Chapter 4 - The Ransom of the Past
Marcus pointed the weapon directly at Darius's chest.
"I have to admit, you always were hard to kill, Darius," Marcus smiled.
Nia stepped in front of Darius, shielding him with her own body.
"Leave him alone, Marcus, you already burned my farm down!" she shouted.
"Your farm is just collateral damage, Nia," Marcus replied casually.
"I am here for the master flash drive that Caleb Grant gave you seven years ago."
Darius gently pulled Nia behind him.
"You took everything from us, Marcus, you are not getting anything else," Darius growled.
Marcus let out a dark, humorless laugh.
"I think you will change your mind very quickly," the corrupt CFO said.
He gestured to the back of the SUV.
One of the armed men opened the rear door and pulled out a small boy.
The child was no older than six, with dark, observant eyes and a familiar face.
Darius felt the earth stop spinning completely.
The boy had his nose, his chin, and his exact same determined expression.
"Mommy!" the little boy cried out, struggling against the large man holding him.
Nia let out a guttural, heartbreaking scream and tried to run forward.
Darius caught her arm, his mind fracturing into a million pieces.
"Nia," Darius whispered, unable to look away from the child.
"Is that my son?"
Tears streamed down her soot-stained cheeks as she nodded slowly.
"His name is Leo."
Darius felt a rage so pure and violent that it terrified him.
He had a son.
A son he had never met, never held, and never known about.
"Bring me the flash drive in exactly two hours, or Leo disappears forever," Marcus warned.
The men shoved the crying child back into the vehicle.
The SUV sped off into the dust, leaving Darius and Nia standing in the ashes of her life.
May you like
Darius turned to his ex-wife, his eyes burning with a lethal promise.
"Where is the drive?"
