Chapter 2 - The Reaper's Brother
Gabriel moved before Walter could raise the rifle.
He crossed the room and positioned himself beside the door.
"Do not shoot unless I tell you."
Walter glared at him.
"This is my house."
"And that's my brother."
The door opened.
A tall man entered with both hands visible.
"Gabriel?"
Gabriel lowered the axe slightly.
Dominic Vale looked enough like him to make the relationship obvious, though Dominic was older and cleaner-cut.
His gaze moved to Walter.
Then Eli.
Then the cut restraints.
"Jesus."
"You alone?" Gabriel asked.
"Two men outside."
"Names."
"Marcus and Theo."
Gabriel relaxed by half an inch.
Dominic stepped forward.
"We thought you were dead."
"Someone tried."
"Who?"
"Silas."
Dominic's face changed.
Walter lowered the rifle.
Eli stayed beside Scout.
Dominic finally noticed him.
"Who's the kid?"
"The reason I'm alive."
Dominic stared.
Gabriel told him what happened.
When he finished, Dominic crouched in front of Eli.
"You dug him out?"
Eli nodded.
Dominic looked at Gabriel.
Then back at Eli.
"You have absolutely terrible luck."
Gabriel gave him a warning glance.
Dominic stood.
"We need to move."
Gabriel nodded.
Walter didn't.
"The boy stays."
Dominic's expression became grim.
"He can't."
"He's nine."
"Which doesn't make him invisible."
Gabriel walked to Walter.
"Silas already searched this cabin. He'll come back."
Walter knew it.
"I have a truck."
"Too easy to trace."
Dominic tossed Gabriel a phone.
"No calls. No GPS. Clean device."
Gabriel checked the screen.
Seven missed encrypted alerts.
One mattered.
A photograph.
Eli saw his own face.
It had been taken through the cabin window less than an hour earlier.
Underneath were four words.
WE FOUND YOUR LITTLE HERO.
Gabriel's eyes went cold.
Dominic read it over his shoulder.
"Silas knows."
Walter took the phone.
His hand tightened.
"What does he want?"
"Me," Gabriel said.
"Then give him you."
"Grandpa!"
Gabriel wasn't offended.
"I would."
Dominic shook his head.
"No. Silas doesn't want you anymore."
"What does he want?"
"Your organization."
Eli looked confused.
Walter didn't.
"What organization?"
Dominic hesitated.
Gabriel answered.
"I control people from Boston to Baltimore."
"What kind of people?"
"Bad ones."
Walter stared at him.
"And you're their boss."
"Yes."
Eli's mouth opened.
"Like the mafia?"
Gabriel looked at him.
"Close enough."
Eli blinked.
"Are you evil?"
The room went silent.
Dominic almost laughed.
Gabriel didn't.
"I've done things you shouldn't ever do."
"Did you hurt kids?"
"No."
"Families?"
Gabriel looked away.
"Sometimes men with families."
Eli considered this.
"That's still bad."
"Yes."
Gabriel didn't defend himself.
That answer surprised Walter.
Dominic checked outside.
"We have maybe ten minutes."
They packed quickly.
Walter took medicine, identification, cash and the rifle.
Eli packed Scout's food.
Gabriel changed into spare clothes that barely fit.
When he emerged, Eli stared at the tattoos covering his neck.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You're staring."
"You look like a criminal."
Dominic laughed.
Gabriel didn't.
They left through the rear door and walked through the woods to where Dominic's second vehicle waited.
No headlights.
No interior lights.
Eli sat between Walter and Scout.
Gabriel sat in front.
For twenty minutes, nobody spoke.
Then gunfire shattered the rear window.
Walter dragged Eli down.
Scout barked wildly.
"Contact!" Dominic shouted.
The driver accelerated.
Another SUV appeared behind them.
Gabriel twisted around.
"Keep him down!"
Eli heard shots.
Glass exploded.
Scout pressed against him.
Walter covered Eli with his body.
Then the road curved sharply.
Their vehicle skidded.
A second black SUV blocked the road ahead.
"Brace!"
They hit the snowbank.
The world tilted.
Metal screamed.
Eli's shoulder struck the seat.
Then everything stopped.
Gabriel was already moving.
He kicked open the passenger door.
"Tree line!"
Dominic dragged Walter out.
Eli grabbed Scout.
They ran.
Shots snapped through branches.
Gabriel returned fire with a weapon Eli hadn't seen him carrying.
"Don't look back!" Walter shouted.
They reached a ravine.
Dominic pointed toward an abandoned mine entrance.
"There!"
They disappeared inside.
Darkness swallowed them.
Gabriel ordered everyone deeper.
They stopped only when the gunfire faded.
Eli was shaking.
Gabriel knelt.
"Hit?"
"No."
"Show me."
"I'm fine."
Gabriel checked anyway.
Walter watched him.
"You really don't hurt children?"
Gabriel looked up.
"Never."
"Why?"
A shadow passed across his face.
"Because somebody once hurt one I couldn't protect."
Before Walter could ask, Dominic's phone vibrated.
He looked at the message.
"What?"
Dominic turned the screen toward Gabriel.
A photograph showed a woman leaving Boone Regional Hospital.
Eli recognized her instantly.
"Mom."
Underneath the picture was a message.
BRING THE REAPER TO US.
OR THE BOY LOSES HIS MOTHER.
Eli stared at Gabriel.
"They have my mom?"
Gabriel took the phone.
His face became terrifyingly calm.
"No."
"What do you mean?"
"They're watching her."
"That's worse!"
Gabriel looked at Dominic.
"Get everyone."
Dominic understood.
"Gabriel—"
"Everyone."
"What are you going to do?"
Gabriel looked toward the mouth of the mine.
"They wanted the Reaper."
He checked the weapon in his hand.
"They're getting him."
Deep inside the mine, another phone suddenly began ringing.
Everyone turned.
None of them had put it there.
Gabriel followed the sound toward an old wooden crate.
The phone continued ringing.
He lifted it.
One name appeared on the screen.
SILAS.
May you like
Gabriel answered.
And the first thing he heard was Eli's mother screaming.
