The war room at Sterling estate had been a sitting room once, before Marcus cleared out the furniture and filled it with maps and monitors and everything they needed to plan an impossible rescue. When James arrived that morning, two new people stood beside Marcus examining the satellite imagery on the main screen.The first was a man in his late forties with military bearing so ingrained it showed in the way he stood. A scar cut across his jaw like a permanent reminder of something he'd survived. He spoke with economy, each word measured and purposeful.The second was younger, early thirties, with colorful streaks in their hair and nervous energy that manifested in constant movement. They had three laptops open simultaneously and were typing on all of them in rapid succession.Marcus gestured to each in turn. "Cole handles extractions. Twenty years special forces, another ten in private sector. Yuki handles tech and electronic security. If it's got a password, they can crack it. They'

The black van sat half a mile from the Ashford Research Facility with its lights off and engine cooling. Inside, Yuki hunched over a laptop that glowed blue in the darkness, fingers flying across keys while lines of code scrolled past faster than anyone else could read."System reboot initiating in seven minutes," Yuki announced without looking up.Cole checked his weapons one final time with the methodical efficiency of someone who'd done this exact routine a thousand times before. "James and I go in. Marcus, Elena—you stay with Yuki and monitor communications."Elena leaned forward from the back seat. "I should go in. I can help carry—""No." James cut her off, his voice firm. "If something goes wrong, we need you safe and able to coordinate extraction."Elena started to argue, saw the expression on his face, and realized this wasn't negotiable. She nodded tightly.Cole and James geared up in practiced silence. Black clothing designed to blend with shadows. Earpieces connected to th

The safe house sat thirty miles outside Las Vegas, disguised as an ordinary ranch home but equipped with medical facilities that would make most hospitals envious. Marcus had prepared this place months ago, though he'd never explained why he thought they might need it. Now James understood.He worked through the night on his parents, carefully removing the sedatives from their systems and treating the muscle atrophy from years of forced immobility. Dr. Chen arrived before dawn—Marcus had called her from the helicopter—and together they managed the intensive care that would determine whether fifteen years of captivity had caused permanent damage.By morning, both patients were stable but still unconscious. Their bodies were recovering from chemical imprisonment at their own pace, and James could do nothing but wait and monitor.He finally stepped away from their bedsides when the sun was fully up, exhausted in ways that went deeper than physical tiredness.Elena found him and brought c

The alarm activated with a shrill electronic scream that shattered the peaceful evening. Cole was already moving before anyone else processed what was happening."We need to evacuate," he said, voice clipped and professional. "Pack light. Take only what's essential.""My parents can't be moved," James said immediately. "My father can barely walk more than a few steps. My mother's cognitive function is still recovering. The stress of rapid evacuation could—""Then they stay and we defend this position," Cole interrupted. "Your choice."James didn't hesitate. "We defend."Marcus was already on his phone, pacing while he spoke rapidly. "I need a private security team at coordinates I'm sending you now. Armed and experienced. Yes, I know it's dangerous. That's why I'm paying triple your standard rate."Elena moved to James's side. "How long until they arrive?""Two hours," Marcus said, ending the call.Cole checked his watch. "Victor's team will be here in three hours maximum. We'll have

Morning light filled the safe house with warmth that felt undeserved after the violence of the previous night. The television played news coverage on every channel, and each station told the same story with increasing urgency."Breaking news: Billionaire pharmaceutical heir linked to illegal medical facility."Footage of the Nevada facility appeared on screen, federal agents in tactical gear surrounding the compound. Sophia's livestream clips played in split screen, showing the assault on the safe house in real time."Victor Ashford, heir to the Ashford Pharmaceuticals empire, is wanted for questioning regarding alleged kidnapping, illegal medical experimentation, and assault with intent to commit murder."Elena watched the coverage with exhausted satisfaction. "It's working. His empire is collapsing.""The stock market's responding," Marcus said, checking his phone. "Sterling Tech is up eighteen percent this morning. Investors are rewarding transparency over scandal management.""You