Chapter 7: The Warning

CHAPTER 7: The Warning

Emily POV

Nathan moved in front of me protectively and demanded to know what Blake wanted, but the man simply pointed to the passenger seat in invitation while keeping his hands visible to show he wasn't armed.

I should have walked away, should have let Nathan call security and handle this like a rational person, but something in Blake's expression stopped me, it wasn't threatening or aggressive but desperate and scared, like he was the one in danger not me.

Nathan grabbed my arm and said absolutely not, you're not getting in a car with a stranger, but I reminded him that Richard mentioned Blake was his new business partner and surely Richard wouldn't work with someone dangerous.

That's exactly why you shouldn't trust him, Nathan argued, because we don't know why Richard brought him into the company or what Blake really wants, and for all we know this could be Jason's latest scheme to hurt you.

Blake's window rolled down further and he called out that he had information about Jason's plans, plans that involved kidnapping the children and fleeing the country, and if I didn't listen to him then by tomorrow morning Lily and Ethan would be gone forever.

My blood turned cold and I moved toward the car before Nathan could stop me, yanking open the passenger door and climbing in while Nathan cursed and ran around to the driver's side, but Blake hit the locks and sped away before Nathan could reach us.

I should have been terrified but instead I felt strangely calm as I turned to Blake and demanded he tell me everything right now or I'm calling the police, and he glanced at me while navigating through traffic with practiced ease.

He explained that Richard hired him three months ago to investigate Jason's business practices and during that investigation he'd uncovered something disturbing. Jason had been in contact with a private security firm that specialized in international child recovery,which was a polite way of saying kidnapping.

I asked why Jason would need to kidnap his own children when he could just file for custody, and Blake's expression turned grim as he explained that's exactly the point, Jason knew he'd lose in court so he was planning to take the children during his supervised visitation and disappear to Brazil which has no extradition treaty with the United States.

My hands started up shaking and I asked how Blake knew this, and he pulled out a tablet and showed me emails between Jason and someone named Viktor, a former Russian military operative who now ran a company called International Family Services, which sounded legitimate but was actually a front for parental abductions.

The emails were detailed and chilling, Jason offering Viktor fifty thousand dollars to grab the children during a park visit and transport them to a private airfield where Jason would be waiting with fake passports, and once in Brazil they'd establish new identities and Jason could start over with his children while Emily was left with nothing.

I felt sick and asked when this was supposed to happen, and Blake's answer made my heart stopped , tomorrow afternoon during Jason's first supervised visitation which was scheduled ata public park per the custody agreement.

I realized I'd walked right into a trap by agreeing to that location instead of insisting on supervised visitation at a facility, and Blake nodded while saying Jason's lawyer specifically requested outdoor visitation knowing it would be easier to execute the kidnapping.

I asked why Blake was telling me this instead of going to Richard or the police, and his expression shifted to something haunted and sad as he explained his younger sister was kidnapped by her ex-husband fifteen years ago, taken to Saudi Arabia where she had no legal rights and no way to escape, and she died there three years ago never seeing her family again.

He said he'd spent the last fifteen years tracking parental abduction rings and shutting them down whenever possible, and when he discovered Jason's plans he knew he had to warn me directly because going through official channels would take too long and give Jason time to adjust his plans.

I asked what I should do and Blake pulled the car into an empty parking garage, killed the engine, then turned to face me with intensity that was almost frightening, you need to cancel tomorrow's visitation and file an emergency motion with the court citing credible threats, and you need to do it tonight before Jason realizes you know.

But I had a better idea forming in my mind, what if instead of canceling we let Jason think his plan is working, we show up to the park tomorrow with undercover agents posing as random people, and when Viktor tries to grab the children we catch them both in the act with undeniable evidence.

Blake considered this and finally nodded while admitting it could work if we had the right team in place, and he happened to know several former FBI agents who owed him favors and could provide discreet security, they'd look like regular park visitors but be ready to intervene the moment Viktor made his move.

I asked why he was helping me beyond just the moral obligation, there had to be something more, and Blake's expression cracked slightly as he admitted Richard had promised him something in return for protecting me.

He explained that Richard discovered information about Blake's sister's location before she died, information that could help Blake bring her ex-husband to justice for her murder, but Richard would only share that information if Blake kept me safe from Jason's schemes.

So this was a transaction after all, Blake protecting me in exchange for revenge against his sister's killer, and while part of me bristled at being used as a bargaining chip I understood the motivation, we both wanted justice and sometimes that required an uncomfortable alliance .

I agreed to Blake's plan and we spent the next hour coordinating details, he'd contact his team and have them in position by noon tomorrow, I'd show up to the park with Lily and Ethan at the scheduled time acting like everything was normal, and Nathan would be nearby with additional backup in case things went sideways.

Blake drove me back to the Lotus building where Nathan was pacing frantically with his phone pressed to his ear, probably calling Richard or security or both, and when he saw me coming out of Blake's car his relief transformed into fury.

He demanded to know what I was thinking about getting into a stranger's car and disappearing for an hour. “Do you have any idea how worried I was?” He asked , and I explained everything Blake told me while Nathan's expression shifted from anger to horror

Nathan insisted on being part of tomorrow's operation and Blake agreed but warned him that his job was to protect Emily not to engage with Viktor, leave the takedown to the professionals or someone might get hurt.

As Blake drove away Nathan pulled me into his arms and held me tight while his heart beat against my chest, and he whispered that he can't lose me, not now, not when I'm finally back where I belong.

I promised him he won't lose me because I'm not the same woman who let Jason control her life for seven years, I'm Emily Lothan and I don't hide from threats, I face them head on and destroy them. I promised even though we both knew I wouldn't keep that promise, I'm not running anymore from anyone or anything.

My phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number and my heart skipped when I read it, the message said “I know you know about tomorrow and I've adjusted my plans accordingly, if you bring cops or security then I detonate the bomb I've planted at Lily's school, you have a choice Emily, give me my children willingly or watch your daughter's classmates die”.

The message included a photo of Lily's elementary school with a red circle around the playground where a small device was visible attached to the equipment.

Jason had just escalated from kidnapping to terrorism.