the accident.”
“Yes.”
“You made my daughter disappear.”
“Yes.”
“You killed people.”
“Yes.”
Damon raised his gun.
His father smiled.
“Go ahead.”
Rosa touched Damon’s arm.
“Don't.”
He looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because that's what he wants.”
Victor laughed.
“You think you're better than me?”
Damon lowered his gun.
“No.”
He looked at Sophia.
“I think I'm different.”
Victor's face changed.
“Then prove it.”
He pointed toward the safe room.
“The key.”
Rosa took it out.
Damon shook his head.
“No.”
Victor smiled.
“Then someone dies.”
He pressed a button.
A video appeared.
Nolan.
Tied to a chair.
His eyes widened.
Damon stared.
“Where is he?”
Victor smiled.
“Every empire needs a traitor.”
Rosa looked at Damon.
Nolan had been captured.
But something wasn't right.
Sophia walked to the screen.
“Nolan isn't tied.”
Everyone stared.
“What?”
Sophia pointed.
“His hands.”
The rope was loose.
Damon looked closer.
She was right.
“Nolan did that.”
Sophia smiled.
“He's pretending.”
Damon's expression changed.
He understood.
Nolan had planned a way inside.
Damon turned toward Victor.
“Open the gates.”
Victor frowned.
“Why?”
“Because you want the key.”
He lifted it.
“Come take it.”
May you like
Victor smiled.
But he had no idea Damon had already sent the evidence to every major newsroom in the city.
