Chapter 13 - The Abduction
The sun rose over the quiet suburb of Evanston, Illinois, casting a warm golden light across the grassy campus of the Tech Academy. For the first time in months, a sense of peace seemed to rest over David Vance and his newly adopted nephew, Toby.
Toby stood near the academy’s research workshop, wearing a fresh school blazer, holding a backpack filled with engineering manuals. He looked like any normal, happy nine-year-old boy embarking on a bright future.
"I'll pick you up at four o'clock, Toby," David said with a warm smile, crouching down to adjust the boy's collar. "Dr. Aris is excited to show you the advanced robotics lab today."
"Thanks, Uncle David," Toby beamed, his gray eyes shining with happiness. "Can we build the magnetic motor prototype this weekend?"
"It’s a deal," David laughed, giving the boy a high-five. "Now get to class before you're late."
David watched as Toby ran up the brick steps of the science building, waving back once before disappearing through the glass doors. Feeling a profound sense of relief, David returned to his SUV.
However, at 2:15 PM, David’s satellite phone rang sharply. The caller ID showed an unknown encrypted channel.
David answered instantly. "Vance here."
A cold, mechanical voice rasped through the speaker. "If you ever want to see Clara’s boy alive again, David, you will follow my instructions without calling your security team or the federal agents."
David’s heart plummeted into a freezing abyss. "Who is this?! Where is Toby?!"
"Check your secure video feed," the voice replied before hanging up.
Hands shaking with intense terror, David opened his tablet screen. A live video stream appeared on the screen, showing Toby tied to a wooden chair inside a dark, rusting industrial warehouse. Standing behind the boy was Knox—Julian’s head mercenary, who had somehow escaped the harbor bust.
Beside Knox stood Julian Vance himself, wearing a dark jacket, a fresh surgical scar running down his cheek. Julian grinned directly into the camera.
"Surprise, brother!" Julian mocked. "Did you really think locking up Harrison and taking my stock would win the game? Knox bought off the transport guards during my transfer to federal custody."
"Julian! Leave the boy out of this!" David screamed at the tablet screen, his knuckles white against the steering wheel. "Take whatever money you want! I’ll sign over every asset! Just don't hurt Toby!"
"I don't want your money anymore, David," Julian hissed, his eyes crazed with psychotic madness. "I want Arthur Miller’s physical clean-energy master drive. Bring it to the abandoned steel mill in Gary, Indiana, by 5:00 PM. Come alone, or I send Toby to his father in a wooden box."
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The screen cut to black.
David sat in the quiet car, his chest heaving, his eyes burning with a terrifying, lethal determination. He didn't call Marcus. He didn't call the FBI. He opened the glove compartment, pulled out his father's old service revolver, loaded six heavy silver rounds into the cylinder, and slammed the steel mill location into his GPS.
