Chapter 73: "Echoes of Fire"

\# CHAPTER 73 – "Echoes of Fire"

\## POV: Eve

The pain hits me like a freight train going full speed.

Been having contractions for two hours now but this one's different. This one means business. Feels like someone's trying to rip me in half from the inside out.

"Dante!" I yell through gritted teeth.

He's by my side in seconds. Face white as a sheet. Man's faced down rival gangs and corrupt cops without blinking but watching me in labor has him scared out of his mind.

"What do you need?"

"This baby wants out. Now."

Dr. Rodriguez checks me over. His face gets serious. That ain't good. When doctors look serious during labor it usually means trouble.

"What is it?" Dante asks.

"The baby's coming early. About three weeks early."

"Is that bad?"

"Could be. Depends on how developed the lungs are. And there's something else."

"What?"

"The position's not right. Baby's breech. Feet first instead of head first."

My stomach drops. Been reading those pregnancy books. Know that breech births can go wrong fast. Real wrong.

"Can you turn it?" I ask.

"Too late for that. Baby's already engaged. We're gonna have to deliver this way."

Thunder crashes outside. Storm's been building all evening. Rain hitting the windows so hard it sounds like machine gun fire. Perfect night for bringing a baby into this world.

"How dangerous is it?" Dante's voice is tight.

"More dangerous than a normal delivery. But I've done this before. Just need everyone to stay calm and do what I say."

Another contraction hits. This one's worse than the last. I grab Dante's hand and squeeze till I hear his knuckles crack.

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize. Squeeze as hard as you need to."

The safe house bedroom's been turned into a makeshift delivery room. Clean sheets on the bed. Medical equipment everywhere. Tommy and his boys standing guard outside. Everything we can do to keep this birth safe and private.

"Eve I need you to push when the next contraction comes," Dr. Rodriguez says.

"I been pushing."

"I know. But this time really push. Like your life depends on it."

"It does depend on it."

The next contraction builds slow. Starts as pressure then turns into pain that makes everything else disappear. I push with everything I got. Feel something shift inside me.

"Good. I can see the feet. Keep going."

Push after push after push. Time stops meaning anything. Just pain and pressure and the need to get this baby out safe.

Then suddenly there's less pressure. Less pain.

"Got the body. Just the head now. One more big push Eve."

I push. Feel something slip free. Then there's crying. High pitched baby crying that's the most beautiful sound I ever heard.

"It's a boy," Dr. Rodriguez announces.

Dante starts crying. Big tough gangster reduced to tears by the sight of his son. Kid's small but loud. Screaming like he's mad about being born.

"Is he okay?" I ask.

"Let me check."

Dr. Rodriguez cleans the baby off. Checks his breathing. Counts fingers and toes. The routine stuff doctors do.

But his face gets strange. Confused.

"What's wrong?" Dante demands.

"Nothing's wrong exactly. Just... unusual."

"Unusual how?"

"The baby's heart rate is elevated. Way elevated. But he's not in distress. It's like his whole system is running faster than normal."

"What's that mean?"

"I'm not sure. Could be nothing. Could be something genetic. I'll need to run some tests."

He draws blood from the baby's heel. Just a few drops into a little vial. Kid screams louder but settles down when I hold him.

My son. Mine and Dante's. Perfect little face all scrunched up and angry at the world. Ten tiny fingers. Ten tiny toes. Everything where it should be.

"What are we gonna name him?" I ask.

"Been thinking about that. How about Michael? After your brother."

"Michael died in that warehouse fire. Because of this life. Because of the choices we made."

"All the more reason to honor his memory."

I look down at the baby. Little Michael. Carrying his uncle's name and hopefully none of his bad luck.

"Yeah. Michael sounds right."

Dr. Rodriguez comes back with a worried look. "I ran a preliminary blood test. There's something you need to know."

"What now?"

"The baby's DNA shows some unusual markers. Genetic variations I ain't seen before."

"What kind of variations?"

"Hard to explain without getting too technical. But they're linked to the Romano bloodline. Your family line going way back."

"Romano bloodline?" Dante looks confused. "Your name's Santos."

"Santos is my mother's name. My father was Tony Romano. Died when I was five."

"Romano like the old Romano family? The ones that used to run the docks back in the thirties?"

"Same family. Why?"

Dr. Rodriguez pulls out an old medical journal. Pages yellow with age. "I been researching this for years. The Romano family had a genetic mutation that showed up maybe once every few generations."

"What kind of mutation?"

"Enhanced physical capabilities. Faster reflexes. Better healing. Stronger than normal people."

"You're saying my son's got superpowers?"

"I'm saying he's got genetic markers that have been dormant in your family for decades. This storm, the stress of early labor, something triggered them to activate."

I look down at little Michael. Sleeping now but his heart's still beating fast. Like he's running a marathon while taking a nap.

"Is it dangerous?"

"I don't know. There ain't enough data. Most kids with these markers died young back in the old days. But that might've been because people didn't understand what was happening."

"So what do we do?"

"We watch him close. Monitor his development. And we keep this information between us. There's people who'd kill for a child with abilities like this."

