Chapter 8 - TAKEN
Adrian lost his mind for exactly ten seconds.
He shouted Sophie’s name.
Ran from room to room.
Kicked open the bathroom door.
Nothing.
Rachel grabbed his shoulders.
“Adrian! Look at me!”
“They took her!”
“I know.”
“I’m going to kill them.”
“Then find her first.”
That brought him back.
Barely.
Mercer looked out the broken bedroom window.
“Fire escape.”
A small streak of blood marked the metal railing outside.
Rachel touched it.
“Fresh.”
Adrian saw a security camera on the building across the alley.
“Can we access that?”
Rachel was already moving.
Within fifteen minutes, they had footage.
A masked man climbed the fire escape during the explosion.
He entered Sophie’s room.
Thirty seconds later, he came out carrying her.
She was fighting.
Kicking.
Alive.
Adrian pressed both hands against the desk.
“Zoom in.”
Rachel enlarged the image.
The man’s sleeve pulled back.
A tattoo.
A black snake wrapped around a dagger.
Mercer cursed.
“You know it?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“Derek Voss.”
Rachel went pale.
“The private security contractor?”
Mercer nodded.
“Former military. Lucas used him for dirty work.”
Adrian grabbed his keys.
“Where is he?”
“I might know.”
Twenty-five minutes later, Adrian was driving ninety miles an hour toward an abandoned warehouse near the river.
Rachel sat beside him.
Mercer stayed behind to contact an internal affairs officer he trusted.
Rachel looked at Adrian.
“When we get there, you follow my lead.”
“My daughter is in there.”
“Exactly.”
“If someone touches her—”
“You’ll want to charge in.”
“Yes.”
“And they’ll expect that.”
Adrian tightened his grip on the wheel.
At the warehouse, they found the side door unlocked.
Too easy.
Rachel drew her weapon.
Adrian whispered, “Trap?”
“Definitely.”
They entered anyway.
The building smelled like oil and river water.
A single overhead light burned near the center.
Sophie sat tied to a chair.
Tape covered her mouth.
Adrian started forward.
Rachel caught his arm.
“Wait.”
A red laser dot appeared on Adrian’s chest.
Then another on Rachel.
Derek Voss stepped from the shadows holding a rifle.
“Mr. Cole.”
Adrian stared at Sophie.
Her eyes were huge.
Terrified.
“Let her go.”
Voss smiled.
“Give me Emily’s files.”
“You get the files after she walks out.”
“Wrong order.”
Adrian looked around.
Two shooters stood on the catwalk.
Another near the exit.
Rachel whispered, “Four total.”
Voss heard her.
“Five.”
A man stepped from behind Sophie.
Lucas.
Adrian’s older brother smiled.
“Hey, little brother.”
Adrian’s face went hard.
“You kidnapped your own niece.”
Lucas shrugged.
“You froze my money.”
“She’s eight.”
“And you’re stubborn.”
Sophie screamed behind the tape.
Lucas bent down beside her.
“Relax, kiddo.”
She kicked him in the shin.
Lucas cursed.
Despite everything, Adrian almost smiled.
“That’s my girl.”
Lucas stood.
His face had changed.
“You always get everything.”
Adrian stared at him.
“What are you talking about?”
“Dad gave you the company. Emily loved you. Sophie worships you. Even Vanessa became obsessed with you.”
“Vanessa used me.”
Lucas laughed bitterly.
“She used everyone.”
A phone rang.
Lucas checked it.
His expression changed.
He answered.
“Yeah?”
Vanessa’s voice was loud enough to hear.
“Lucas, get out of there.”
Lucas frowned.
“What?”
“Now.”
“Why?”
“Because Adrian was never the target.”
Lucas went still.
Vanessa continued.
“You were.”
Then a gunshot cracked through the warehouse.
Lucas jerked backward.
May you like
Blood spread across his chest.
And the lights went out.
