Tommy studied the map, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Three minutes. That's all I need.""Exactly," Anthony said, putting the tablet away. "But don't just grab him. Make it messy. Make it public. Let them know you can touch them anywhere, anytime. Let them know their security is a joke. And if you can't get him, make sure the attempt leaves a lasting mark. A message they can't ignore.""You want me to send a message," Tommy repeated, a dark amusement in his voice. "A very loud message.""Precisely," Anthony confirmed, leaning back. "Show them you're not just playing. Show them you're coming for everything they hold dear. And remember, Tommy, hesitation is weakness. In this game, weakness gets you killed."Tommy nodded slowly, his mind already racing, planning. The coldness in Anthony's words, the casual way he suggested violence, it was unsettling. But the intel, the opportunities… they were too good to pass up. He stood up. "Consider the message sent."Anthony watched him g

He spent the next few hours trying to unredact the file. It was like peeling back layers of an onion, each layer protected by older, more obscure encryption methods. He had to dig into old government security protocols, long-abandoned agency standards, even some private sector encryption techniques from decades ago. It was a puzzle designed to keep secrets buried forever.Finally, after what felt like an eternity, parts of the redaction began to lift. The original name of the child, the biological mother's name, and a different father's name started to appear, pixel by pixel.The name of the mother was unfamiliar. But the father's name… Kael felt a cold dread spread through him. It wasn't just a name. It was a name linked to a powerful, ruthless family from the city's past. A family that had been rivals to the Lucky family decades ago, before they seemingly vanished. A family that had been involved in a brutal, bloody conflict that Ronald himself had often spoken about, a conflict tha

The storage unit was dusty and crammed with boxes. Arthur Henderson was a gaunt man, nervous and jumpy. He led Ronald to a section filled with old filing cabinets and cardboard boxes, all labeled with his father's neat handwriting."He kept everything," Arthur grumbled, wiping dust from a box. "Never threw a thing out. Said you never know when old information might come in handy.""He was right," Ronald said, scanning the labels. He saw "Lucky, R." on one box, but it was empty. "He kept a separate system for special cases, didn't he?"Arthur looked at him, surprised. "How did you know that? Yeah, he had a whole other set of files. He called them his 'restricted' cases. Said they were too sensitive for the main archives. He kept them in a special locked cabinet at home, not at the agency.""And where are those files now?" Ronald asked, his voice barely a whisper.Arthur pointed to a small, metal strongbox, tucked away behind a stack of old encyclopedias. "That’s it. He always kept the

The Lucky family’s private dining room was usually a place of lively discussion, but tonight, a heavy silence hung in the air. Max and Lena sat opposite Ronald and Kael, their faces etched with concern. Ronald had asked Kael to be present, needing his support and his detailed recall of the facts."I have something important to tell you," Ronald began, his voice surprisingly steady despite the turmoil inside him. "Something that will change everything we thought we knew."He laid the two photographs on the table, along with the DNA report and a summary of Kael’s findings from Mr. Henderson’s notes.Max picked up the first photograph, the one with Elias Thorne, his mother, and baby Ronald. "This is… your birth father, isn't it? Elias Thorne. Kael told me you were looking into it.""Yes," Ronald confirmed. "And that woman, she’s my birth mother." He then gestured to the second photograph, the one with Mrs. Becker, Mr. Becker, and young Tommy. "And she’s also the mother of the boy in this

"Irregular, or just late?" Luna pressed, her small smile widening slightly. "Look, I'm not saying anything for sure. It could be nothing. But if I were you, I'd get a test. Just to rule it out. Or… to confirm it."The idea, once planted, took root and began to blossom, filling Trisha with a confusing mix of fear and a strange, undeniable hope. A baby. Max's baby. Their baby. In the middle of all this chaos, this danger, this uncertainty. It was terrifying, exhilarating, and utterly overwhelming. Her mind reeled with the implications."A test," Trisha repeated, her voice barely a whisper, the words feeling foreign on her tongue. "Where would I even get one? I can't just walk into a pharmacy.""Don't worry about that," Luna said, standing up. "I know a place. Discreet. I'll take care of it. I'll leave something for you tonight. Just… try not to worry too much until you know for sure, okay? No point in stressing over what might not be."Trisha nodded, her mind already racing, a thousand