Chapter 9 - Eli’s FatherNathan read the name again.
Nathan remembered celebrating there with Mark when both men were young enough to believe success would fix everything.
They had stood on the roof drinking cheap champagne.
Mark had said, “One day we’ll own half this city.”
Nathan had laughed.
Now Mark was using that same place to hold Nathan’s sister hostage.
The FBI formed a rescue plan.
Nathan was told to remain behind.
He refused.
“If Mark sees only agents, he may hurt Emily.”
“You’re not trained for this,” Rachel argued.
“No. But I know him.”
Eli stayed in a secure command vehicle three blocks away.
Nathan crouched beside him before leaving.
“Do not get out.”
“I won’t.”
“Promise.”
Eli nodded.
Nathan touched his shoulder.
“I’m coming back.”
The boy whispered, “You better.”
At 10:46 p.m., Nathan entered the mill carrying a duffel bag.
Inside were blank notebooks and bundles of paper made to resemble cash.
Mark appeared on the upper walkway.
“You came early.”
Nathan looked around.
“Where’s Emily?”
Peter dragged her into view.
Her hands were tied.
Nathan’s heart pounded.
“She’s alive,” Mark said. “That’s what matters.”
“Let her go.”
“Where’s the boy?”
“Safe.”
Mark smiled.
“That was stupid.”
“You’re never touching him.”
“Then your sister dies.”
Nathan lifted the bag.
“I brought the notebook.”
Mark’s eyes narrowed.
“Show me.”
Nathan removed the blue notebook.
A decoy.
Mark couldn’t know.
“Send Emily down first.”
Peter laughed.
“You’re not negotiating.”
Nathan stared at Mark.
“You know me. I don’t hand over leverage until I get something.”
Mark considered.
Then he nodded.
Peter cut Emily’s wrist restraints and shoved her toward the stairs.
She descended slowly.
Halfway down, Mark said, “Stop.”
Emily froze.
Nathan raised the notebook.
“Keep moving.”
Mark pointed a gun at her.
“No.”
Nathan looked at him.
“You always hated losing control.”
Mark’s expression hardened.
“You think this is about control?”
“What else?”
“You.”
Nathan blinked.
Mark laughed.
“For eighteen years, every headline was Nathan Cole.”
“Mark—”
“Every investor wanted you. Every reporter quoted you. Every employee called it your company.”
“It was ours.”
“No.”
Mark’s voice echoed through the mill.
“It was yours. I was the man standing behind you.”
Nathan finally understood the depth of resentment.
“You could have left.”
“And built what? Another company people compared to yours?”
“So you stole.”
“I took what I earned.”
“You sold children.”
Mark’s face changed.
“That wasn’t supposed to happen.”
Nathan stared.
“You funded it.”
“It started as forged adoptions. Rich couples paying for shortcuts.”
“You moved children like inventory.”
“I didn’t ask questions.”
“Exactly.”
Mark’s jaw tightened.
“You always thought you were morally superior.”
“No.”
Nathan shook his head.
“I was blind.”
Mark looked surprised.
“I should have seen what was happening inside my own company.”
Nathan glanced toward Emily.
“And I’ll live with that.”
Mark raised his gun.
“But you won’t live with it very long.”
A red laser appeared on Mark’s chest.
FBI sniper.
Nathan saw it.
Mark did not.
Then the sound of breaking glass erupted from the far side.
Peter panicked.
He grabbed Emily.
Gunfire exploded.
Nathan dove behind machinery.
Agents stormed both entrances.
Mark disappeared into the upper corridor.
Peter dragged Emily toward a side exit.
Nathan chased him.
“EMILY!”
Peter turned and fired.
The bullet struck metal inches from Nathan’s head.
Emily slammed her elbow into Peter’s ribs.
His grip loosened.
Nathan tackled him.
They hit the concrete.
Peter punched Nathan hard.
Nathan tasted blood.
Peter reached for the gun.
Emily kicked it away.
Nathan drove his fist into Peter’s jaw.
Agents surrounded them.
“Hands!”
Peter froze.
Emily collapsed against Nathan.
He wrapped his arms around her.
“I’m sorry.”
She cried against him.
“So am I.”
Then Rachel shouted from across the warehouse.
“Mark’s running!”
Nathan turned.
Mark had reached the rear exit.
An SUV waited outside.
The driver sped away before agents could block it.
Mark had escaped.
But Peter was in custody.
Emily was safe.
And the rescue produced something unexpected.
Inside Peter’s jacket, police found a storage receipt.
The blue notebook was not the only evidence Mark wanted.
There was also a private vault.
Located beneath Harvest Children’s Foundation headquarters.
The next morning, FBI agents raided it.
Inside they found cash.
Passports.
Adoption records.
Photographs.
And hundreds of sealed files.
One file carried Eli’s name.
Nathan stared at it.
“Why would they have a file on him?”
Rachel opened it.
Inside was a birth certificate.
The father’s name had been blacked out.
Another page contained Sarah’s handwritten note.
If Mark learns who Eli’s father is, my son will never be safe.
Nathan stared at Rachel.
“Who is his father?”
Forensics recovered the hidden text beneath the black ink.
Rachel read the name.
Then looked at Nathan in disbelief.
Nathan took the page.
His entire body went cold.
May you like
The father listed on Eli Carter’s birth certificate was:
MARK REYNOLDS.
