Chapter 1 - The Silver Spider
I pointed a trembling finger at the tiny object snagged in the delicate wool of the baby’s blanket.
It was a metallic disc, no larger than a dime, with a microscopic red light pulsing directly in the center.
The billionaire did not ask any panicked questions as he carefully pinched the device between his strong fingers.
He lifted it slowly to his ear, and his sharp jaw instantly locked in pure fury.
"A high-frequency emitter," he whispered to his guard.
"It is a piercing sound pitch that adults cannot hear, but it feels like ice picks in the sensitive ears of an infant."
The massive security guard swore viciously under his breath.
He immediately pulled a thick, lead-lined case from his tailored jacket pocket and snapped the device safely inside.
The baby let out one final, exhausted sob before resting his head heavily against his father’s chest in absolute silence.
The wealthy passengers in first class let out a collective sigh of relief, completely unaware of the deadly reality unfolding.
The billionaire looked down at me with eyes that were cold and sharp like shattered glass.
"My name is Silas, and you just saved my son from hours of pure agony."
He took a slow step toward me, his towering frame completely blocking the narrow aisle.
"But you still haven't answered my question, kid."
He leaned down until we were perfectly eye level.
"How exactly does a ten-year-old girl recognize a military-grade tracking device?"
My throat felt incredibly dry as the horrific memories of four nights ago rapidly flooded my mind.
"Because I found one exactly like it under our kitchen table right before the men in masks kicked our front door down," I replied, my voice shaking.
"They shot my parents in our living room while we hid."
Silas closed his eyes for a brief fraction of a second, heavily processing the terrifying weight of my words.
When he finally opened them, the chilling presence of a ruthless predator had fully returned to his face.
"Vance, secure the front exit and absolutely do not let anyone enter this cabin," Silas ordered his massive guard.
He looked back down at me with a grim expression.
"If they successfully tracked this device to my son, the man who planted it is currently sitting on this exact flight."
A sudden, terrifying thought struck my chest like a violent physical blow.
If the cartel assassins were on this plane searching for Silas, they would certainly recognize the runaway girl from the house they recently destroyed.
I spun around frantically and sprinted aggressively through the heavy curtain separating first class from premium economy.
I had left my three-year-old sister sleeping completely unprotected in seat 14B.
May you like
I reached our assigned row, and my heart completely stopped beating in my chest.
The pink stuffed rabbit was lying completely abandoned on the floor, but Maya’s seat was entirely empty.
