Chapter 10 - THE CHOICE NO FATHER SHOULD HAVE TO MAKE
The hospital room was silent.
Dominic stood beside the window.
Evelyn sat beside Lucas.
Eli and Noah were asleep on a sofa.
Victor was gone.
The doctor had taken him to another room for questioning.
Marcus stood near the door.
No one spoke.
Finally, Evelyn said, “What did he mean?”
Dominic turned.
“I don't know.”
“He said Eli could save Lucas.”
“I heard him.”
“What does that mean?”
Dominic looked toward the boys.
The answer frightened him.
“I don't know.”
Evelyn stood.
“Then find out.”
Dominic looked at her.
She was crying.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Just silently.
“I can't lose him.”
Dominic moved closer.
“You won't.”
“You don't know that.”
“No.”
“Then don't promise me.”
He stopped.
Evelyn covered her face.
“I just got them back.”
Dominic said nothing.
She looked at him.
“I spent three years believing I had lost all of you.”
Dominic reached for her hand.
She allowed him to take it.
Then Lucas opened his eyes.
“Mommy?”
Evelyn turned immediately.
“I'm here.”
“Where's Daddy?”
Dominic froze.
Lucas looked at him.
“Are you Daddy?”
Dominic moved closer.
“Yes.”
Lucas smiled.
“You came.”
The words destroyed him.
Dominic knelt as much as his body allowed.
“I came.”
Lucas reached for him.
Dominic carefully lifted him.
The boy was too light.
Far too light.
Lucas rested his head against Dominic's chest.
Dominic closed his eyes.
For three years, he had imagined holding his child.
Now he was holding him.
And he was terrified.
Lucas whispered, “I waited.”
Dominic's throat tightened.
“For me?”
Lucas nodded.
“Grandpa said you were bad.”
Dominic looked toward the door.
“Did he?”
“He said you didn't want me.”
Dominic closed his eyes.
Victor had poisoned even this.
“Your grandpa was wrong.”
Lucas looked up.
“Are you bad?”
Dominic looked at his son.
The question was simple.
The answer was not.
“I've done bad things.”
Lucas considered that.
“Mommy says people can change.”
Dominic looked at Evelyn.
She was crying again.
“Your mommy is right.”
Lucas placed his small hand against Dominic's cheek.
“Then don't be bad.”
Dominic laughed softly.
“I'll try.”
The door opened.
The doctor entered.
He carried a folder.
Dominic immediately knew something was wrong.
“What?”
The doctor looked at Evelyn.
Then Dominic.
“We ran preliminary tests.”
“And?”
“Lucas has a serious cardiac condition.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
The doctor continued.
“But there is something else.”
Dominic's expression hardened.
“What?”
“Eli carries a genetic marker that may be compatible with Lucas.”
Evelyn stood.
“Compatible?”
The doctor nodded.
“We need more testing.”
“What kind?”
“Blood tests. Genetic sequencing. Possibly a procedure.”
Dominic's face changed.
“What procedure?”
The doctor hesitated.
“A transplant.”
The room went silent.
Evelyn looked toward Eli.
“No.”
The doctor immediately said, “We don't know if it will be necessary.”
“No.”
Dominic stared at him.
“What would happen to Eli?”
“We would never put him at unnecessary risk.”
“What does that mean?”
The doctor looked down.
“We would need to evaluate the situation carefully.”
Dominic's voice became cold.
“You're not taking anything from my son.”
The doctor looked at him.
“Mr. Vale, if your son's condition worsens—”
“Find another way.”
“We are trying.”
“Try harder.”
The doctor nodded.
“We need your consent for testing.”
Dominic looked at Evelyn.
She was staring at Eli.
The thought of one child saving the other was too much.
Both were her sons.
Both were his sons.
No parent should have to choose.
No parent should have to hear the word transplant when looking at a three-year-old.
Dominic signed the consent forms.
But before the tests could begin, the hospital lost power.
The lights went out.
The monitors switched to emergency power.
Marcus immediately drew his weapon.
Dominic looked toward the door.
“What is happening?”
Marcus touched his earpiece.
“Security cameras are down.”
Dominic's expression hardened.
“Get the boys.”
Evelyn grabbed Lucas.
Dominic moved toward Eli.
A gunshot echoed in the hallway.
Then another.
The hospital erupted.
Marcus opened the door slightly.
“Three men in the west corridor.”
Dominic looked at Evelyn.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“Evelyn.”
“I am not letting you go alone.”
Dominic stared at her.
Then nodded.
Marcus moved first.
They escaped through a service corridor.
But the attackers had planned carefully.
A man appeared behind them.
Dominic turned.
The man grabbed Noah.
Evelyn screamed.
“Noah!”
Dominic moved his chair forward.
The attacker raised a gun.
“Stay back.”
Dominic's eyes became cold.
“Let him go.”
The man held Noah against his chest.
The little boy was crying.
Dominic felt something primal rise inside him.
“You have no idea what you've done.”
The man smiled.
“We know exactly what we want.”
“What?”
“Eli.”
Dominic's expression changed.
Evelyn pulled Eli behind her.
The man holding Noah shouted:
“Bring us the boy!”
Dominic looked toward Eli.
Then Noah.
The attacker pressed the gun against Noah's head.
Dominic's voice became quiet.
“Evelyn.”
“No.”
“Take Eli.”
She stared at him.
“Dominic—”
“Take him and run.”
The attacker smiled.
Dominic moved forward.
“Let Noah go.”
The man laughed.
“You think you can bargain?”
“No.”
Dominic's eyes hardened.
“I think you made a mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“You took my son.”
Dominic reached beneath his jacket.
The attacker raised his gun.
Dominic threw a knife.
It struck the man's wrist.
The gun fell.
Marcus fired at the second attacker.
Evelyn grabbed Noah.
Dominic moved toward the man.
The attacker tried to run.
Dominic caught his leg with the wheelchair.
The man fell.
Dominic leaned forward.
“Who sent you?”
The man laughed.
“You can't stop what's coming.”
Dominic grabbed his collar.
“Who?”
The man looked toward Eli.
“Your father.”
Dominic froze.
“No.”
The man smiled.
“Victor Vale wants his heir back.”
Dominic's eyes became terrifying.
“Victor is in this hospital.”
The attacker laughed.
“Not the one you think.”
Then he swallowed something.
Marcus grabbed him.
But it was too late.
The man died before he could speak again.
Dominic looked at Evelyn.
She was holding both boys.
Lucas stood beside her.
His face was pale.
He was watching Dominic.
Dominic moved toward him.
Lucas whispered:
“Grandpa said you would hurt us.”
Dominic stopped.
He looked toward the dark corridor.
Somewhere in the hospital, Victor Vale was alive.
But perhaps the man in Montana had never been Victor.
Perhaps the real Victor was still somewhere else.
May you like
And someone had just tried to steal Eli.
The boy his father had been searching for.
