Chapter 8 - HIS KINGDOM, HER WAR
Mara did not cry on the flight back.
She did not scream.
She did not ask Adrian to promise that her mother was alive.
She simply sat in silence.
That frightened Adrian more than tears would have.
When they landed, Mara stood before him.
“What do you know?”
“Your mother was taken from her home at 9:14 p.m.”
“Who took her?”
“Two men.”
“Blake?”
“Probably.”
“Where is she?”
“We don't know.”
Mara stared at him.
“You said you knew everything.”
Adrian's jaw tightened.
“I said I knew many things.”
“I don't care.”
She walked away.
Adrian followed.
“Mara.”
She turned.
“You want to save my mother?”
“Yes.”
“Then stop treating me like luggage.”
Adrian stared at her.
“I need information.”
“You need me.”
“Yes.”
The word stopped her.
Adrian continued.
“You know Blake better than anyone.”
Mara looked away.
“He always had three safe houses.”
Adrian waited.
“One in Baltimore. One outside Annapolis. One in Virginia.”
“Which one?”
“He hated the Virginia house.”
“Why?”
“Too far from the city.”
Adrian looked at his men.
“Check it.”
Mara continued.
“There was another place.”
“Where?”
“An old house near the water.”
“Address?”
“I don't know.”
“Then how do you know it exists?”
“Because I cleaned it.”
Adrian went still.
Mara looked at him.
“Blake made me clean all his properties.”
“Why?”
“Because he said I needed to be useful.”
Adrian's face darkened.
Mara continued.
“The house was different.”
“How?”
“It had no staff.”
“Security?”
“None that I saw.”
“Why would he keep a house like that?”
Mara thought.
“Because it was where he went when he wanted to disappear.”
Adrian looked at his men.
“Find it.”
They worked through the night.
Mara sat in Adrian's office, looking at maps.
She remembered streets.
Roads.
Buildings.
Landmarks.
Then she saw something.
“Here.”
Adrian came to her.
“What?”
She pointed.
“The old cannery.”
Adrian looked at the map.
“What about it?”
“The house was nearby.”
“How nearby?”
“Ten minutes.”
Adrian immediately turned.
“Get the cars.”
Mara stood.
“I’m coming.”
“No.”
She glared at him.
“Don't start.”
“It may be dangerous.”
“It is dangerous.”
“You stay here.”
“My mother is there.”
“I know.”
“Then don't tell me to stay.”
Adrian looked at her.
For a moment, he seemed ready to argue.
Then he nodded.
“Fine.”
The house was dark.
Adrian's men surrounded it.
Mara remained in the car.
She saw Adrian enter.
Five minutes passed.
Ten.
Then gunfire erupted.
Mara's heart stopped.
She opened the car door.
The driver grabbed her arm.
“Stay inside.”
“Let go!”
“Mara!”
She pulled free.
Then she ran.
The house was chaos.
Adrian was fighting two men near the kitchen.
Mara saw her mother tied to a chair.
“Mom!”
Her mother lifted her head.
“Mara!”
Mara ran toward her.
A man appeared behind her.
He grabbed her.
Mara screamed.
Before he could pull her away, she slammed her head backward.
The man stumbled.
Mara grabbed a heavy lamp.
She struck his arm.
He dropped her.
Mara ran to her mother.
“Are you hurt?”
Her mother shook her head.
“No.”
Mara untied her.
Then Adrian appeared.
His shirt was torn.
Blood marked his cheek.
He looked at Mara.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Her mother stared at him.
“Who is this?”
Mara looked at Adrian.
“This is Adrian.”
Her mother looked at the blood on his face.
“Adrian who?”
Mara hesitated.
Adrian answered.
“Cross.”
Her mother's face went pale.
Mara immediately stepped between them.
“He's helping us.”
Her mother stared at Adrian.
“Why?”
Adrian looked at Mara.
“Because your daughter asked me to.”
Mara looked at him.
She had not asked him.
Not exactly.
But she understood what he was doing.
They left the house.
Outside, Mara noticed something.
A car.
Parked near the trees.
The driver's door was open.
On the seat was a phone.
Mara walked toward it.
Adrian followed.
“Don't touch it.”
She stopped.
The phone rang.
The screen showed a video.
Mara's mother.
Inside the house.
Then the video changed.
A different woman.
Older.
Dark hair.
A scar across her wrist.
Mara stared.
Adrian froze.
The woman turned toward the camera.
She was alive.
Adrian whispered:
“Elena.”
The video ended.
Mara looked at him.
“Your sister.”
Adrian stared at the black screen.
Then the phone displayed a message.
SHE KNOWS WHAT YOUR HUSBAND DID.
Mara looked at Adrian.
He looked back.
For the first time, she saw fear in his eyes.
May you like
Not fear for himself.
Fear of hope.
