Chapter 12 - THE BIRTHDAY AND THE ABDUCTION

We celebrated quietly in the safe house kitchen. Pancakes. Candles. Noah grinning from ear to ear. He made a wish and blew them all out in one breath.

“What did you wish for?” I asked.

“To go home,” he said simply.

My chest tightened. “We will. Very soon. I promise.”

At exactly ten o’clock, the power cut. Total darkness. The hum of air conditioning died. The security system went offline instantly.

I stood up slowly. “Sarah, take Noah to the hidden room. Now.”

She grabbed his hand. But before they could move, the front lock clicked. Smoothly. Quietly. Opened from outside.

Men poured in. Heavily armed. Faces masked. They moved with practiced speed. I raised my weapon, but one fired a gas canister straight at my feet. Smoke billowed instantly. I choked. Staggered. My vision blurred. Through the haze I saw them seize Sarah. Drag her screaming away. Reach for Noah.

“DADDY!” he shrieked.

I lunged. Grabbed his small hand. Held tight. For one terrible moment we strained against each other across empty space. Then someone struck me hard across the temple. My grip broke.

I fell. Head spinning. Darkness closing in. The last thing I heard was the door slam shut. And silence.

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When I woke hours later, the house was empty. Gas residue hung in the air. Broken glass littered the floor. On the kitchen table, laid precisely atop the cold pancake plates, was a single black raven feather. Beside it a typed note:

*He is where he belongs. Come to the island. Bring both ledgers. Come alone. Or the boy never sees daylight again.*