Jason sat on the edge of the leather chair in the clinic’s lounge, his phone in his hand, heart pounding like it hadn’t in years. His body remembered the training—the calm in chaos, the steel nerves. But his soul... his soul was raw.He remembered.Everything.Fedora. The contract. The fake marriage. The twins' unexpected arrival. Their first cries. Her trembling hand in his the night before Cuba.The explosion.The fall.The cold black water swallowing everything he was.And now? Now he was here. Rebuilt. Awake. Alone.He dialed the number slowly, finger hovering for a beat before he pressed call. He didn’t know what he would say, only what he couldn’t. Not yet.The line rang twice.“Hello?”Her voice—low, warm, surprised. His throat clenched.“Fedora.”“Jason?”“Yes. Sorry for calling out of the blue.”“Oh... no, it’s fine. I was just putting the kids to bed. Is everything alright?”He exhaled. She hadn’t changed. Still calm in the storm.“I just... I’ve been thinking. About you. Th
The plane touched down in Dallas just past midnight. Agent Mowe didn’t wait for a car. He flagged the nearest black SUV, flashed his badge, and within minutes was speeding toward the precinct where the attempted abduction had been reported.He didn’t bother calling Fedora. Not yet.He needed facts before emotions.At the station, the suspect was still in custody—silent, smug, uncooperative. The children’s testimonies had already been documented, but Mowe requested their statements again, this time privately recorded under federal security protocols.The man wouldn’t talk. But his silence was too careful—too measured. Mowe had interrogated war criminals. He knew the look of a pawn protecting a queen.And he knew exactly where the queen was.***New York…Jason’s body convulsed slightly as the electro-stimulation eased through his neural pathways. The doctor’s voice was distant, muffled, but then—“Agent Carlstone… are you with us?”Everything went white. Then gold. Then a blast of red.
The clinic air smelled of eucalyptus and sterile hope. Jason lay in a dimly lit room, electrodes taped to his temples, eyes fluttering beneath closed lids as the neuro-recall session surged through him like lightning trapped in the veins of memory.Agent Mowe watched from behind a reinforced glass wall, arms crossed, face unreadable. But inside, he was a storm. Every flinch, every breath Judah took was a reminder: they were running out of time.The doctor emerged an hour later, eyes weary but faintly encouraged. “It’s slow. But we’re making progress. He remembered a voice today. Said it called him ‘Carlstone’—but he couldn't place the face yet.”Mowe nodded. “Did he mention a name? Fedora?”The doctor shook his head. “Not yet. But he’s asking about the children more often. The bond must be deep.”Inside the room, Jason stirred, his eyes opening slowly. The pupils dilated, confused, but… calmer than yesterday.Mowe walked in, pulling a chair close. “You with me?”Jason blinked. “I saw…
He was leaving in the morning.Jason stood alone on the balcony of the villa, the Dubai skyline glittering like a thousand secrets waiting to unravel. The night air was warm, fragrant with hibiscus and dust, but none of it reached him. His thoughts were elsewhere—New York, memory treatments, lies spun with too much ease.Beauty had fallen asleep earlier, her head resting on his chest, murmuring something about honeymoon options in Amalfi. He’d nodded along, fingers stroking her hair, his voice low and reassuring—just enough not to raise suspicion. He hated how natural the lies had become. Hated how good he was at them.The next morning, over breakfast, he mentioned the Italy trip again. “I’ve been planning a surprise for you,” he said, reaching across the table for her hand. “Just something small in Florence. Might take a couple of weeks to finalize things with the design team there.”Beauty looked up from her croissant, curiosity sparking in her eyes. “Florence? What are you planning?
He was leaving in the morning.Jason stood alone on the balcony of the villa, the Dubai skyline glittering like a thousand secrets waiting to unravel. The night air was warm, fragrant with hibiscus and dust, but none of it reached him. His thoughts were elsewhere—New York, memory treatments, lies spun with too much ease.Beauty had fallen asleep earlier, her head resting on his chest, murmuring something about honeymoon options in Amalfi. He’d nodded along, fingers stroking her hair, his voice low and reassuring—just enough not to raise suspicion. He hated how natural the lies had become. Hated how good he was at them.The next morning, over breakfast, he mentioned the Italy trip again. “I’ve been planning a surprise for you,” he said, reaching across the table for her hand. “Just something small in Florence. Might take a couple of weeks to finalize things with the design team there.”Beauty looked up from her croissant, curiosity sparking in her eyes. “Florence? What are you planning
Jason Brooks had perfected the art of pretending.He woke up beside Beauty every morning with a smile carved so well it could win awards. He laughed at her jokes, touched her with gentle affection, played the role of the devoted fiancé, the driven businessman, and the man with nothing to hide. But behind those calm eyes, a storm raged—quiet and calculated.He was a man with no past.But now, he was determined to reclaim it.And that meant watching.Listening. Waiting. Pretending.***Three weeks had passed since his return from New York. Each day, he wore his mask better. But something about Beauty’s increased restlessness pricked at him. Her calls with Eric became more frequent. Whispered conversations. Sudden silences when he entered the room.She was hiding something.And now, he needed to know what.***It happened on a Tuesday evening.Beauty had left her iPad on the kitchen counter. She was in the bedroom speaking to her sister—or so she said. But a message popped up from Eric