Chapter 10: The First Sign of Trouble.

By morning, Justin Rivers’ P.A. ushered Ted Warren into his office.

The moment Ted saw the screen displaying the chairman's avatar, color drained from his face like he'd seen the grim reaper himself.

Justin spoke from behind his large desk.

“I see you already know why you're here.”

Ted swallowed.

“Mr. President,” he stammered, his voice shaky. “Please, hear me out-”

“I’m sure you got an explanation for what you did,” Ary's voice cut him off calmly.

“Seat.”

Ted complied.

Justin slid a folder across the desk.

“Go ahead. Open it.”

The man opened the folder with shaky hands and went still as soon as he saw time-stamped account statements.

Ary had spent the rest of the night digging up information about Ted Warren.

He'd hacked into his financial accounts, tracing suspicious deposits, and now, the evidence of his crime stared the man in the face.

The only sounds in the room for a while were the quiet hum of the AC and Ted’s shaky breaths.

“You let Keystone into my servers,” Ary's voice sliced through the quiet. “Thrice.”

Ted jolted out of his daze, stuttering,

“I-I didn't have a choice. I swear!”

Justin crossed his arms and watched without showing any emotion.

Ary carried on.

“Before the close of the day, submit a detailed report of everything that transpired between you and them. If you leave out anything, I'd know it. You'll also meet your contact, and let them know that the deal you promised is off.”

Ted blinked. “They're going to kill me.”

“They should,” Ary said evenly. You're a waste of their money.”

He stared at Justin, breathing heavily.

“It wasn't about the money. They threatened to kill my family,” he blurted out.

“I see,” Ary replied dryly.

He allowed a few seconds to pass, as if he was considering the man's predicament.

“I won't hurt your family.” he resumed speaking, picking his words deliberately. “I'll just make sure they bear the grave consequences of your disloyalty.”

Ted drew a sharp breath, his eyes widening.

“Your daughter, Lily,” Ary asked. “She just turned sixteen, yes?”

Ted blinked, his brows creasing as he nodded.

Ary snapped his fingers and said, “Uganda.”

“What?” Ted choked.

“You see, I got people. They specialize in relocations. Lily will be sent to Uganda. Danielle, to Lahore. Your wife,” he paused. “Justin, Croatia, was it?”

“Croatia is correct,” Justin supplied flatly.

The words hung between them for a moment before Ted exploded, his fists clenched.

“What is wrong with you people? What the hell are you doing?”

“Nothing. Yet,” Ary replied in the same tone.

“However, you now know that the plan is to scatter your family. One each to a different continent, with nothing but the clothes on their backs, and enough money to last a week. New IDs. New lives. Bureaucracy as a wall.”

“That's worse than killing them.”

“And they'll know it was your fault because you'll tell them yourself,” Ary went on, unmoved.

“I'll place them so far apart that a lifetime won't be enough to stitch them back together.”

He lowered his voice before adding, “And if they ever get close to finding each other, I'll just start all over again.”

“Stop!” Ted cried. “I'll do it. I'll do as you say.”

“Dismissed.”

As the man stumbled towards the door, Ary added, “The same plan applies should you decide to run.”

Ted scurried out quietly, but his whimpers echoed softly behind him.

Justin waited until the door closed. Then he poured himself some water. “It's no wonder they spin those rumors about the evil chairman.”

Ary turned on his video. “I want Keystone.”

“You mean you want to crush them?” Justin asked.

A sly smirk touched the corner of Ary’s mouth. “Own, Justin. Let's make them property. They got inside my company; I'll take everything of theirs.”

“This should've been wine, huh?” Justin chuckled, holding up his glass. “I suddenly feel like toasting.”

He emptied the glass and dropped it on the table with a light thud. “Where do we start?”

Ary leaned back into his seat as he replied.

“We crash their stocks, then monitor the market. Once they drop to twenty-four a share, we buy them out.”

Justin nodded.

“Got it.”

“Buy everything, including from board members that'll jump ship,” he added. “I want the highest seat in Keystone within six months.”

“Leave that to me,” Justin said, as his phone buzzed.

After reading the text he'd received, he got up and tucked the phone into his pocket.

“Gotta go. April’s landing in ten minutes. I promised to pick her up.”

“Alright,” Ary said, ending the call.

He pushed back from his desk, about to rise when his phone buzzed, punctuating the silence that had enveloped the room.

It was a text from his mother:

“Hello Ary, I intend to return to Boston soon. I hope I get to spend some time with you.”

He read it again to be sure, and while he did, his hand formed into a tight fist.

Then, he dialed his private investigator.

“Chappelle,” he said as soon as the man answered. “Find out what Dina has been up to.”

“Sir, could you be more specific?” Chappelle asked.

“She’s coming back,” Ary said. “Go as far back as five years. Even further if you have to. Everything.”

“Got it, Sir.”

Ary ended the call and watched the rain smear the city lights.

His mother’s message echoed in his head. It was simple and ordinary, yet capable of rousing sleeping demons.

~~~~~

ELENA

“So?” I asked after the doctor wiped off the gel on my belly.

“Your baby is healthy, and there's no reason to expect any trouble.”

“Thank you,” I said, getting off the examination bed.

This appointment would be my last. I was lucky the clinic

was very close to the mall I shopped at regularly.

“There are people you could talk to if you need help,” the doctor said softly, gesturing to the side of my face where Brad had hit me.

Concern was written all over hers.

And before I could respond, she slid two papers into my hand. One was the sonogram, and the other had a phone number written on it.

“It’s available 24/7,” she said.

I nodded, left, and hurried straight to the mall.

I squeezed and tossed the paper into a trash can without a second thought.

I was my own rescue. And unless they're helping me vanish, I didn't need anyone’s help.

When I got back to the house, I headed for the laundry room and began sorting Brad’s clothes.

A foil paper folded into a a square shape fell out of one of his pants.

Picking it up, I opened it to find an SD card.

At first, I set it aside.

Then curiosity prevailed. Picking it up, I inserted it into my phone.

Then, I settled into the blindspot to view its contents.

The gallery opened in a rush of thumbnails. Eight time-stamped video files stared back at me.

Unease crept up my spine, yet I couldn't stop myself.

I tapped the first thumbnail.