Chapter 2 - The Ransom
I stared at the screen in absolute horror.
The little girl was crying silently in the dark room.
She had Grace's nose and my dark hair.
She looked to be exactly three years old.
That meant Grace was pregnant before I left for my overseas contract.
I turned slowly to look at my wife.
Grace was leaning against the wooden doorframe.
Tears were streaming rapidly down her hollow cheeks.
She whispered that she was so incredibly sorry.
She said they took the baby right after she was born in the hospital.
My mother had forged adoption papers using my stolen money to hide the child.
The masked man on the screen cleared his throat loudly.
He pulled off his dark mask and stared directly into the camera.
I recognized him immediately.
It was Marcus.
He was the powerful local politician who had supposedly helped Vanessa through her divorce.
I realized right then that he was a key part of this nightmare.
Marcus smiled through the computer monitor.
He told me I had exactly one hour to transfer the remaining millions from my offshore accounts.
If I refused, he would make sure the little girl disappeared forever.
I clenched my fists until my knuckles turned completely white.
I asked him where they were keeping her.
Marcus laughed mockingly.
He said I was in no position to ask any questions.
He typed a massive bank routing number into the chat box.
Then the video call abruptly disconnected.
The screen went totally black.
I turned my attention back to the two women in my office.
My mother crossed her arms defiantly.
She said I should just pay the money so everyone could finally move on.
Vanessa nodded in eager agreement.
They actually thought they had won this twisted game.
They had no idea what I really did for a living over the last four years.
I was not just building bridges in dangerous conflict zones.
I was running advanced security logistics for private military contractors.
I reached under my heavy wooden desk.
My fingers found the hidden biometric safe I had bolted there years ago.
The scanner recognized my exact fingerprint instantly.
The heavy metal drawer slid open with a soft mechanical hum.
I pulled out a loaded tactical pistol.
My mother gasped loudly and took a massive step back.
Vanessa raised her hands high into the air.
I pointed the weapon directly at my mother's expensive diamond necklace.
I told her she was going to tell me exactly where Marcus was right now.
My mother stammered wildly that she genuinely did not know.
I aimed a few inches lower and fired a shot directly into the floorboard.
The deafening sound echoed violently through the massive mansion.
Vanessa screamed hysterically and covered her ears.
She pointed a trembling finger at our mother.
She yelled frantically that the baby was actually not with Marcus at all.
I lowered the gun slightly.
I demanded to know what she meant by that.
Vanessa looked at me with wide, terrified eyes.
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She revealed that Marcus was just a hired distraction.
The real person holding my daughter was actually standing right outside the front door.
