Chapter 11: Rescue Mission
1891words
“I count at least four men,” Ethan observed the area around the villa through night vision binoculars. “Two at the front door, one in the backyard, and another patrolling.”
“Fewer than I expected,” I whispered. “Your father probably doesn’t want to attract too much attention.”
Ethan nodded, then turned to me, his eyes filled with a softness and vulnerability I’d never seen before. “Olivia, whatever happens, remember our priority is Leo’s safety. If things get dangerous, take him and go. I’ll cover you both.”
“We leave together,” I said firmly, my fingers lightly touching his arm, feeling the tension in his muscles beneath his suit. “I won’t leave you behind.”
Ethan’s hand covered mine, warm and strong. “The plan stays the same. I’ll circle around to create a distraction and draw the guards away. You’ll enter through the garage. The safe room is on the east side of the basement. The password is Leo’s birthday.”
“Be careful,” I said softly, my voice carrying undisguisable concern.
Ethan’s gaze softened as his hand gently cupped my face, his thumb caressing my cheek. “You too.”
We split up. Ethan circled around to the back of the villa, ready to create a distraction to attract the guards’ attention, while I would use this opportunity to sneak in through the garage.
Suddenly, a loud crash came from the distance, followed by an alarm. Ethan had succeeded. I saw two guards immediately run toward the source of the sound—this was my chance.
I quickly approached the garage door and entered the code Ethan had given me. The door slid open silently, and I slipped inside, immediately locating the stairs leading to the basement.
“Sophie, it’s me,” I whispered through the earpiece. “I’m in the garage, heading to the safe room now.”
“Thank God,” Sophie’s voice was filled with relief. “Leo is fine, but he’s scared. Hurry, they’ve cut the main power. The safe room’s backup system will only last an hour.”
I quickened my pace, carefully avoiding potential traps. The basement was pitch black, with only emergency lights providing dim illumination. I felt my way forward until I finally reached the safe room door.
“Sophie, it’s me. Open the door.”
The door slowly opened, and Sophie stood there, a handgun in her grip. She looked tired but alert, her blonde hair disheveled around her shoulders.
“Mommy!” Leo’s voice came from the depths of the room. He rushed over and hugged my legs, his little face streaked with tears, his eyes red and swollen from crying. I held him tightly, kissing his forehead, feeling the warmth and heartbeat of his small body in my arms. In that moment, all my fears and worries dissolved into profound relief.
“It’s okay, baby. Mommy’s here now,” I comforted him softly, my fingers combing through his soft black hair.
“Bad men wanted to take me away,” Leo sobbed. “They said I’m part of the Morgan family and should be with them.”
My heart constricted at these words, anger and protectiveness washing over me like a tidal wave. I held Leo tightly, whispering in his ear, “No one is going to take you away, baby. Mom and Dad won’t allow it.”
Just then, Ethan’s voice came through my earpiece: “Olivia, I’ve been discovered. There are more of them than we thought. You and Leo need to leave immediately through the east exit. Sophie will take you to a safe location.”
My heart stopped for a moment. “No,” I said firmly, my voice trembling slightly with emotion. “We leave together.”
“There’s no time,” his voice was urgent, with shouts and footsteps in the background. “They’re moving toward the basement. Take Leo and go, protect the evidence. I’ll hold them off.”
Sophie quickly opened another door in the safe room that connected to an emergency escape route. “This path leads to the woods. The car is parked there.”
I picked up Leo, ready to leave, but he suddenly broke free from my embrace, his little face full of determination. “No! We can’t leave Daddy behind!”
Leo’s words shocked me. He had only just met Ethan, yet he already cared so deeply for him. Was this the power of blood ties? Or a child’s natural sensitivity?
“Leo, Daddy will be fine,” I tried to reassure him, keeping my voice as calm as possible despite my own worries. “He’ll come find us.”
“No,” Leo shook his head stubbornly, his green eyes flashing with the same determination I’d seen in Ethan’s, his small hands clenched into fists. “There are too many bad guys. He needs help.”
I looked at Sophie, who nodded, her gaze resolute. “Take Leo and go. I’ll help Ethan.”
I struggled internally for a moment, then made my decision. “No,” I said firmly. “You take Leo and get him to safety. I’ll go help Ethan.”
I crouched down to Leo’s eye level, gently cupping his little face in my hands. “Baby, Mommy needs to go help Daddy. You go with Aunt Sophie first, and we’ll come find you very soon, okay?”
Leo nodded tearfully, his small hand gripping mine tightly. “You promise?”
“I promise.” I kissed his forehead, then watched as Sophie led him into the escape tunnel. After making sure they had safely departed, I picked up the handgun Sophie had left behind, took a deep breath, and headed upstairs.
—
The basement stairs led to the kitchen. I carefully pushed open the door and heard arguing from the living room.
“You’ve betrayed the family, Ethan!” a voice I recognized roared. “For that woman and her child!”
“That’s my son, Father,” Ethan’s voice was calm and firm, without a hint of yielding. “Your grandson. You want to kidnap your own flesh and blood?”
