Chapter 2 - The Black SUV
The rear door of the SUV opened.
Mateo ripped free of Elias's grip.
"Ruby, take Caleb!"
The older girl grabbed the little boy.
Grace started crying.
Two men stepped onto the sidewalk.
One pointed.
"There."
Mateo ran.
Elias slammed his palm on the table.
"Frank!"
His driver, Frank Mercer, was already moving from the curb.
The first man reached for Mateo.
Frank hit him shoulder-first.
The sidewalk exploded into shouting.
The second man grabbed Ruby.
She screamed.
Caleb bit his hand.
"Little animal!"
Elias picked up the heavy glass water bottle and threw it.
It hit the man's shoulder.
"Get your hands off her!"
The man looked at Elias.
Recognition flashed.
"Elias Vance?"
That scared him more than anything else.
"You know me?"
The man's mouth shut.
Frank shoved Mateo toward Elias's car.
"Move!"
Within seconds the children were inside the armored sedan with Elias.
Frank jumped behind the wheel.
The SUV followed.
Elias looked at Mateo.
"Who are they?"
Mateo held Grace tight.
"I don't know their names."
"Then tell me what you do know."
"They work for a place called Haven."
Ruby snapped, "Don't tell him."
"He helped us."
"He can sell us."
Elias looked at her.
"I'm not selling anyone."
"You don't know what people pay for her."
Silence filled the car.
Grace hiccuped softly.
Elias looked down at his knee.
He could still feel heat there.
"What happened to your brother?"
Mateo's face went empty.
"His name was Tomas."
"Where is he?"
"We don't know."
The SUV rammed the back of the sedan.
Caleb screamed.
Frank cursed and accelerated.
Elias grabbed the door handle.
"Frank, police station."
Mateo shouted, "No!"
"Why?"
"They have police."
"Who has police?"
"Haven."
Elias stared at him.
"You're telling me a secret organization is hunting a baby who heals people."
Mateo's face burned.
"I know how it sounds."
"It sounds insane."
"Your foot moved."
That ended the argument.
Frank swerved into an underground parking garage.
The SUV missed the entrance.
Then his phone buzzed.
A text from an unknown number.
MR. VANCE, THE CHILDREN ARE NOT WHAT THEY CLAIM.
A second message arrived.
RETURN SUBJECT G-17 AND WALK AWAY.
Elias slowly looked at Grace.
On the baby's ankle, half-hidden beneath the blanket, was a tiny white band.
Printed on it:
G-17.
Then the elevator doors opened.
May you like
Elias's missing security chief stepped out.
And he was holding a gun.
