Chapter 6 - The Warehouse at Pier Nine
I knew sneaking into the convoy was a terrible idea.
I also knew I could not sit in a skyscraper while strangers decided whether my mother lived.
I hid beneath a heavy black blanket between equipment cases.
The van moved for what felt like forever.
Men spoke quietly in the front.
I recognized Dante’s voice.
“Thermal surveillance shows twelve hostiles.”
Another man answered.
“Possible explosives on the east entrance.”
“Graves goes through the west.”
My heart pounded.
When the van stopped, I waited.
Doors opened.
Boots hit pavement.
Then silence.
I pushed away the blanket.
The warehouse district was surrounded by darkness and river fog.
Broken windows stared down from abandoned buildings.
Far away, I could see Nathaniel walking toward a warehouse alone.
He carried no visible weapon.
Dante stayed hidden behind stacked containers with his team.
I followed at a distance.
Every step felt too loud.
Inside the warehouse, industrial lamps buzzed above rusted machinery.
My mother sat in the center.
Calder stood behind her.
Nathaniel entered.
“I’m here.”
Calder smiled.
“Eleven years late.”
“Let her go.”
“Where’s Ruby?”
Nathaniel pointed toward the hooded figure being escorted inside.
Calder’s eyes narrowed.
“Remove the hood.”
A guard pulled it away.
The figure was a young female security officer wearing my dress over tactical clothes.
Calder’s smile vanished.
“You always were sentimental.”
He pressed a gun against my mother’s head.
Nathaniel stopped.
“You kill her, you lose everything.”
Calder laughed.
“I already lost everything when that child walked into your tower.”
My mother finally spoke.
“Nathaniel.”
His expression changed at the sound of her voice.
“Elena.”
Eleven years passed between them in one second.
My mother looked close to crying.
Then she noticed movement behind a crate.
Me.
Her eyes widened.
I put one finger against my lips.
Unfortunately, Calder noticed her reaction.
He turned.
I ducked.
“What are you looking at?”
“Nothing.”
Calder raised the gun.
Nathaniel moved slightly.
“Look at me.”
Calder smiled.
“You want to know why she left?”
“I already know.”
“No.”
“You know half.”
Calder leaned closer.
“She didn’t leave because she thought you killed her brother.”
My mother closed her eyes.
“She left because she discovered she was pregnant.”
Nathaniel’s jaw tightened.
“And she believed I would use the child as an heir.”
Calder laughed.
“I told her your enemies would carve the baby out of her if they knew.”
Nathaniel looked at my mother.
“You believed him?”
“I had just watched my brother die.”
Her voice cracked.
“I believed everyone around you was dangerous.”
Calder grinned.
“She was right.”
Then he suddenly aimed toward my hiding place.
“Come out, Ruby.”
My blood froze.
Nathaniel shouted.
“No.”
Calder fired.
The bullet struck the crate inches above my head.
My mother screamed my name.
I ran.
May you like
Nathaniel launched himself toward Calder.
And the entire warehouse erupted into gunfire.
