I Arrived at the Family Party I Had Paid for and Found My Children Serving Tables in Aprons—When I Demanded an Explanation, My Parents Smiled and Said, "That's How They Learn Their Place."

Thomas dove toward the concrete pillars just as the suppressed gunshot echoed through the empty subway station. The bullet shattered the tiled wall behind him, showering his neck with sharp ceramic fragments. He scrambled on his hands and knees through the darkness, using the thick pillars as temporary cover. Harris cursed loudly and marched down the platform, firing blindly into the shadows where Thomas was hiding. Thomas noticed a heavy metal trash can bolted to the floor near the edge of the train tracks. He grabbed a loose brick from the crumbling wall and hurled it toward the opposite end of the station. The sudden noise echoed loudly, causing the corrupt agent to spin around and aim his weapon away. Thomas used the distraction to sprint toward the maintenance stairwell at the far end of the terminal. He threw his entire body weight against the heavy steel door, breaking the rusted locking mechanism. He scrambled up the dark stairs and burst out onto the busy city street, disappearing into the crowded sidewalk. He knew he could not trust law enforcement or any government agency while Robert was paying them off. He needed to rescue his children tonight and flee the state before his parents finalized the adoption paperwork. He stole a rusty bicycle from an alleyway and pedaled furiously toward his parents' upscale suburban neighborhood. He waited until the streetlights flickered off before creeping into their massive, manicured backyard. He avoided the motion-sensor lights and climbed the heavy oak tree that reached the second-story windows. He shimmied across a thick branch and peered into the window of the guest bedroom where the kids stayed. The moonlight revealed three small figures huddled together on the floor, asleep under a single thin blanket. The expensive beds were perfectly made, proving Helen wouldn't even let them sleep on the fine linen. Rage boiled in Thomas's veins as he used his pocket knife to carefully jimmy the window lock open. He slipped silently into the room and gently covered Samuel's mouth before the boy could scream in shock. He whispered that Daddy was here and instructed the kids to gather their shoes quietly. Rebecca cried silently and hugged his neck, terrified that her grandparents would hear them moving. Thomas helped them climb out the window and guided them safely down the sturdy branches of the tree. As his feet touched the grass, the entire backyard was suddenly flooded with blinding white security lights. Robert stood on the patio with a shotgun pointed squarely at Thomas's chest, smiling like a predator.