Chapter 15 - The Redacted Birth
Daniel stood in the library doorway, staring at Leo’s sleeping form. The rise and fall of the boy’s chest was steady now, innocent of the corporate war that had surrounded his very inception.
“Marcus,” Daniel commanded, his voice cold, devoid of the trembling shock from earlier. “Get the transport ready. We aren't waiting for dawn.”
“Where are we going, sir? Newport?”
“No,” Daniel said. “If Evelyn is at the airfield, she’s the courier. She’s not running away to escape public humiliation. She was at that altar to complete the swap.”
The pieces of the nightmare clicked into place with horrifying precision. The silicone bump that collapsed at the cathedral wasn't just a prop for a fake pregnancy—it was hollow, reinforced with Kevlar and lined with specialized acoustic foam. When Evelyn knelt at the altar, she wasn't clutching her stomach in pain; she had been reaching for the concealed harness underneath her bridal train.
Leo had spotted the duplicate monogrammed bracelet inside the lining of her gown when she knelt before the priest—the exact twin of the silver band on his own wrist.
Daniel walked to the desk, pulled a customized Sig Sauer from the bottom drawer, checked the magazine with a sharp, metallic snap, and holstered it beneath his dark overcoat.
“Wake Leo,” Daniel ordered.
“Sir?” Marcus hesitated. “Bringing the boy into an active operational zone—”
“He stays within three feet of me at all times,” Daniel interrupted, his eyes blazing with an unyielding, protective fury. “Victor’s network thinks Leo is still under their psychological leash. If they see Leo with me, they won't trigger whatever dead-man switch they’ve prepared. They need both boys alive to claim the family trust under the Swiss codicils.”
Ten minutes later, their convoy of two armored sedans pulled out of the safehouse driveway, cutting through the dense coastal fog toward the Newport airfield.
In the backseat, Leo sat awake, clutching Daniel’s coat sleeve.
“Dad?” the boy whispered.
“I’m here, Leo.”
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“If my brother is with her… will you still look at me the same way?”
Daniel reached out, his large, calloused hand wrapping firmly around the boy’s small shoulder, pulling him close against his side. “You are my son, Leo. Nothing on paper, nothing that happened eight years ago, will ever change that. We’re going to get your brother back.”
