The park erupted. People screamed and scattered. Some just dropped to the ground and covered their heads. I saw a swarm of armed men in black flooding in from all directions, guns aimed at the bodyguards.
Bullets flew. Sparks exploded.
"Mommy!" Olei clung to me, his small body shaking.
A bodyguard rushed in front of us, shielding us with his body. "Ma'am, go! Get out through the back!"
Another bodyguard covered us as we ran toward the rear of the park.
I scooped up Olei and ran like hell. Gunfire closed in behind us. A bullet grazed my shoulder, slamming into a tree trunk.
"Mommy, are you okay?" Olei looked at my shoulder with red eyes, only calming when he saw no wound.
"I'm fine, baby." I gasped for air but didn't stop. "Don't be scared."
The bodyguard ahead of us grunted and went down.
"No—" I screamed.
The other bodyguard spun and fired back, covering us as we kept running. But there were too many. They came like a flood.
The last bodyguard fell.
A hand grabbed me. A cloth soaked in something sharp and chemical clamped over my mouth and nose.
"Mommy..." Olei's voice faded.
My vision went black.
When I opened my eyes again, my head was thick and heavy. Half-awake, I heard arguing.
"Why the hell did you grab her, too?" A male voice demanded. "We agreed—just the kid."
That voice... Julian?
"Having her makes the leverage better against Silas," an unfamiliar yet familiar voice answered. "Double the chips, right?"
Vanessa? What was she doing here?
My mind slowly cleared. I opened my eyes fully and found myself tied to a chair. Rough rope bit into my wrists. A cloth was stuffed in my mouth.
This was an abandoned factory. Rusted machines scattered everywhere, the air thick with rust and mildew. In the dim light, I saw Julian standing nearby, looking frantic. Vanessa stood beside him.
"Julian?" My voice came out muffled around the gag, but the fury and accusation rang clear enough.
He'd leaked our location.
Julian wouldn't look at me. He dropped his head.
Vanessa noticed I was awake and walked over with a smile, yanking the cloth from my mouth.
"It's you!" I coughed violently, then glared at Julian. "Julian, you told her where we'd be?"
Julian's lips moved. Nothing came out.
"Answer me!" I shouted.
"Anthea, I'm sorry..." His face was ghost-white, his voice hoarse. "I didn't have a choice. She threatened me."
