Chapter 4 - Richard Vale Comes Back
“Absolutely not.”
Adrian stood in his security room surrounded by monitors.
I faced him.
“The note says me.”
“And that's precisely why you aren't going.”
“Richard wants something from me.”
“He wants leverage.”
“He already has it. He has Evan.”
Adrian slammed his hand against the table.
“He has my son.”
“Our son.”
Silence.
Neither of us had said it before.
Adrian stared at me.
I repeated it.
“Our son.”
His anger didn't disappear.
But something changed.
Marcus entered.
“We traced the vehicle.”
“Where?”
“Old Meridian prototype facility on West Fulton.”
I froze.
“That building has been closed for five years.”
Adrian looked at me.
“Why there?”
“Because that's where I developed Meridian's first surgical control system.”
He understood.
“Vale still wants your technology.”
“Yes.”
Adrian began issuing orders.
I interrupted.
“He'll see your men coming.”
“He won't.”
“Adrian.”
He looked at me.
“I spent seven years thinking my child was dead. I'm not sitting in your penthouse while someone takes him from me again.”
“You're not trained for this.”
“Neither is Evan.”
That ended the argument.
Forty minutes later, I entered the abandoned facility alone.
Or appeared to.
Adrian's people stayed outside Vale's visible perimeter.
Richard waited inside the old laboratory.
Seven years had aged him.
His smile hadn't changed.
“Emily.”
“Where is Evan?”
“You haven't changed.”
“Where is my son?”
He smiled.
“So you've confirmed it.”
A door opened.
Evan sat in a chair.
He wasn't injured.
I nearly collapsed with relief.
“Mom?”
The word stopped me.
Richard noticed.
“How touching.”
“Let him go.”
“Give me access to Meridian's current surgical AI architecture.”
“No.”
He laughed.
“You haven't learned.”
“I learned enough.”
“You built a ten-billion-dollar company from work I helped fund.”
“You stole from me.”
“I created the circumstances that made you successful.”
Evan frowned.
“That doesn't make sense.”
Richard looked at him.
“Children should be quiet.”
Evan's expression became cold.
“My father doesn't speak to me like that.”
Richard laughed.
“Adrian Kane isn't your father.”
“Yes, he is.”
“He isn't your blood.”
Evan looked directly at him.
“So?”
Richard's smile faded.
Evan continued.
“He stayed.”
I had never loved anyone more fiercely than I did in that moment.
Richard grabbed Evan's shoulder.
“Enough.”
“Take your hand off him.”
Richard looked at me.
“Password.”
“No.”
“You think Kane is coming?”
“I know he is.”
Richard smiled.
“That would be unfortunate.”
Lights suddenly died.
Darkness.
Richard cursed.
Emergency lights flickered red.
Then Adrian's voice came through the building speakers.
“Richard.”
Vale froze.
Adrian sounded almost conversational.
“You took my son.”
Richard pulled Evan closer.
“Stay back!”
“You murdered my sister.”
“You can't prove anything.”
“Actually,” I said, “we can.”
Richard looked at me.
I held up my phone.
“Martin Cole gave a full statement.”
His face changed.
That hesitation was enough.
Evan stomped hard on Richard's foot and ducked away.
“Run!” I shouted.
Evan sprinted toward me.
Richard lunged after him.
The side door opened.
Adrian appeared.
He didn't charge.
Didn't shout.
He simply positioned himself between Richard and Evan.
Behind him came Marcus and two security officers.
Richard stopped.
Adrian stared at him.
“You spent seven years hiding.”
Richard backed away.
“You don't understand.”
“I understand everything.”
“You think you're his father?”
Adrian glanced at Evan.
“Yes.”
Richard pointed at me.
“She gave him away.”
I stepped forward.
“You stole him.”
Richard smiled bitterly.
“And now what? You three become a family?”
Nobody answered.
Richard laughed.
“Look at you. A Mafia boss. A billionaire CEO. A stolen child. That's not a family.”
Evan walked between Adrian and me.
He took Adrian's hand.
Then mine.
“Yes, it is.”
Richard's smile disappeared.
Police sirens approached outside.
He looked at Adrian.
“You called the police?”
Adrian's expression remained calm.
“This time, I want you alive long enough to answer every question.”
Officers entered moments later.
As Richard was taken away, Evan tightened his fingers around mine.
“Emily?”
“Yes?”
“Can I call you Mom?”
I couldn't speak.
So I nodded.
Evan smiled.
Then Adrian noticed something.
“Where's your necklace?”
Evan looked down.
“I left it at home.”
“Why?”
May you like
Evan looked at me.
“Because I knew she'd come.”
