Chapter 15 - The Price of the Children

Chaos erupted.

Federal agents locked down the building.

Elena demanded answers.

“How did he get them?”

No one knew.

The children had been transferred to a protected residence that morning.

Only five officials knew the address.

Alejandro immediately understood.

“There’s another leak.”

Vivian shook her head.

“Not another.”

“The same one.”

Samuel Crane had spent decades building connections.

Judges.

Attorneys.

Security contractors.

Government officials.

Someone inside the protection operation was compromised.

Rafael called one hour later.

This time, he wanted Elena.

“Come alone.”

“Where?”

“You remember the clinic outside Homestead?”

Elena’s face went white.

“That clinic burned.”

“Not all of it.”

Rafael instructed her to arrive before midnight.

No police.

No trackers.

In exchange, the children would live.

Alejandro refused.

Elena looked at him.

“They are our children.”

“And he’ll kill you.”

“He has spent three years trying to control me because I was afraid.”

“I’m done being afraid.”

Federal agents prepared a covert operation.

But Vivian warned them.

“Rafael knows procedure.”

“He’ll scan vehicles.”

“Check drones.”

“Monitor cellular traffic.”

Alejandro looked at the map.

“There’s another entrance.”

Elena remembered it too.

During her captivity, clinic staff had occasionally transported laundry through an abandoned agricultural road behind the property.

Alejandro would use it.

Near midnight, Elena approached the burned clinic alone.

Rafael stood beneath a damaged awning.

Samuel Crane was beside him.

Elena stopped.

“You’re both here.”

Crane smiled.

“Family reunions have become fashionable.”

“Where are my children?”

Rafael pointed toward the building.

“Alive.”

Elena walked closer.

“What do you want?”

Crane produced legal documents.

“The infrastructure trust.”

“You sign voluntary transfer.”

“You record a statement clearing us.”

“And you permanently leave the United States.”

Elena looked at Rafael.

“And Alejandro?”

Rafael smiled.

“He survives.”

Crane glanced at him.

Rafael corrected himself.

“For tonight.”

Elena realized something.

Rafael and Crane no longer trusted each other.

That division could save them.

She picked up the pen.

Then looked toward Crane.

“Before I sign, I want one thing.”

“What?”

“I want to know which one of you killed Eduardo Castillo.”

Rafael looked at Crane.

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Crane looked at Rafael.

And that single glance told Elena everything.