Chapter 6 - Roman Voss Declares War for His Children’s Mother
Rain hammered the freight terminal roof.
Roman and I entered through the loading bay carrying a metal case Elena claimed contained Helix’s client records.
Shaw’s men searched us at the door.
They found no visible weapons.
Roman had hidden the pistol beneath the false bottom of the case.
The terminal was enormous, filled with shipping containers and rusted machinery. One hanging light swung overhead, throwing long shadows across the concrete.
The triplets sat near the center of the warehouse.
Leo was crying.
Adrian kicked against his straps.
Sofia called for me.
“Mom! Mom!”
I stepped forward.
A guard blocked me.
“Let me touch them.”
Dr. Shaw emerged from behind a container.
He looked exactly as I remembered—gray hair, gentle eyes, expensive glasses.
The same man who had held my hand while destroying my life.
“Pamela,” he said. “You look well.”
“You said my babies were dead.”
“It was necessary.”
“You drugged me.”
“You were not supposed to wake.”
Roman moved slightly in front of me.
Shaw smiled.
“So protective. Project Helix predicted strong paternal attachment, but this is beyond expectation.”
Roman placed the case on the floor.
“Release the children.”
“The files first.”
“Release one.”
Shaw considered it.
Then he nodded toward a guard.
Leo was unstrapped and pushed forward.
He stumbled on unsteady legs.
I dropped to my knees.
“Come here, sweetheart.”
Leo ran two steps, fell, then crawled toward me.
I pulled him against my chest.
His little body shook.
Roman’s hand rested briefly on Leo’s back.
“Two more,” he said.
Shaw shook his head.
“The files.”
Roman opened the case.
Inside were folders, drives, and a laptop.
Shaw’s eyes lit up.
He approached.
“Slide it over.”
Roman did.
The case stopped halfway between them.
Shaw crouched and examined the contents.
“Where is Elena?”
“Dead,” Roman said.
I looked at him.
Elena had been alive when we left, restrained in his study.
Shaw believed him.
“She always overestimated herself.”
He picked up one drive.
Roman’s gaze moved toward the swinging light.
That was the signal.
The entire warehouse went dark.
Gunfire erupted from the upper walkways.
Donovan’s men crashed through the side entrances.
Roman pulled the pistol from the case and fired at the guard beside Adrian.
I covered Leo with my body.
“Down!”
Shaw grabbed Sofia’s car seat and dragged it behind a container.
“No!” I screamed.
Roman ran after him.
I released Leo into Donovan’s arms as he reached us.
“Take the boys!”
“Pamela, stay here!”
I ignored him.
I followed Roman through the maze of containers.
Shaw’s footsteps echoed ahead.
Sofia screamed.
We reached the river loading platform.
Shaw stood near the edge, one arm locked around Sofia while a gun pressed against her side.
Roman stopped.
I nearly collided with him.
“Put the weapon down,” Shaw said.
Rain blew through the open loading doors.
Roman lowered his pistol.
“Let her go.”
“You destroyed twenty years of work.”
“You stole children.”
“I created them.”
“You combined stolen cells in a laboratory,” I said. “You did not create their lives.”
Shaw pointed the gun toward me.
“You were only a vessel.”
Roman stepped in front of me.
The barrel shifted to his chest.
Shaw smiled.
“There it is. The attachment response.”
Roman’s voice was calm.
“You chose my genetics because you thought strength was something measured in blood.”
“It is.”
“No. Strength is knowing when something matters more than your own life.”
Roman dropped his gun.
It struck the concrete.
Shaw looked satisfied.
Then Sofia bit his hand.
He shouted.
The gun jerked away from her.
I ran.
Roman reached Shaw first, slamming him against the railing.
Sofia slipped from his arm.
I caught her against my chest and fell hard onto my knees.
The gun skidded across the platform.
Shaw drove his elbow into Roman’s ribs.
Roman staggered.
Shaw grabbed the weapon.
A shot exploded.
Roman’s body jerked.
He collapsed beside the railing.
“Roman!”
I crawled toward him with Sofia clutched against me.
Blood spread across his black shirt.
Shaw raised the gun again.
Before he could fire, Donovan shot him from behind.
Shaw dropped to the concrete.
His gun fell from his hand.
The warehouse became silent except for the rain and Sofia’s crying.
I placed her beside me and pressed both hands against Roman’s wound.
“Look at me.”
His eyes fluttered.
“Children?”
“Safe.”
“All three?”
“Yes.”
He exhaled.
“Good.”
“Don’t close your eyes.”
“I’m tired.”
“You haven’t slept in a year. You can wait one more night.”
A faint smile touched his mouth.
“You’re very demanding.”
“You noticed.”
His hand found mine.
“Pamela.”
“No.”
“I need to tell you—”
“You can tell me after surgery.”
“Listen.”
His fingers tightened weakly.
“I did not know about you. I did not choose what they did.”
“I know.”
“But I would choose you now.”
Tears blurred my vision.
“You barely know me.”
“I know you ran into a gunfight for our daughter.”
“That was not a sensible decision.”
“Neither is this.”
His eyes closed.
“Roman!”
Medics rushed onto the platform.
They pulled me away while Donovan lifted Sofia.
Roman was placed on a stretcher.
As they carried him toward the ambulance, Leo and Adrian cried from across the warehouse.
“Da!”
Roman’s eyes opened at the sound.
He turned his head.
All three children were reaching toward him.
May you like
For the first time, he smiled without restraint.
Then the ambulance doors closed.
