Chương 2
“What happened to her?”
The girl’s fingers tightened around his sleeve.
“She said I had to be brave.”
Daniel looked at her.
“Your mom said that?”
The girl nodded.
“Before they took her away.”
A cold feeling moved through Daniel that had nothing to do with the weather.
“Who took her away?”
The girl looked toward the warehouse entrance.
Her face changed.
Fear returned instantly.
“They’re coming.”
Daniel turned.
For several seconds, he heard nothing.
Then he noticed something.
A faint sound outside.
Vehicles.
Multiple vehicles.
The headlights appeared through the broken windows.
The abandoned warehouse suddenly filled with moving shadows.
Daniel stood slowly while keeping the girl behind him.
His body was exhausted.
His hands were shaking.
But his eyes became focused.
Because whatever was coming toward them was no longer just his problem.
It was hers.
And she was counting on him.
He looked down at the child.
“Stay behind me.”
The girl whispered.
“Who are they?”
Daniel stared at the approaching lights.
“I don’t know.”
He tightened his grip.
“But we’re going to find out.”
Outside, doors began opening.
Footsteps approached through the cold November night.
And somewhere beyond the darkness, powerful people were searching for the missing child who had just changed Daniel Carter’s life forever.
And somewhere beyond the darkness, powerful people were searching for the missing child who had just changed Daniel Carter’s life forever.
The warehouse door creaked open as three figures stepped inside, their silhouettes stretching across the dusty concrete floor.
Daniel immediately recognized the difference between ordinary people and people who came looking for someone.
These men were not lost.
They moved with purpose.
Their eyes scanned every corner.
Their hands stayed close to their jackets.
The little girl behind Daniel became completely still.
Her fingers grabbed the back of his coat so tightly that he could feel them trembling.
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Do you know them?”
The girl did not answer at first.
That silence was enough.
Daniel felt his stomach tighten.
He shifted slightly, blocking her view of the men entering.
A tall man stepped forward.
He wore a dark coat that looked expensive despite the dirt and rain covering the warehouse entrance.
“Where is she?”
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
Daniel said nothing.
The man looked around.
“We know she came here.”
Daniel glanced toward the broken windows.
The cold wind moved through the building again.
“Who are you?”
The man studied him.
For a moment, there was surprise on his face.
As if he could not understand why a stranger was standing between him and the child.
“That does not matter.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“It matters to me.”
The man took another step forward.
The little girl moved closer to Daniel.
That single movement changed everything.
The men noticed.
They saw who she trusted.
They saw who she had chosen to stand behind.
The tall man’s expression softened slightly.
“Her name is Lily.”
Daniel looked down.
The child’s eyes widened.
She had not told him her name.
The man continued.
“Lily, come here.”
The girl shook her head.
“No.”
Her voice was weak, but clear.
Daniel felt her small hand tighten around his coat.
The man looked at Daniel again.
“You do not understand what is happening.”
Daniel looked at the frightened child.
“You’re right.”
He paused.
“I don’t.”
Then he looked back at the man.
“But I understand that she was freezing to death in this building.”
The warehouse became silent.
Even the men behind the tall figure stopped moving.
Daniel continued.
“She was alone.”
The man’s expression changed.
A flash of pain crossed his face before disappearing.
“You found her first.”
Daniel noticed the wording.
Not rescued her.
Not helped her.
Found her.
Like she was something lost.
“Who are you?”
The man hesitated.
Then he answered.
“Victor Russo.”
The name meant nothing to Daniel.
But the reaction from the other men told him it should.
One of them looked at Daniel with disbelief.
“You don’t know who that is?”
Daniel shook his head.
“I’m guessing I’m supposed to.”
Victor ignored the comment.
His eyes remained on Lily.
“She was taken from my protection twelve hours ago.”
Daniel looked at the child.
“Twelve hours?”
Victor nodded.
Daniel felt anger rising.
“She was outside for twelve hours?”
Victor looked away for the briefest moment.
That answer was enough.
Daniel had spent one night sleeping under bridges and abandoned buildings.
He knew what cold did to people.
Especially children.
“You were looking for her.”
“Yes.”
“And she was here.”
“Yes.”
Daniel looked around the warehouse.
The broken walls.
The empty floor.
The place where Lily had been hiding.
“Then how did you not find her?”
No one answered.
Victor’s face became harder.
Because that question carried an accusation.
Someone had failed.
Someone had allowed a child to disappear.
Lily suddenly whispered something.
Daniel looked down.
“What did you say?”
She looked at Victor.
“My mommy told me not to trust him.”
The air changed instantly.
Victor froze.
The other men exchanged looks.
Daniel noticed.
There was history here.
A secret.
Something much bigger than a missing child.
Victor slowly lowered his voice.
“Lily.”
The girl hid behind Daniel.
“She said you would come.”
Victor’s expression cracked slightly.
“She said I would come?”
Lily nodded.
“She said if anything happened, I should find the man who saved me.”
Daniel felt confused.
“What does that mean?”
Nobody answered.
Victor looked at Daniel differently now.
Not as an obstacle.
As someone he was trying to understand.
“What is your name?”
“Daniel.”
“Daniel what?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Carter.”
The reaction was immediate.
One of the men stepped back.
Victor’s eyes narrowed.
“Daniel Carter?”
Daniel frowned.
“Yes.”
Victor looked at him for several seconds.
Then he looked at Lily.
A realization seemed to pass through his face.
“You don’t know.”
Daniel became more alert.
“Know what?”
Victor reached into his coat slowly.
Daniel tensed.
But instead of a weapon, Victor pulled out a small photograph.
May you like
He held it out.
Daniel did not move.
