Nathan spent the next morning staring at the card in his hand.Salvatore Rossi. The name was printed in elegant gold letters on thick cream-colored paper. No address. No phone number. Just the name. It felt important. Weighty. Like a key to a door he hadn't known existed.He turned the card over. On the back, written in faded ink, was an address. A street. A number. A bar called "The Last Drop."Nathan's jaw tightened. He had a lead. A real lead. Sal Rossi knew where Marcus Blackwood was. Sal Rossi knew everything about the network. Sal Rossi was the man who could give him the answers he had been searching for.He pulled on his jacket. Walked to the door.Sarah was in the kitchen. She looked up when she heard him move. Her eyes were tired. Her face was pale. She had been through so much."Where are you going?" Sarah asked.Nathan walked to her. Took her hands. "I need to find someone. Someone who knows where Blackwood is

Nathan sat in the small apartment, staring at the wall.The morning sun streamed through the window. The light was pale. Cold. The day had come. The search for his family. The search for the truth. The search for the man who had destroyed his life.Sarah was beside him. Her hand was in his. Her face was pale. Her eyes were tired."We're going to find them," Sarah said. "I know we will."Nathan nodded. "I know."Ryan was in the other room, sleeping. His face was peaceful. His breathing was steady.Nathan stood up. Walked to the window. Looked out at the city."Blackwood said they're alive," Nathan said. "He said he's holding them somewhere. Somewhere we'll never find them."Sarah walked to him. Took his hands. "We'll find them. We have to."Nathan looked at her. His eyes were hard. His voice was steady."I'm going to find them. I'm going to bring them home. And I'm going to destroy everyone who'

Nathan walked through the doors of the small apartment.The sun was rising. The sky was turning pink and gold. The city was waking up. Cars honked. People shouted. The world kept moving, indifferent to his joy. Indifferent to his relief.But Nathan's world had stopped.Sarah was sitting at the table. Ryan was beside her. They looked up when he walked in. Their faces were pale. Their eyes were worried. They had been waiting. Praying. Hoping."Nathan," Sarah said. "Are you okay?"Nathan walked to her. Knelt down. Took her hands. They were cold. Trembling."I'm okay. I'm better than okay. It's over. Blackwood is gone. He's not coming back."Sarah's eyes filled with tears. "You did it. You actually did it."Nathan pulled her close. Held her tight. "We did it. All of us. Together."Ryan ran to him. His small arms wrapped around Nathan's neck."Dad! You came back!"Nathan held his son. His e

Nathan walked out of The Rusty Nail. The night air was cold. Clean. The stars were bright.He had a lead. A real lead. Cruz had told him where to find Damon Corso. The gym. One week. He just had to wait.But waiting was the hardest part.Nathan walked to the bus stop. His body ached. His mind was tired. But his heart was steady.He would find Damon Corso. He would stop the network. He would protect his family.No matter what it cost.---The next week was the longest of Nathan's life.He went to work. He came home. He ate. He slept. He trained. He waited.Every day, he checked his phone. Every day, he hoped for news. Every day, he was disappointed.Sarah noticed. Her eyes were worried. Her face was pale."Nathan," Sarah said. "What's wrong?"Nathan shook his head. "Nothing. I'm just tired."Sarah walked to him. Took his hands. "You're not tired. You're worried. You're

Nathan woke to an empty bed.The morning sun was pale. It barely filtered through the thin curtains. The apartment was silent and too silent. No sound of Sarah moving in the kitchen. No sound of Ryan watching cartoons. Just the hum of the refrigerator and the distant noise of traffic outside.Nathan sat up. His body screamed. His ribs were wrapped in tight bandages. His knuckles were raw and scabbed. His right eye was swollen shut. His leg throbbed beneath him. He could barely move. Could barely breathe.But he forced himself up.He walked to the kitchen. Sarah was already there. Her back was to him. She was pouring coffee. She didn't look at him when he walked in. She didn't ask how he slept. She didn't ask if he was okay. She didn't say anything at all.Ryan was at the table, eating cereal. His face was pale. His eyes were tired. Dark circles hung beneath them. He looked up when Nathan entered. His smile was small. Nervous. Forced."Morning, Dad," Ryan said.Nathan nodded. "Morning,