Chapter 608

The air in the storage room was thick and stifling, a mix of fishy and rusty smells hanging in the air.

Gabriel and Travis huddled together behind some moldy wooden crates, pressed tightly against each other.

Travis's toes had gone numb from staying in the same position for too long, feeling like countless tiny needles were pricking them.

"Gabriel, my foot hurts," Travis whispered, his little face scrunched up in pain.

Gabriel immediately put a finger to his lips, then gently massaged Travis's calf.

The footsteps outside came and went, each approach making Gabriel and Travis hold their breath.

Gabriel could feel Travis's body trembling slightly. He tried to comfort him the way Zoey usually did, gently patting his back.

Suddenly, Travis's right foot cramped up.

The three-year-old couldn't help but let out a small cry. Though he quickly covered his mouth with his tiny hands, the sound was unmistakably clear in the silence.

The footsteps outside stopped abruptly.

Gabriel's heart pounded in his throat. He hugged Travis tightly, their small bodies pressed against the wall, wishing they could melt into it.

"What was that?" A gruff male voice asked. It was one of the kidnappers they hadn't seen before.

The clutter in front of the crates was kicked aside roughly, and sunlight suddenly pierced the corner where Gabriel and Travis were hiding.

A tall shadow loomed over them, the backlight only revealing a menacing silhouette.

"They're here!" The man shouted, reaching out to grab Travis, who was closest to him.

Gabriel reacted quickly, pulling Travis behind him and standing in front.

"Don't touch Travis!" He yelled, his voice young but full of courage.

The man hesitated for a moment, then sneered, "Feisty little brat!" He grabbed Gabriel by the collar, lifting him like a kitten.

"Gabriel!" Travis cried, lunging forward and biting the man's leg hard.

"Damn it!" The man yelped in pain, kicking Travis away.

Travis fell to the ground, scraping his forehead and drawing blood.

At that moment, a blonde woman and a red-haired woman rushed in.

The red-haired woman saw the scene and grinned wickedly. "I knew they wouldn't get far!"

She grabbed Gabriel's thin arm from behind, her nails digging into his skin.

Gabriel's eyes filled with tears from the pain, but he stubbornly refused to cry out.

He struggled desperately in the red-haired woman's grip, his small feet kicking wildly, one of them landing a blow to her stomach.

The red-haired woman winced, her grip loosening instinctively.

Gabriel slipped from her grasp, hitting the back of his head on the ground with a sickening thud, then lay motionless.

"Gabriel!" Travis ignored his own pain, crawling over to Gabriel, crying.

Gabriel's eyes were closed, his face pale, with only the faint rise and fall of his chest showing he was still alive.

The red-haired woman froze, looking panicked at her accomplice. "I didn't mean to."

The kidnapper man stormed over, furious. "Idiot! If he dies, how are we supposed to sell him?"

The blonde woman knelt to check Gabriel's condition, then sighed in relief. "He's just unconscious. There's a bump on his head, but no bleeding. When the buyer arrives, we'll say he's asleep."

She stood up coldly. "Once we get the money, it doesn't matter if he's dead or alive."

Hearing this, Travis lifted his tear-streaked face, eyes blazing with anger.

Travis suddenly charged at the red-haired woman like a furious little beast, pounding her leg with all his might. "You're bad people! I'll kill you! Get a doctor, or Gabriel will die!"

The red-haired woman impatiently kicked Travis away. "Shut up! Make another sound and I'll kill you right now!"

The man roughly dragged Gabriel and Travis back to the living room, tying their hands and feet with coarse rope.

Travis's struggles were futile against the adult's strength, and he was quickly bound.

Gabriel remained unconscious, tossed carelessly onto the couch, the bruise on his forehead growing more pronounced.

"How long until the buyer gets here?" The man asked irritably.

The blonde woman checked her watch. "An hour. We need to get ready."

She stopped mid-sentence.

In the distance, the sound of engines roared, not just one but several.

Then came the piercing wail of police sirens.

"Police!" The red-haired woman exclaimed, rushing to the window and peeking through the curtain. Her face turned ashen. "We're done for. At least five speedboats and a helicopter!"

"How is that possible? How did they find us?" The man raged, grabbing the blonde woman by the collar. "You said this place was safe!"

Travis's eyes lit up at the sound of the sirens.

Travis knew it had to be his mom and dad coming to find them! He wriggled his bound body, inching over to Gabriel, pressing his cheek against Gabriel's cold face. "Gabriel, hang on, Dad's here."

The kidnappers were in chaos. The man grabbed a backpack and ran towards the back of the house, while the two women hurriedly gathered valuables.

But it was too late.

With a loud crash, the front door was kicked open.

Heavily armed police officers poured in, their guns trained on everyone inside.

"Freeze! Police!"

In the midst of the chaos, a tall figure stormed into the living room like a whirlwind.

Travis looked up through his tears and saw the person he had been longing for.

"Dad!" Travis's cry was heart-wrenching.

Henry's face was darker than a stormy sea.

He immediately saw the unconscious Gabriel on the couch and the injured Travis, the fury in his eyes almost tangible.

But when he approached the children, his movements were incredibly gentle.

"Sweetheart, Daddy's here," Henry's voice was hoarse, his fingers trembling as he untied the ropes around Travis.

As soon as he was free, Travis threw himself into Henry's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Dad, Gabriel hit his head. You need to get a doctor, or Gabriel will die," Travis cried, clutching Henry's collar tightly.

Henry quickly checked Gabriel's condition.

Gabriel's face was deathly pale, his breathing weak, with a bump the size of an egg on the back of his head.

Henry carefully picked up Gabriel, feeling the heartbreakingly light weight of his small body.

"The rescue boat is right outside. We'll get Gabriel to the hospital immediately." Henry held Gabriel securely with one arm and took Travis's hand with the other. "Can you walk, Travis?"

Travis nodded vigorously, despite his shaking knees. He insisted on walking himself, not wanting to burden Henry.

As they passed the kidnappers, who were being pinned to the ground by the police, Travis suddenly stopped and pointed at the red-haired woman. "She hurt Gabriel! Bad person!"

Henry's gaze was as sharp as a blade as it swept over the woman, making her flinch involuntarily.

"She'll pay for this," Henry promised in a low voice, the coldness in his tone sending shivers down the spines of the surrounding officers.