Chapter 140: Nate

The night air is cold as it bites at my skin, and the darkness around me feels like a weight pressing in. I can barely see anything beyond the dim glow of the headlights as we navigate the winding roads. The world outside blurs into shadows and uncertainty, but I can feel the tension in the car—thick, palpable, like a storm ready to break.

Riley is behind the wheel, his knuckles white as he grips the steering wheel, his eyes focused and fierce. Danny is in the passenger seat, his jaw clenched, his gaze locked on the road ahead. We haven’t spoken much since we got the call, since we found out Sofia and Ethan were taken. There’s nothing to say, nothing that can ease the fear clawing at our insides.

I sit in the back, my hands trembling as I load my gun, my heart pounding in my chest. My mind is racing, replaying every moment, every mistake, every second we let our guard down. It’s my fault. I should have been there, should have been faster, smarter. I should have protected them.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself, trying to focus. This isn’t about my guilt, my fear. This is about Sofia and Ethan. This is about getting them back, no matter what it takes.

“We’re getting close,” Riley says, his voice cutting through the silence. He glances at me in the rearview mirror, his eyes dark, determined. “You ready, Nate?”

I nod, my jaw tightening. “Yeah,” I say, my voice rough. “I’m ready.”

Danny looks back at me, his eyes filled with the same fear I feel in my own chest, the same determination. “We’re bringing them home,” he says, his voice low, fierce. “We’re not leaving without them.”

I nod, swallowing hard, my fingers tightening around the gun. I think of Sofia, of her smile, her laughter, the way she looks at Ethan with so much love it makes my heart ache. I think of Ethan, his tiny hands, his bright eyes. They’re my family. They’re everything. And I’m not letting them go.

The car slows as we approach a rundown building, the kind of place that looks abandoned, forgotten. But we know better. We know who’s inside, what they’re capable of. Riley kills the engine, the headlights fading, and we’re plunged into darkness, the silence almost deafening.

We move quickly, quietly, each of us focused, our minds set on the mission ahead. Danny takes point, his eyes scanning the area, his body tense. I follow, my heart pounding, every step bringing us closer, every second filled with the fear that we might be too late.

We reach the back of the building, the door barely hanging on its hinges, and Danny motions for us to stop. He listens, his ear pressed to the cold metal, and then he nods, his eyes locking on mine. “They’re in there,” he whispers, his voice barely audible. “We go in fast, we get them out.”

I nod, my heart in my throat, my fingers tightening around the handle of the door. I can hear my own breathing, the rush of blood in my ears, and I force myself to focus, to push the fear aside. I have to be strong. For Sofia. For Ethan.

Danny counts down with his fingers—three, two, one—and then we’re moving. The door bursts open, the hinges screaming in protest, and we’re inside, the darkness swallowing us whole. My eyes adjust quickly, the shapes of the room coming into focus—a table, chairs, a single light hanging from the ceiling, flickering.

I hear the muffled sound of a child crying, and my heart lurches in my chest. Ethan. I move toward the sound, my eyes scanning the room, and then I see him. He’s in the arms of a man, his tiny body struggling, his cries piercing the air.

“Let him go!” I shout, my voice raw, my gun aimed at the man. He turns, his eyes wide, and for a moment, everything seems to freeze. The fear in Ethan’s eyes, the anger in the man’s face, the pounding of my heart—it all collides, and I move, my body acting on instinct.

The man starts to raise his gun, but I’m faster. I pull the trigger, the shot echoing off the concrete walls, and the man crumples, Ethan falling from his grasp. I’m there in an instant, my arms wrapping around him, pulling him close, my heart breaking at the sound of his cries.

“It’s okay, buddy,” I whisper, my voice shaking. “I’ve got you. You’re safe now.”

But it’s not over. I hear the shouts, the sound of footsteps, and I look up, my eyes locking on Danny. He’s moving, his body a blur as he takes down another man, his fists flying, his eyes filled with rage.

Riley is beside me, his eyes scanning the room, his gun raised. “Where’s Sofia?” he asks, his voice tight, and I feel the fear crash over me again, the realization that we’re not done yet. We have Ethan, but Sofia—she’s still out there.

I hand Ethan to Riley, my heart pounding, my eyes locked on the door at the far end of the room. “Take him,” I say, my voice breaking. “I’m going after her.”

Riley nods, his eyes filled with understanding, and he pulls Ethan close, his body shielding him. “Be careful, Nate,” he says, his voice low.

I nod, my jaw set, and I move, my feet barely touching the ground as I run toward the door, my heart pounding in my ears. I burst through it, the cold air hitting me like a slap, and I see her.

She’s on her knees, her hands trembling, her eyes locked on my father. He’s standing over her, his face twisted with rage, his hand raised, ready to strike. My heart stops, the fear turning into something wild, something uncontrollable.

“Get away from her!” I shout, my voice raw, and he turns, his eyes locking on mine. There’s a moment—a split second where everything seems to hang in the balance, and then he moves, his hand reaching for the gun at his side.

But I’m faster. I raise my gun, my finger pulling the trigger, and the shot rings out, the sound echoing through the night. My father stumbles, his eyes wide, and he falls, his body hitting the ground with a dull thud.

I run to Sofia, my heart in my throat, my hands trembling as I pull her into my arms. “Sofia,” I whisper, my voice breaking. “It’s okay. I’ve got you. You’re safe now.”

She looks up at me, her eyes filled with tears, her body shaking, and she nods, her arms wrapping around me, holding on tight. “Nate,” she whispers, her voice barely audible. “Ethan. Is he—?”

“He’s safe,” I say, my voice trembling. “Riley has him. He’s okay.”

She closes her eyes, a sob escaping her lips, and I hold her tighter, my heart aching with love and relief. We did it. We got them back. And as I hold her, the darkness around us slowly fading, I know that no matter what comes next, we’ll face it together. As a family.