I quietly approached, peering through the door crack to see the situation in the living room. Ethan stood in the center, facing his father and two bodyguards. There was blood at the corner of his mouth, but his posture remained tall and straight.
“That child is Morgan blood,” William said coldly. “He should receive the appropriate education and upbringing, not be raised by a single investigator parent.”
“Like how you ‘raised’ me?” Ethan asked sarcastically, his voice filled with years of suppressed pain and anger. “Depriving me of choices, controlling my life?”
William’s expression darkened, a flash of hurt crossing his eyes before quickly returning to indifference. “Everything I’ve done has been for the family.”
“No,” Ethan shook his head. “Everything you’ve done has been for power. You even murdered Olivia’s parents to get that algorithm.”
William’s face changed. “Thompson told you? That coward.”
“I discovered it myself,” Ethan said calmly. “And I have the evidence.”
William sneered. “Evidence? You mean that USB drive? My men will find it soon enough, along with that woman.”
Just then, a bodyguard’s radio suddenly burst with harsh static, followed by an urgent voice: “Sir, emergency! We’ve searched the entire basement. The safe room is empty!”
William’s face instantly contorted. “What?!” He whirled toward Ethan, his eyes burning with fury. “This is your doing? Where are they?!”
Ethan’s lips curved slightly upward, that calm confidence of having the upper hand further enraging William. “You’ve spent your life manipulating others, Father. But this time, it seems you’ve miscalculated.”
William’s chest heaved violently as he angrily waved his hand. A bodyguard immediately stepped forward, his fist slamming into Ethan’s abdomen. Ethan doubled over in pain, staggering backward. The bodyguard was preparing for a second blow—
I couldn’t bear it anymore. I pushed open the door and raised my gun. “Stop!”
The air in the room seemed to freeze. Everyone turned toward me with varying expressions—shock in William’s eyes, wariness on the bodyguards’ faces, and Ethan… Ethan’s eyes flashed with worry and anger.
“Olivia, no!” His voice was tense, full of warning. “You should have left with Leo!”
“I won’t leave you behind,” I said firmly, my gun aimed at William. “Enough, William. It’s over. The evidence has been safely sent out. The police will be here soon.”
William’s expression shifted from shock to calm. “You think this ends here? I have the best lawyers, the most influential friends. You think your little evidence can touch me?”
He suddenly signaled to one of his bodyguards, who quickly drew his gun. Everything happened so fast—the dark barrel was already aimed at me. Time seemed to slow, my heartbeat thundering in my ears as I instinctively raised my own gun and pulled the trigger. At the same moment, Ethan’s figure lunged toward me like lightning, forcefully pushing me to the side.
The gunshot was deafening in the enclosed space, followed by the brittle sound of shattering glass. I fell hard to the floor with Ethan’s body covering mine. Warm liquid dripped onto my face, and I looked up to see him clenching his teeth, his suit soaked with blood at the shoulder.
“Ethan!” I cried out in horror, my fingers trembling as they touched his wound, feeling the warm blood flow between my fingers. Fear and concern washed over me like a tidal wave, nearly suffocating me.
“I’m fine,” he reassured me, though clearly struggling. “Just a graze.”
I quickly scanned the room. One bodyguard lay on the floor with a bullet wound in his leg, groaning in pain. William and the other bodyguard had vanished.
“They’ve escaped,” Ethan struggled to his feet, pressing his hand against his bleeding shoulder, his face pale from blood loss.
In the distance, police sirens cut through the night, growing closer.
“Sophie contacted the police,” I said, my voice trembling slightly from tension and relief. “It’s over, Ethan. It’s really over.” Fear wrapped around my heart like vines. “You need medical attention immediately. You’re losing too much blood.”
“What about Leo?” he asked, his voice filled with concern.
“He’s with Sophie. They’ve safely left,” I said softly, tightly wrapping his wound with my jacket. “When we were separating… Leo refused to go. He said we couldn’t leave Daddy behind.”
Ethan froze, a light I’d never seen before flashing in his eyes. He wanted to say something but winced from the pain in his shoulder, only able to grip my hand tightly.
The blue and red lights of police cars flickered through the windows, casting our shadows on the wall, alternately bright and dim. The sirens grew closer, like the dawn finally breaking after a long nightmare.
I supported Ethan as we hobbled toward the door, each step tightening my heart a little more. This night had changed so much—exposing eight years of lies, breaking carefully woven conspiracies, and reconnecting the bonds between us.
As the first police officer rushed into the villa, Ethan suddenly whispered in my ear: “Whatever happens, I will protect you both.”
Before I could respond, the police separated us. In that moment of being led in different directions, I looked back, tears blurring my vision. Ethan’s gaze cut through the chaotic crowd, firmly fixed on me, the promise in his eyes deeper than any vow.
Watching him surrounded by medical personnel, my heart felt gripped by an invisible hand. In that moment, I had only one thought: please don’t let me lose him again.