As if he planned it thunder crashes again. Louder this time. And the lights go out.

"Generator should kick in," Dante says.

We wait. Nothing happens. Just darkness and the sound of rain.

"Tommy!" Dante yells.

No answer.

"Something's wrong," I whisper.

Dante pulls out his gun. Moves to the window. Looks out through the bulletproof glass.

"Can't see nothing. Too dark."

That's when the TV in the corner flickers to life. Shouldn't be possible with the power out. But there it is. Glowing blue in the dark room.

A face appears on the screen. Familiar face that makes my blood run cold.

Marco.

"Hello Eve. Dante. Congratulations on the new arrival."

"That's impossible," Dante breathes. "He's dead."

"Do I look dead to you?" Marco smiles that same cold smile. "Got to admit the explosion was a nice touch. Had you both convinced didn't it?"

"Where are you?"

"Close enough to watch. Far enough to stay safe. For now."

"What do you want?"

"Same thing I always wanted. Control. Order. And now... your son."

"You ain't getting near my baby."

"Oh but I am. See that genetic mutation the good doctor just told you about? I know all about it. Been tracking the Romano bloodline for years. Waiting for the right combination of genes to produce a child like yours."

"How could you possibly know about that?"

"Because I had your father killed specifically to prevent this from happening. Tony Romano was getting too close to someone with compatible genetics. Had to eliminate him before he could reproduce."

The room spins. "You killed my father?"

"I killed a lot of people to control this bloodline. But Tony was smart. Hid you and your mother. Changed your names. Kept you safe for almost thirty years."

"Why?"

"Because children with active Romano genetics become incredibly powerful. Strong enough to challenge my authority. Smart enough to unite the families against me."

"So you've been planning this for decades?"

"Planning. Waiting. Eliminating threats. But now the child is born despite all my efforts. Which means it's time for plan B."

"Which is?"

"Simple. I take the child. Raise him as my own. Train him to serve my interests instead of opposing them."

Dante steps in front of the bed. Gun pointed at the TV screen like he could shoot Marco through it.

"Over my dead body."

"That can be arranged. In fact that's exactly what I have planned."

The screen flickers. Marco's face gets replaced by security camera footage. The safe house. The street outside. Tommy's men lying on the ground not moving.

"My people are already in position. You're surrounded. The building's been cleared except for this room."

"You're bluffing."

"Am I? Look out your window. Southeast corner. Third floor of the brown building."

Dante looks. Goes pale. "Sniper."

"Three snipers actually. Plus a tactical team on the ground floor. Plus some insurance policies you ain't even thought of yet."

"What do you want?"

"Bring me the child. Alone. Unarmed. Do it in the next five minutes or everyone in that room dies. Starting with the doctor who knows too much."

Dr. Rodriguez makes a small sound. Scared old man who just wanted to deliver a baby.

"And if I do bring him to you?"

"Then maybe the rest of them live. Maybe."

The screen goes black.

We sit in the dark listening to the rain. Little Michael sleeping in my arms like the world ain't about to end.

"Options?" Dante asks.

"We fight," I say.

"Against professional soldiers? In a building they already control? With a newborn baby?"

"Then what do you suggest?"

"I go down there. Face to face. See what kind of deal we can make."

"He'll kill you."

"Maybe. But maybe I can buy you time to get away."

"Where am I gonna go? How far can I run with a three hour old baby?"

"Far enough."

Dr. Rodriguez clears his throat. "There might be another option."

"What?"

"The baby's genetics. If they're what I think they are..."

"Speak plain."

"The Romano bloodline wasn't just about physical abilities. They had mental gifts too. Telepathy. Precognition. The ability to influence other people's thoughts."

"The baby's three hours old. He can't even focus his eyes yet."

"The abilities might be dormant now. But they could activate under extreme stress. Like right now."

"You're talking about using my newborn son as a weapon?"

"I'm talking about survival. For all of us."

I look down at little Michael. Still sleeping but his heartbeat's getting faster. Like he can sense the danger even in his sleep.

"How would it work?"

"Physical contact. Skin to skin. The neural pathways are strongest right after birth. If you concentrate, if you really focus on what you need..."

"I could make Marco's people see things that ain't there? Make them forget why they came here?"

"Theoretically. But there's risks."

"What kind of risks?"

"Using abilities this young could damage the baby's development. Could burn out the neural pathways permanently."

"Or?"

"Or it could kill him."

Thunder crashes again. This time it sounds like it's right on top of us.

The TV flickers back to life. Marco's face filling the screen.

"Time's up. Bring me the child or watch everyone die."

I hold little Michael closer. Feel his tiny heart beating against my chest. My son. My blood. My responsibility.

"I'm coming down," I tell the screen.

"Eve no," Dante grabs my arm.

"Yes. But not to surrender."

"Then what?"

I kiss the baby's forehead. Feel something strange. Like electricity passing between us. Like recognition.

"To end this. Once and for all."

The screen goes black again. But I can feel Marco waiting. Can feel his hunger for power. His need to control everything and everyone.

Time to show him what the Romano bloodline is really capable of.

Time to protect my family the only way I know how.

With fire.