Chapter 4 - Noah’s Message
By dawn, Adrian’s team had narrowed the search to four abandoned industrial buildings.
Olivia rejected three immediately.
“The bird sticker.”
Adrian looked at her.
“What about it?”
“It isn't a sticker.”
She enlarged the photograph.
“It’s painted.”
Adrian studied it.
“So?”
“Noah and I visited a wildlife restoration center last year. Volunteers painted bird symbols on old storm-drain infrastructure.”
One of Adrian’s men pulled up archived maps.
“There was a pumping station beside the wetlands.”
“Still standing?”
“Closed eleven years ago.”
Adrian stood.
“That’s it.”
Olivia grabbed her coat.
“You're staying here.”
“No.”
“Olivia.”
“You can either take me or waste ten minutes arguing.”
“You have no training.”
“I have Noah.”
Adrian stared at her.
She stepped closer.
“You understand men like Victor Soren.”
She pointed at the photograph.
“I understand my brother.”
Twenty minutes later, they watched the pumping station from an unmarked vehicle.
Adrian spoke quietly.
“We know Noah is inside.”
“Then why aren't we moving?”
“Because Soren wants us impatient.”
Olivia hated the answer.
But she understood it.
A phone rang.
Adrian answered.
Victor Soren’s voice came through the speaker.
“Midnight, DeMarco.”
“I want proof the boy is unharmed.”
“You’re not negotiating.”
Olivia leaned toward the phone.
“Noah?”
Silence.
Then a small voice.
“Liv?”
Olivia covered her mouth.
“I'm here.”
“I missed therapy.”
“I know, sweetheart.”
“And my bird book is at school.”
“We'll get it.”
Noah whispered, “There are twelve pipes.”
Adrian’s eyes moved toward Olivia.
Victor interrupted.
“Enough.”
But Noah continued quickly.
“Only eleven make sounds.”
The call disconnected.
Adrian looked at Olivia.
“What did that mean?”
Her eyes went to the building.
“He’s giving us an entrance.”
She remembered the restoration center.
“Old pumping systems had drainage tunnels.”
Adrian understood.
“Twelve pipes.”
“One blocked.”
“The blocked one won't carry sound.”
Olivia nodded.
“And if it’s blocked from the inside…”
“It might open behind their position.”
For the first time since Noah disappeared, Adrian looked hopeful.
He called his men.
But Olivia caught his hand.
“Adrian.”
He stopped.
“When you get inside, Noah may not respond normally. He might cover his ears. He might not answer you. Don't grab him unless you have to.”
Adrian nodded.
“What should I do?”
“Tell him Olivia sent you.”
“That's enough?”
“No.”
She swallowed.
“Tell him the peregrine always comes home.”
Adrian repeated it carefully.
“The peregrine always comes home.”
Olivia nodded.
“That means he's safe with you.”
Adrian looked at the building.
May you like
“Then that's exactly what he'll hear.”
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