CHAPTER 5 — THE GRAND FATHER'S BETRAYAL
CHAPTER 5 — THE GRAND FATHER'S BETRAYAL
For one deadly second, the entire terminal went silent.
Every federal marshal heard Harrison Frost's words.
"Those idiots weren't supposed to arrive until tonight."
The lead marshal slowly turned toward him.
"What did you just say?"
Harrison immediately realized his mistake.
"I meant—"
"You meant exactly what you said," the marshal interrupted.
Two agents grabbed Harrison before he could move.
"No!" Harrison barked. "You have no idea what you're interfering with."
The marshal's voice turned icy.
"Oh, we do."
He pressed a finger to his earpiece.
"All teams, priority change."
"The grandfather is now considered an active co-conspirator."
Gunfire echoed again.
The kidnappers had no intention of retreating.
One masked man overturned rows of airport seats to create a barricade while another rushed toward us carrying a stun gun.
Passengers screamed and dove behind kiosks.
Children cried.
Suitcases rolled across the polished floor.
Atlanta Airport had become a battlefield.
"Maya!"
Desmond grabbed my wrist.
"Take Noah!"
He lifted Oliver into his own arms while I scooped up Noah.
Emma wrapped both tiny arms around Desmond's neck.
Without thinking, the four of us moved as one family.
A realization hit me so suddenly it stole my breath.
This was the first time we had ever protected our children together.
"Freeze!"
A kidnapper lunged toward Emma.
Before anyone else could react, Desmond stepped directly into the man's path.
The attacker swung the stun baton.
Desmond caught his wrist.
The two men slammed into a row of airport seats.
The baton sparked inches from Emma's face.
"No!"
I screamed.
Desmond drove his shoulder into the attacker, knocking him backward.
Years of working construction sites before building his empire had left him stronger than anyone expected.
One punch.
Then another.
The masked man collapsed unconscious.
Nearby travelers erupted into applause before realizing the danger wasn't over.
Another kidnapper reached into his jacket.
The marshal shouted,
"Gun!"
Everything slowed.
The weapon came up.
It pointed directly...
...at Oliver.
Without hesitation, Desmond turned his body.
He shielded Oliver completely with his own back.
A deafening bang exploded through the terminal.
I screamed his name.
"DESMOND!"
For one horrifying second I thought he'd been shot.
Then the kidnapper spun violently and crashed onto the floor.
A federal sniper stationed on the upper security balcony had fired first.
The threat was over.
Desmond slowly looked down.
No blood.
He wasn't hit.
Oliver stared into his father's face.
"You protected me."
Desmond kissed the little boy's forehead.
"I always will."
His voice broke.
"I just started eighteen months too late."
Meanwhile, another marshal tackled the final kidnapper near the baggage carousel.
The man's mask slipped off.
The terminal fell silent once again.
The lead marshal frowned.
"I know this man."
Another agent nodded grimly.
"So do I."
"He used to work for Frost Global Security."
Desmond's expression darkened.
"My company's security division?"
The marshal looked directly at him.
"Former employees."
"They were fired six months ago."
"They've been working privately ever since."
"For who?"
The answer came from the captured kidnapper himself.
He laughed through bloody lips.
"You'll never stop them."
"The buyer still wants the children."
My entire body turned cold.
"The buyer?"
"There are others."
He smiled.
"This wasn't the real operation."
The marshal's radio suddenly crackled.
"Sir..."
His face changed instantly.
"What?"
A pause.
Then he whispered,
"Oh no..."
He looked at Desmond.
"They've searched Harrison Frost's private jet."
"And?"
"They found three forged birth certificates."
My heart stopped.
The marshal continued.
"Each lists different names..."
"...for your children."
May you like
Silence.
"They were preparing to erase their identities."
