Chapter 4 - Madison Disappears
Madison grabbed Daniel's arm and whispered, "Someone is outside."
Daniel placed a pistol beside Leo's baby monitor.
A red light blinked across the screen.
Then a second light appeared.
Someone else had connected to the camera.
Daniel knew they had been found.
"Take Leo."
Madison didn't argue.
She lifted her son from the bassinet.
Daniel moved toward the apartment door.
"Bathroom. Lock it."
"Daniel—"
"Now."
Madison hurried away.
Daniel waited.
Footsteps passed outside.
Stopped.
Silence.
Then three knocks.
Daniel looked through the peephole.
Nobody.
His phone vibrated.
UNKNOWN: Wrong door.
Daniel turned.
The balcony.
He ran.
A shadow moved behind the curtains.
Daniel raised the gun.
The balcony door opened.
"Don't shoot."
Daniel froze.
Nico stepped inside.
Vincent's security chief lifted both hands.
Daniel's gun remained aimed at his chest.
"You have ten seconds."
"Vincent didn't send me."
"Nine."
"Someone is tracking Madison."
"Eight."
"I've been trying to find who."
"Seven."
"Daniel, Sofia intercepted the hospital calls."
Daniel stopped counting.
Nico slowly lowered his hands.
"Vincent found out today."
"Why should I care?"
"Because the people who kept him away from Madison are the same people hunting her now."
Daniel's expression changed.
"Explain."
Nico glanced toward the bathroom.
"Not here."
The bathroom door opened.
Madison stepped out holding Leo.
"Nico?"
He looked at her.
Guilt crossed his face.
"Mrs. Carter."
"Did Vincent send you?"
"No."
"Does he know where I am?"
"No."
"Keep it that way."
"Madison—"
"You called me Mrs. Carter for three years. You can call me Madison now."
Nico nodded.
"Someone sent Vincent a picture of you sleeping."
Madison went pale.
Daniel looked toward the baby monitor.
"From this room?"
"Yes."
Nico took out his phone.
He showed them the photograph.
Madison recognized the blanket.
The couch.
Leo's bassinet.
Her temporary home.
Her safe place.
Gone.
"Who sent it?"
"We don't know."
Daniel cursed.
"We leave now."
Nico shook his head.
"They're probably watching the building."
"Then we use the garage."
"They'll watch that too."
Madison looked between them.
"What do they want?"
Neither man answered.
"Tell me."
Nico finally spoke.
"They want Vincent distracted."
Madison laughed once.
"That's ironic."
"There's more."
"What?"
Nico hesitated.
"Daniel knows."
Madison looked at her brother.
"Knows what?"
Daniel's face tightened.
"Not now."
"No. I'm done with men deciding when I get information."
"Madison."
"Tell me."
Daniel looked at Leo.
Then back at his sister.
"The attack at the docks wasn't random."
Madison waited.
"It was designed to pull Vincent out of the hospital."
Her face changed.
"What?"
"They knew you were in labor."
"Who?"
"We don't know yet."
"But you knew?"
"Not then."
"How long have you known?"
"Two days."
Madison stepped backward.
"So Vincent leaving me..."
"Was planned."
"No."
"It doesn't excuse him."
"No, it doesn't."
"But someone wanted him away from you."
"Why?"
Daniel looked toward Leo.
Madison followed his gaze.
Her arms tightened around her son.
"No."
"Madison—"
"Why my baby?"
"Because Leo changes Vincent's empire."
"I don't understand."
"Vincent has enemies who could tolerate a wife."
Daniel's voice became quiet.
"A son is different."
Madison's stomach turned.
Nico's phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed almost immediately.
"What?"
Madison watched him.
"Say that again."
Nico walked toward the window.
"How many?"
Daniel raised the gun again.
Nico ended the call.
"We have to move."
"What happened?"
"Three SUVs just entered the block."
Daniel looked through the curtains.
Black vehicles.
One.
Two.
Three.
Madison's heart slammed against her ribs.
"Vincent?"
Nico shook his head.
"Not ours."
Daniel grabbed a duffel bag.
"Service stairs."
Madison followed him.
Nico opened the apartment door.
Empty hallway.
They moved quickly.
Madison's incision burned.
She ignored it.
Down one floor.
Then another.
Leo began crying.
"Shh, baby."
Another floor.
A door slammed below them.
Daniel stopped.
Voices.
Men coming up.
Nico looked above.
More footsteps.
They were trapped.
Daniel opened a maintenance door.
"Inside."
They squeezed into a dark utility corridor.
Madison held Leo against her chest.
The baby whimpered.
Footsteps approached.
Daniel raised one finger.
Quiet.
Madison stopped breathing.
A man's shadow appeared beneath the door.
Then disappeared.
They waited.
Five seconds.
Ten.
Twenty.
Nico whispered, "Now."
They emerged.
Down another corridor.
A loading dock appeared ahead.
Daniel's car waited.
They ran.
Madison reached the back door.
Then headlights exploded across the loading dock.
A black SUV blocked the exit.
Doors opened.
Armed men stepped out.
Daniel pushed Madison behind him.
Nico raised his weapon.
Then the rear passenger door opened.
A man stepped onto the pavement.
Black suit.
Black shirt.
Dark hair.
Madison stopped.
Vincent.
His eyes found her instantly.
For the first time in fifteen days, husband and wife looked at each other.
Vincent saw Leo in her arms.
Madison saw her wedding ring hanging from a chain around his neck.
Neither spoke.
Vincent took one step toward her.
Madison took one step backward.
Then Daniel raised his gun.
Vincent's men raised theirs.
"Nobody moves," Daniel said.
Vincent ignored every weapon in the room.
His eyes stayed on Madison.
"I came for my wife."
Madison's voice was steady.
"You don't have one."
The words hit him.
Before he could answer, a gunshot cracked through the loading dock.
But Daniel hadn't fired.
Neither had Vincent.
A red stain appeared across Nico's shirt.
He collapsed.
Madison screamed.
Vincent turned toward the rooftop across the street.
A second shot shattered the concrete beside Madison's head.
May you like
Vincent lunged for her.
And from somewhere above them, a sniper chambered another round...
